Workplace Wellbeing: Make Menopause Matter

Can you believe that 1 in 10 women feel they have no option but to leave their job due to the impact of their menopause?

1 in 10 women.

That’s not a small figure.

And... when we consider that women over the age of 50 are the fastest growing segment within the workforce, and the average age for the menopause transition is 51 (with many experiencing symptoms years before), it’s clear that it is vital that we do not ignore the impact of menopause upon the personal and professional lives of our employees.

So let’s have a look at the impact of menopause.

A renovation project on the brain

In Davina McCall’s documentary on menopause (links below), menopause was described as a “Renovation project on the brain”.

“Menopause is when your periods stop due to lower hormone levels. This usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55.”

Menopausal symptoms can start years before periods actually stop - this is called peri-menopause. During this time, estrogen levels will fluctuate and become very unstable, progesterone production will stop, and testosterone levels will continue to drop. By the time a woman’s periods completely stop, estrogen levels are extremely low and they will have likely already have been experiencing years of hot flashes, night sweats, palpitations, headaches, insomnia, fatigue, bone loss and vaginal dryness - to name a few - and this is not even considering the mental health implications of increased levels of anxiety, low mood and even suicidal ideation.

Can you imagine trying to continue to work and manage home life while all of this is going on?

What’s even worse is that - due to the lack of education around menopause and the horrendous stigma created around the subject - many women do not even realise they're having menopausal symptoms.

Davina McCall talks through her experience of menopause during her two incredible documentaries, sharing how - like many other women - she had no idea it was the menopause and just felt like she was "completely losing her mind".

On top of that, due to the lack of education provided for GPs, symptoms of menopause are also often mistaken for depression.

In a survey of 3000 women, it was found that a shocking 2/3 of women were being offered anti-depressants when they showed up at the doctors displaying symptoms of menopause.

“Menopause guidelines are clear that antidepressants should not be used as first-line treatment for the low mood associated with the perimenopause and menopause. This is because?there is no evidence that they actually help psychological symptoms of the menopause.” The Menopause Charity

In Davina's documentaries, one woman shared how, when she told the doctor that she thought she was experiencing menopausal symptoms, she was shut down with “No, you’re too young to go through menopause”... at the age of 49!

This is wrong on so many levels: firstly, the average onset of menopause is between 45 - 55 and secondly, 5% of women go through early menopause (between 40 - 45 years old) and 1% of women experience premature menopause (before 40). It is completely possible for her to have been experiencing the menopause - and in fact, she was.

Education on the signs and symptoms of menopause - and how to safely support yourself through this transition - is severely lacking within society, leading to a lot of women suffering for a very long time when they absolutely shouldn’t be.

“A landmark study based on data from the largest ever survey of menopausal and peri-menopausal women in the UK reveals a shocking lack of support for often severe symptoms which mean the needs of menopausal women are being ignored both in the workplace and by healthcare providers.” The Fawcett Society, 02 May 2022

So, how can we improve the workplace practices to better support women experiencing peri-menopause and menopause?

Supporting women in the workplace

Before we look at the steps we need to take to improve, it is important to recognise that the tides have been changing and we are getting better at understanding menopause - largely due to the huge campaigns circulating around this subject over the last few years.

Some super exciting news comes from the UK 'Employment Rights Bill', published on 11 October 2024, which introduces a provision that may require employers with 250 or more employees to create equality action plans. These plans must outline the steps being taken to promote gender equality, including the support provided to employees experiencing menopause. Whilst the finer details are still developing, this is a huge step forward.

In addition, in schools, teenagers will be educated about menopause at secondary school as part of the new Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) curriculum. Again, this is incredible progression and the result of incredible campaigning by #MakeMenopauseMatter.

And - although we have a long way to go still - 25% of businesses now have a menopause policy in place to help women stay in work. This is not just essential for effectively supporting the wellbeing of your staff, but it is hugely important to retain this incredibly important talent pool.

So, aside from the hope that every single business will prioritise the creation of an equality action plan and menopause policy (not just those with > 250 employees), let’s finish with what else can we do to better support women in the workplace.

Recommendations

These are a few recommendations that we have at Siendo - but we would love to hear more from our readers around what else would better support women at work. Please do reach out with any other suggestions to: [email protected].

Note: If you decide to implement any of these recommendations within your workplace - please do make sure these are clearly communicated to all staff. So many wonderful initiatives go unnoticed because so many staff do not know they exist! You're doing amazing things - make sure they know about it!

1. Designated person(s) at work specialising in workplace wellbeing support for peri / menopausal women: This could be your Mental Health First Aider or Mental Health First Aid Champion who has received additional training in how to support women during their menopause.
2. Menopause Employee Resource Group or Support Group: These groups can offer a place where open and frank discussions can be held, a place where people can realise they are not alone in their experiences, and a place where they can discuss how to drive more effective support options within the workplace. Important: It is worth considering opening this group up to both men and women. Many men are interested in receiving insights around menopause but feel lost at what to do to support their wives, sisters, mothers and even team members through this time in their lives.
3. Manager training: Managers must receive training that educates them fully on the symptoms of menopause and how it might affect their staff members in the workplace. Management need to understand how to effectively support their team to ensure that we don't lose incredible talent from the workplace.
4. Menopause app: We won’t be recommending a particular app, but it is worth researching into the available apps that can act as another level of support for menopausal women in the workplace.
5. Flexible working: This should form part of your menopause policy which acknowledges that women will need an increased level of flexibility in the workplace. They will be far more productive and contribute far more effectively if they are able to adjust the way they work (and wear clothes that support the changing bodily experiences).
6. Sign the petition and show your commitment to #MakeMenopauseMatter: thanks to their petition and campaigning efforts, they have already succeed in their mission to get menopause added to the RSE curriculum in schools throughout the U.K, their other goals include: Mandatory menopause training for all GPs and menopause to be taught as part of every medical school curriculum. Menopause guidance and support in every workplace.

We’ve signed the petition - will you?

Everyone should have the right to go to work and feel supported.

Further Resources

Below you will find various resources that will help you to 1) understand menopause better and 2) manage menopause in the workplace effectively.

• Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and the Menopause - Documentary 1, Released 12 May 2021: https://www.channel4.com/programmes/davina-mccall-sex-myths-and-the-menopause
• Davina McCall: Sex, Mind and the Menopause - Documentary 2, Released 02 May 2022: https://www.channel4.com/programmes/davina-mccall-sex-mind-and-the-menopause
• The Fawcett Report - Landmark study Article: https://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/news/landmark-study-menopausal-women-let-down-by-employers-and-healthcare-providers
• Menopause and the Workplace Report - The Fawcett Society: https://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/menopauseandtheworkplace
• CIPD -?Free guidance on managing the menopause at work
• Antidepressants and Menopause Report - The Menopause Charity: https://www.themenopausecharity.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Antidepressants-and-Menopause.pdf
• #MakeMenopauseMatter - Petition: https://www.change.org/p/make-menopause-matter-in-healthcare-the-workplace-and-education-makemenopausematter?use_react=false&v2=false
• NHS - Menopause Information: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/