The 18th of October was World Menopause Day. As an organisation that has always had a strong focus on the older generations, it is a regular topic of discussion with our Champion partners. In recent years we have seen a rise in the term “older woman” and not in a flattering way. Days like World Menopause Day are important in highlighting the struggles women go through as they get older and ensuring that women realise, they aren’t alone. Organisations such as ourselves need to highlight the importance of the “older woman” in the workplace and how their treatment should not be any different.

To summarise, menopause is a period in a woman’s life where she experiences a massive change in hormone levels. Alongside many physical symptoms, it can also take a massive toll on mental health with changes to mood and increased anxiety. While women will need support outside of work, there is also a need to provide support in the workplace. This is part of this year’s focus: fostering menopause-friendly work environments. But why do they matter?

“educate on health and work-life balance so women feel less isolated and unsupported at work”

An annual Menopause in the Workplace Survey from Carrot Fertility questioned 2000 working American and British women. It revealed that many women face menopause-based challenges at work but feel like they cannot discuss them and that their employers will see them as less efficient. Staggeringly, 80% stated that managing their symptoms at work was a challenge and 72% stated that these symptoms made them feel uncomfortable or self-conscious at work. Around a third of women feared that their symptoms could impact their career growth.

Ageism is the driving force for this. The threat of potential age discrimination from employers causes women to feel unprotected. So much so, that when asking for time off work, many did not share the reason behind it. There is a perception around menopause that women will be unable to work at the same calibre and a lot of stigma surrounds the topic as a consequence. This leaves women alone and unsure of who can help them – something that someone should not have to feel when going through something completely natural. 47% of the women faced ageism at work and felt the need to work harder to prove themselves.

Following our statement at the beginning of this piece, there is an expectation for women to “appear younger” and that being an “older woman” is something shameful. This can stop women from wanting to reach out for help because they feel they may be putting their careers in jeopardy.

So what can businesses do? The first step is promoting understanding and empathy. The menopause is not short-term. It is important and helpful to talk to those going through it and have an empathetic discussion where you can find out about any adjustments that need to be made. A potential solution could be having a “buddy” system where women can feel comfortable sharing their experiences with people who may be experiencing the same things as they are.

Another solution is offering flexible work options or changing current working environments. Flexible hours and remote hours can help employees manage their responsibilities whilst also having the option to put themselves first and ensure they can also manage their symptoms. In the office environment, employers could allow a relaxed dress code with the opportunity to have fresh air and suitable access to facilities to ensure the workplace is less stressful. Following on from this, there are several work management tools which could be offered to help women remember and manage their tasks and workload. This can help with symptoms like brain fog and allow women to continue to succeed in their careers.

It also is crucial to consider policies. Having a dedicated menopause policy which states the arrangements and adjustments that can be made, can be incredibly helpful for those going through menopause as their place at work will be much clearer. This policy could also include conducting training sessions to educate workers and help increase dialogue and discussion on the topic. This will also help foster empathy and make it a much more comfortable environment. Wellbeing programmes can also be included, helping educate on health and work-life balance so women feel less isolated and unsupported at work.

To conclude, World Menopause Day is an extremely important day in our calendar as it raises so much awareness of something natural. It is also important to remember the benefits of women throughout their lives in the workplace and that everyone should feel comfortable and supported at work. Are there any other ways we can support those going through the menopause? Are there any other natural processes that should be supported in the workplace?

 

Sonya Knight | ADF Comms Team

Here are the links to the British Menopause Society and International Menopause Society

Read our previous editorial here

To respond and/or for more information, please contact the ADF Comms Team at: [email protected]