Duck, Duck, Goose...
Yesterday I was preaching to a fellow solopreneur about ‘perfect being the enemy of done’ - and so today I’m going to take my own advice, stop procrastinating, and get this newsletter out there because somehow it is already February and January is OVER and I somehow signed up to look after a family friend’s 6 ducks for the next 17 days…and I need to get going!! Talk about getting your ducks in a row…(thanks Canva AI for the image!)
First up, a few excerpts from this McKinsey report on Closing the Women’s Health Gap
“Menopause and endometriosis not only cause women pain and reduce their quality of life but also substantially affect their ability to work and their earning potential. Roughly 80 percent of affected women state that menopause interferes with their lives, and one-third of these women also experience depression. [...] Studies have found that up to 90 percent of women reported menopausal symptoms during the transition. This leads to a global prevalence of more than 450 million women and highlights the vast underestimate (versus 35 million in the IHME database).”
“Employers could consider how their workplace policies and benefits support women’s health, examine ways to better involve women in decision-making processes, provide health and wellness benefits that support women’s health, and create safe working environments in which women can speak openly about their health needs. By better understanding employee demographics, employers could invest in the areas with higher impact and potential. For example, if a workforce includes women between 45 and 55 years old, high impact could come from flexible work policies that recognize menopause.”
Next, I heartily recommend this new podcast: Psychologically Speaking with Leila Ainge:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/psychologically-speaking-with-leila-ainge/id1720355190 - and not just because I’ll be appearing on it in a few weeks! The first series has a focus on imposter phenomenon (including why we should NOT be calling it imposter syndrome - please).
Free Resources: these free posters from Menopause Support are a great way to help raise awareness and are totally free:
You can also get your free checklist to start measuring how ‘menopause-friendly’ your organisation is by emailing me at [email protected]?
Articles Roundup:?
“In a recent analysis of policies at more than 500 companies, 15% of employers said they offer or plan to offer menopause benefits in 2024. That’s up from just 4% last year. …Those that do speak out hope to set off a chain reaction that raises awareness and destigmatizes a process that even many women don’t know that much about. For Maureira-Rey, it was also important to share her experience in part so colleagues understood her brain fog and mental exhaustion were tied to hormonal fluctuations, not her motivation or abilities. She said she spoke openly to her male boss about what she was going through, and once announced her hot flash to a full conference room during a panel discussion.”
“You’re in this great place in your career, but you’re feeling all of these symptoms,” said Maureira-Rey, 48. “I said to myself, ‘Either I can let these folks think whatever they want to think, or I can show up as myself and let them know it’s ok.’”
“The recent ranking of FORBES’ 100 Most Powerful Women List showcases women in the prime of their lives – and careers. 80% of them are over age 50 - and half are over 60. Because despite all the stereotypes and inherited stories, fairy tales and films of older women as fearsome, wrinkled crones, the emerging 21st reality is that women in Q3 - the 3rd Quarter (50-75) of our longer, 100-year lives - have never looked better, felt fitter or wielded more power.”
I’d love to come and deliver my ‘gendered ageism in the workplace’ keynote to your organization - don’t be one of the 92% that glosses over ageism in your DEI strategy…
(My italics for emphasis)
“Interestingly, over half of the respondents in the Biote survey said that if they were considering working for a company, it would be important to them that the company clearly express a commitment to supporting employees with menopause symptoms. However, the vast majority of employers do not realize a problem exists, evidenced by Mercer research that notes that only 15% of U.S. companies offer menopause benefits today, a disconnect from the reality that nearly two-thirds of women nationwide want menopause-specific support at work, according to a survey developed by Bank of America and the National Menopause Foundation.”
“According to a study published in the journal Occupational Medicine, “the most common menopausal symptoms affecting employees greater than 50% of the time while at work were fatigue (54%), difficulty sleeping (47%), poor concentration (44%), and poor memory (40%).” Two-thirds of this study’s respondents noted an impact on work performance, and nearly one out of five had taken sick leave. There was a significant association between symptom severity, work performance, and career development, highlighting the need for more support in the workplace.
according to research from the Mayo Clinic, American companies face menopause-related losses of $26 billion annually, including an estimated $1.8 billion worth of lost working time alone. Bloomberg went further, reporting that worldwide menopause-related productivity losses can top $150 billion a year.
According to Kate Phillips, head of global benefits at Bank of America, “We recently released a survey that found most women feel uncomfortable talking about menopause at work because it’s too personal. We want to eliminate that stigma and make sure that each one of our teammates feels supported. When our employees have the tools and resources to manage their lives and careers, they can better deliver for our clients, communities, and each other.”
Last but not least, our online course Demystifying Menopause for Line Managers is here: https://www.managingthemenopause.com/dmm and if you want multiple licenses let me know, we’ll work out a discounted price for you…
Duck, Duck, Goose…I'm off to care for my charges, let's hope none of them get out or I'll be there all afternoon!
Emma