Today is World Menopause Day – the aim of the day is to raise awareness of mid-life women’s health and the campaign aims to show that signs and symptoms are treatable.
Menopause in the workplace is very much unchartered territory. Despite it being spoken about more today than ever before, there is still a huge lack of support for people who are transitioning through this natural life stage.
Last summer the Right Hon Justine Greening MP published a paper on how the Menopause effects Women’s economic participation. The research examined the scale of the problem menopause presents in both the workplace and wider labour market. It looked at how symptoms, attitudes of workers and attitudes of employees impacted on women’s economic participation and finally how women experiencing the menopause transition could be better supported.
That was July 2017. Here we are over a year later with very little being done for this natural life stage. With over 3.5 million women over the age of 50 in employment we need to support and educate. Hot flushes are the stereotypical side effect associated with this life stage but in a more detrimental way to both the employer and employee are symptoms affecting confidence, concentration, energy and ability which all may negatively affect work performance.
We live in a shifting society. A society where more women than ever before have worked, a society where acceptance for subjects, such mental wellbeing are becoming acknowledged and openly discussed, yet the shift for people to support those who have reached this transition stage of life, is still a concept not being discussed or actioned.
Julie Dennis, Menopause Coach and Trainer, has conducted a survey of over 100 women who are experiencing the menopause and have remained in the workplace. Her results will be published later this year, but a look into her findings conclude that 75% of workplaces offer no support for those experiencing the Menopause.
What is needed is more support for those experiencing this life transition, to help them cope emotionally, physically and mentally. What also is needed is education for those around them that aims for them to seek to understand.
Today show your solidarity with these women. A lot will have just reached the pinnacle of their career, only for them to find their symptoms are causing them so many issues that they may give up work altogether (according to the International Menopause Society it happens to 10% of working women).
If you are an employer who is interested in making a real difference to women experiencing this life transition and would like to hear more about our ‘Me Inside Out’ programme, get in touch at hello@meinsideout.com or 07901 917074.