The World Menopause Day takeover edition

By Silvia Van den Bruel, Marketing & BD Director at Hausfeld

Today marks World Menopause Day, which is held each year on 18th October to raise awareness, break the stigma and share support available for improving health and wellbeing for those experiencing menopause.?

It’s a date that isn’t quite as ingrained in our minds in the way that the 8th March is for International Women’s Day (yet), but with this Si’s Matters takeover edition we may be on the verge of a quiet revolution.

Raising awareness for one day a year is a start, but it won’t change minds; and changing minds – and working practices – is what we need.

#menopausematters?

Last year Lucie Allen, Managing Director at BARBRI Global, posted on LinkedIn about her unexpected and rather horrifying experience of perimenopause during a board meeting, which sparked lots of support and a wave of others sharing their own experiences.?

As a result of her post, Lucie and seven other women – Helen Burness, Sara Carnegie, Lucinda Case, Jane Clemetson, Lisa James, Kate Gaskell and myself – came together one evening and exchanged experiences. All of us had been affected, and all of us had been impacted quite differently. Lightbulb moment. We all agreed we wanted to create support for (peri)menopausal women in the workplace.?

Furthermore, we noted a reluctance to discuss menopause in the workplace, often by men and women alike, as it remains a taboo topic and because of not wanting to draw attention to oneself.?

We all knew of women who had left their positions due to menopause-related issues. At a minimum, menopausal women have accumulated significant experience and, at the other end of the spectrum, they often hold senior positions. Whatever way you look at it, it results in a substantial loss for professional services firms – and in a sector where recruiting talent is challenging, this should and can be avoided.

Through our #menopausematters campaign, we want to normalise menopause by starting the conversation and to foster an inclusive and supportive work environment through the publication of a practical guide.

Amanda Milsom, Senior Client Principal, Heidrick & Struggles:

“Despite having an incredibly supportive husband, some great colleagues, a wonderful group of friends and a loving family, the menopause journey was an isolating and lonely one. … the taboo of discussing menopause is being addressed – finally some of us talk openly about the menopause and its impact. This gives me hope for women and my daughters.”

Stats don’t lie

The ONS UK Labour Force Survey confirmed that 16 million women aged 16+ were employed in the UK in December 2023, with 10.05 million women working full-time and 6.01 million working part-time. According to LG Inform, the local area benchmarking tool from the Local Government Association, the total female population aged 25 to 49 in in England in March 2024 is 9,589,054.

These women will all experience menopause at some stage in their life and will be impacted in varying degrees. Do you know anyone in your firm who is going through this stage in their life? Have you spoken to them about this? Do you realise how it impacts them? Does your workplace accommodate this not-insignificant group of employees?

Lucinda Case, previously Managing Director Thomson Reuters Legal Europe, reflects:?

“Mine is not so much a story but a description of how isolated I felt and a desperate need to hide what was happening. I’d say it was a personal time of crisis for me and one I didn’t want to talk about, particularly as most people I was working with were considerably younger. I think it’s great there is much more openness now, although I still wonder how open I would have been.”

CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, issued a report in October 2023 surveying 2,000 employed women, aged 40-60, about the type of menopause symptoms they experienced and their impact at work. The report’s key findings support what Lucinda points out:

• 67% of women with experience of menopausal symptoms say they have had a mostly negative effect on them at work.?
• 19% say menopause symptoms have had quite a negative impact, and 8% say the impact had been very negative.
• One in six considered leaving work due to a lack of support in relation to their menopause symptoms, and a further 6% have left work.
• This is worse for those with a disability or long-term health condition, with 8% of women having left work.
• More than 10% of women feel discriminated against because of their menopausal symptoms.

Sophie Cameron, Consultant Knowledge Lawyer and Workplace Wellness and DEI Specialist, confirms:

“The statistics are stark: menopausal women are the fastest growing section of the UK workforce and there has been a spike in the number of women aged 45-55 leaving the workplace at a critical point in their careers, so this really is an equalities issue.”

Two common misconceptions

Depicting older women as overheating ogres who are always in a bad mood suits the narrative for some, but it is far from the reality.?

The number of symptoms?

The most commonly-quoted hot flushes and mood swings are only two symptoms. This is misconception one. There is also fatigue, brain fog, memory loss, brain and body zaps, thin hair or hair loss, difficulty sleeping/ insomnia, vaginal dryness, pain during intercourse, incontinence, loss of bladder control, heavy bleeding and panic attacks.?

Other medical side-effects are cardiovascular risk, joint pain and stiffness, the weakening of the pelvic support structures and a higher rate of osteoporosis and fracture. Intangible symptoms which could have a big impact are changes in mood, depression, anxiety, being overwhelmed, lower self-esteem, loss of confidence and stress.

Most of these symptoms are invisible despite their power to debilitate our lives. Your name does not need to be Sherlock to conclude that there are many shades of menopause, but everyone acts as if it is just one condition.

Perimenopause

Having experienced the menopause, and despite being fairly well-read about the topic, I had never heard of perimenopause until I read about Lucie’s experience. Lightbulb moment. It was time to educate myself. Perimenopause is a phase which usually begins several years before menopause. Women can notice changes such as menstrual irregularity in their 40s, but some notice changes as early as their mid-30s. Some already experience similar symptoms to the menopause. It leaves many GPs clueless.

Sara Carnegie, Legal Director at a legal NGO:?

“Most people fail to appreciate that this stage can last for up to a decade before you hit the official menopause. How is it diagnosed, and when, become key questions when you try to navigate the wild west of medical ‘expertise’ available out there in both the private and public sectors.”

This brings us to the second misconception: that only women in their fifties are affected. I challenge you to look around after reading this piece and guess the number of female colleagues from 35 years and up who are impacted by perimenopause. (By the way, don’t fall into the trap that 50-somethings all have grey hair in a bun or wear an ill-fitting floral dress and cosy slippers, as so many lead you to believe). All of a sudden, that group of potentially affected women becomes much larger. The necessity to create awareness around the impact of this hormonal change may gather more sympathy when we realise how many colleagues around us may be affected. Another lightbulb moment.

Seven things you need to know about menopause

We created an essential resource to raise awareness and remove the awkwardness surrounding menopause – a natural progression for women. The guide also shares personal stories and actionable advice on how employers can support employees during this significant life stage.

We are certainly not the first bunch of women who are vocal about this, but all feedback we received said the guide had been so useful as a framework for further action.

Easy fixes to make the workplace a more menopause-friendly environment:

• Don't judge by a person’s looks whether a menopausal person is in the room. We may look different than you think.?
• Offer flexible working hours or the possibility to work from home to help employees manage their symptoms.?
• Don't schedule meetings or calls before 10.00 am. Sleep deprivation is a thing.
• Allow for adjustments to the dress code if necessary.
• Educate managers and staff about menopause to foster understanding and reduce stigma. Encourage the conversation. Offer guidance on how to have the conversation. Approach conversations with empathy and understanding.?
• Ensure that discussions about menopause are handled confidentially and sensitively.
• When the receptionist welcomes people, they should point out where the toilets are when people are led (in)to the conference room, so a quiet dash can be made when needed. You don't want to draw attention to yourself when feeling uncomfortable.?
• Place water on the table in meetings, easily in reach of everyone
• Provide (free) sanitary products in the restrooms.
• Make small portable desk fans available to your staff. There are USB versions which can be plugged into a laptop for ￡10-￡20.
• Have regular breaks in long meetings. The need for more toilet breaks is a symptom.
• Don't take it personally when someone seems irritable or a bit moody for no apparent good reason.?
• Appoint a Menopause Ally so every workplace has someone to talk to.

Employers need to ensure they are not discriminating against menopausal employees and have a duty to provide a safe working environment, which includes accommodating the needs of menopausal employees. How??

• Put a policy together. This template policy may help.
• Offer flexible work arrangements.
• Incorporate menopause into health and wellness policies, recognising it as a natural stage of life that requires support.
• Adapt absence management policies to accommodate menopause-related health issues without penalising the employee.
• Implement a feedback mechanism where employees can share their experiences and suggestions for improvements related to menopause support – anonymously if that may get a better result.?

Last but not least, don't wait till there is more than one (peri)menopausal person before taking measures!

The black cardigan initiative

We loved Julie Cridland’s black cardigan initiative. The idea is simple: you place a long black cardigan within women's toilets that can be used if someone discovers that unexpected period leakage or perimenopausal flooding has stained through their clothes. Or a simple sign which points people to reception, where they can get a black cardigan if there is no space in the washrooms.?

It helps the person to get to their desk, go to the shop or return home without feeling that all eyes are on them. They can use it, wash it and return it to help the next person.

It is genius in its simplicity.

What can you do?

Lucie Allen, Managing Director at BARBRI:

“We hope many men and women will re-share the guide and take action by talking about the menopause, forward it to their HR department or send it to their DEI working groups or committees. The more we talk, the more we normalise the situation.”

Please share this edition of Si’s Matters and this guide with everyone in your network. Ask them to share it too. Ask them to read the personal stories.

Become your team/department/firm menopause champion or mentor – you could be the person with whom people can share experiences, you could offer advice, and/or provide emotional support; openly discuss menopause and its impact.

Liaise with your DEI working groups.

Organise a menopause-focused event with healthcare professionals or experts to speak on the topic and get your HR department involved – they can help incorporate some of the practical tips we shared as standard practice and work on a menopause policy.?

Thank you for reading to the end, and from one Si to another: “THANK YOU for the takeover”!

Useful links

International Menopause Society

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You can catch up here:

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I hope you found this edition as insightful and useful as I have. A big thank you to Silvia for guest-editing this week.

Many thanks,

Si

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