Although menopause is a natural process that all women go through, the topic is still surrounded by stigma and taboo. Some women will sail through, but for others, the symptoms are disruptive and challenging to everyday life. This can make going through menopause at work feel like a very isolating and difficult experience.
There are a few things that you can do to make the workplace more supportive and understanding of the menopause, creating an inclusive environment where menopausal women feel comfortable talking about their symptoms in the same way they would any other health or wellbeing issue. And there’s no better time to get started than now, during Menopause Awareness Month:
1. Talk about it
The first step is to start talking about menopause in the workplace. This can help to break down the stigma and make it a more normalised topic of conversation. Try to create an open and supportive environment where women feel comfortable discussing their symptoms, whether that’s with colleagues, line managers or HR. This way, you can work together to find ways to make the working day more manageable.
2. Educate yourself and others
There is still a lot of misinformation about menopause, so it’s important to educate yourself and others about what it actually is and how it can affect women.
Organisations to signpost to include:
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/
https://www.themenopausecharity.org/
3. Be flexible and accommodating
The symptoms of menopause can vary greatly from woman to woman, so it’s important to be flexible and accommodating. This might mean making small changes like allowing women to adjust their working hours or providing a comfortable space for them to take breaks during the day. Having a Menopause Policy in place is helpful, alongside other relevant policies. Providing line managers with training will also enable them to have the right conversations, and ultimately support employees with the right adjustments needed. You can create an action plan to help manage symptoms and identify triggers.
With 63% of menopausal women saying the symptoms negatively impact their work, now is the time to take action, and talk about menopause.