As summer progresses, we’re keen to urge employers to address the serious issue of menopause in the workplace.
When it comes to subjects to shy away from in the office, the menopause will more than likely be at the top of the list for many.
But research shows that high numbers of women are considering handing in their notice due to the impact of the menopause on their lives. So it’s high time to give the once-taboo subject time and a place in company policies.
Figures suggest that a staggering seven million women of menopausal or perimenopausal age are currently working in the UK.
According to a survey at the end of last year* of more than 2000 working women aged between 40 and 60, a worrying 23 per cent considered quitting their job as a result of feeling unsupported at work.
In addition, Research from Bupa has shown that almost a million women have left their jobs because of menopausal symptoms, while CIPD research shows that around one in six people (17 per cent) have considered leaving work due to a lack of support in relation to their menopause symptoms.
We’re leading the call locally for a better understanding and management of menopause in the workplace.
Managing Director Nel Woolcott says: “These figures show that many women continue to suffer in silence until it’s too late. For those who are impacted by the effects and symptoms of the menopause, it can be a lonely, embarrassing and confusing time in their lives.
“Not everyone wants to share their feelings of anxiety over meeting a new client or talk about the hot flushes felt while presenting to members of the company board. However, these can be real scenarios which many women find difficult to talk about, for fear of being ridiculed or not taken seriously.
“While every workplace has to recognise and act upon the legal rights of women in pregnancy, the menopause is a seldom-discussed workplace matter, and yet it’s something that negatively affects hundreds of thousands of women every year.”
Menopause typically affects women aged between 45 and 55. Recent studies show that the 50-60 age bracket of those in employment is the fastest-growing age group, in part a result of the trend towards an ageing population.
Research has also shown that lack of sleep and other menopausal symptoms can lead to sickness and absenteeism, impacting not only on the individual, but their company as a whole.
Nel adds: “Employers should and can take steps to ensure that women going through the menopause continue to feel valued and supported.
“After all, many of these members of staff may have been with their companies for years. We would really encourage line managers to keep the lines of communication open and empathise with what is effectively a health condition.”
Line managers play a vital role in supporting colleagues with menopausal symptoms:
Be confident about your role in managing and supporting colleagues with menopausal symptoms.
Understand and reduce the barriers that could potentially prevent a colleague going through the menopause transition from performing and/or developing to their full potential.
Identify appropriate workplace changes or adjustments to support team members and help them thrive at work.
Encourage and promote an inclusive working environment in which everyone is treated fairly.
Encourage women to attend any routine medical appointment and be supportive of any appointment they are seeking to make as a result of their symptoms,
Ingrid Fawcett, co-founder of Midlife360 CIC (a new grassroots social enterprise supporting midlife women in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough) said: “Menopause is for everyone to understand and empathise with, however you identify.
“Many women in perimenopause don’t realise that how they are feeling is just that.
There are 39 menopause symptoms (although some say 62 symptoms) with only a few discussed.
“While the physical symptoms are easier to identify, the mental issues including anxiety, confidence and brain fog are harder to recognise.
“Many women do not wish to be defined by their menopause. Each woman will experience it differently and over a different time period.
“With age comes seniority – losing that knowledge and experience due to lack of understanding of the challenges of menopause is costly and avoidable.”
*Survey by UK workplace-healthcare provider SimplyHealth