The theme for World Menopause Day – WMD (18 October 2022) is cognition and mood. This is apt given the quiet rumblings of a change in thinking and lightening of the mood by the business community towards the topic of menopause in the workplace.
Menopause marks the end of a woman’s and some non-binary and transgender person’s reproductive years, where their ovaries no longer produce eggs. It is preceded by perimenopause, the time during which hormones fluctuate as fertility diminishes, and many physical, cognitive and emotional symptoms arise.
As a perimenopausal leader, I’ve experienced first-hand how the mysteries of menopause reveal themselves. I’ve learnt how menopause impacts my mood and shapes my thoughts, and now appreciate that the theme of WMD highlights just two key symptoms which menopausal women, and some non-binary and transgender persons, may endure.
Until a few years ago, I had little idea of what menopause was all about and have found that to be true for many others experiencing the same. Of as much importance is the significant number of male colleagues who have few cognitions relating to menopause – it just hasn’t been something they’ve tended to think about, nor been aware of.
There has been considerable discomfort with speaking about menopause in the corporate world. Long lasting taboos and awkwardness with such conversations have generally kept menopause out of workplace narratives.
Yet I sense a change in thinking and mood from organisations towards how they do in fact feel about awakening this topic within their corporate conversations. Menopause is a workplace issue and slowly organisations are opening their minds to this inclusive way of thinking.
With a prediction of >1.1bn women being of postmenopausal age by 2025* and an expectation that half will be within the global workforce, there is a growing collective understanding that this requires a shift in thinking and a shift in mood. More companies are becoming mindful of the good judgement and social conscience associated with normalising the conversation and increasing awareness. These actions will combat the large number of people who continue to mask their symptoms in the workplace to the detriment of their wellbeing, and/or make choices which reduce their opportunities to continue within their workplace.**
Too often perimenopausal symptoms (typically experienced between 45-55 years of age) coincide with being at the prime of their careers, with leadership and promotional roles on the cusp of their reach. Yet the challenges often faced with physical symptoms, (including hot flushes, heart palpitations, sleep disturbances, and irregular periods), and cognitive and emotional symptoms (including anxiety, loss of confidence, mood swings, and depression) have been found to derail many from their professional goals.
Studies suggest that around 45% of menopausal persons have considered retiring or taking a break from their work due to their related symptoms**. By numbers alone this could have a dramatic impact on these people’s careers and financial needs, and reduce access to skilled employees, ongoing corporate knowledge, and diversity of thought, experience and background. This may also slow the potential for women to advance into senior leadership positions, which will be to the detriment of the performance and profitability of organisations.
Rather than watch as a talented subsection of the workforce reduces their workforce presence and engagement, organisations can dial up their mindfulness and understanding of menopause in the workplace. Supporting these women and some non-binary and transgender employees during their perimenopausal years will increase their sense of self, personal value, confidence, engagement, motivation, and performance. Overall, this will improve their wellbeing.
With this in mind, and by ensuring equity is considered to create an even playing field in the workplace, employers can shift the mood by normalising the conversation about menopause. It’s now common to speak of pregnancy, reproductive health, physical and mental wellbeing. Extending this to be inclusive of menopause is the next logical step in creating an inclusive workforce.
So, what can you do? A few starter tips are below.
Increase access to information and normalise conversations as the first step. Educate your organisation to support their compassion towards, and consideration of those transitioning through menopause. This is paramount to removing the taboos associated with menopause. Raise your voice so that more is heard on this topic and its mention becomes common place and of ease in your workplace. Provide educational materials, guidelines and policies so your colleagues increase their understanding of menopause in the workplace.
Allow for forums where discussions can be held to support those experiencing menopause. Sharing of information and experience can help colleagues feel heard, seen and valued.
Consider how work practices can be modified to support those enduring symptoms. Common symptoms such as hot flushes, anxiety, fatigue, brain fog, headaches, and heavy periods can impact menopausal employees in the workplace. You can support your colleagues by avoiding meetings which sit back-to-back and don’t allow for bathroom breaks. It’s as simple as starting 10 minutes after the hour or ending 10 minutes before the hour. And it will benefit everyone regardless of their menopausal status!
Promote policies of flexibility in the workplace, whether it be the hours worked or location of work, to support people with altering their work practices in the interests of their wellbeing. Being able to work in a space which allows you to alleviate your menopausal symptoms can significantly increase your autonomy and mood. This may include having access to fans or cooler rooms, quiet space, bathrooms, or avoiding long commutes.
I encourage the business community to share their stories, lessons learnt, and successes, to educate fellow organisations. The ripple effect of approaching this more broadly is likely to empower an even greater number of people impacted by their menopause journey, as well as those working by their side.
Let there be a swell of organisations talking about menopause to match the swell of symptoms experienced by those within them. And let’s make sure that everyone understands that menopause in the workplace does matter.