Being a woman is wonderful and complicated. We are the creators of life as we cycle through the periods of life. From girlhood via womanhood to motherhood and wise-woman.

Women’s health has been and still is in many contexts literally shrouded in mystery. It is hidden and often stigmatized as shameful, or perhaps disruptive. A topic not to be openly talked about. The stigma associated with menstruation, pregnancy and menopause still have a negative impact on women’s mental health and ability to thrive.

Let’s bring menopause out in the open and de-stigmatize it. 

While menopause is normal, it comes with a variety of symptoms (up to 30) which can be disruptive and complicated (but not always), thus having a negative impact on the individual’s health, including mental health and well-being.  Common symptoms, in addition to the well-known hot flashes, are brain fog, inability to focus, memory problems, anxiety, and insomnia.  Ignoring the impact of menopause on the individual’s ability to function at their “normal” pre-menopausal level, hurts the person, the organization they work with, and society overall.

The taboos associated with menopause remain strong, and are troubling because they associate with the experience of ageism and sexism, as demonstrated in the research published in the journal Post Reproductive Health (Menopause as a well-being strategy: Organizational effectiveness, gendered ageism and racism).  

For example, women aged 45 to 65 makes up 17.5 % or the US workforce while recent data shows that women leave their jobs or disrupt their careers due to menopause. Often at that critical time in their career when they are in leadership roles or rising to senior leadership.

Data from Canada shows that one in 10 women may leave their jobs due to menopause symptoms.  Similar data is available from the US, according to the Biote 2022 survey on women in the workplace almost 20% of women have quit or considered leaving their jobs because of menopause. The results also showed that “Over 87% of respondents had not spoken to an employer or manager at work about their menopause symptoms, citing reasons that suggest feelings of shame and fear of discrimination or being seen as weak or making excuses. These women also indicated they did not want or need help from their workplace, also indicating they felt there was nothing their workplace could do to help them.”

What can employers do?

1. The first step towards de-stigmatization of women experiencing menopause is normalizing it by increasing our knowledge about it and communicating about it in a non-judgmental and respectful manner. To create a safe space to talk about it.
2. Most of the women surveyed asked for easy-to-implement accommodations, such as flexible work arrangements and temperature control in the office, combined with kindness, empathy and understanding.
3. Invest in menopause support programs, as a part of an overall well-being strategy, to attract and retain senior female talent, and reduce absenteeism.  
4. Experiencing menopause can be a very private matter for many, therefore the participation in an initiative, program or discussion should always be voluntary.
5.  Finally, while the UK government recently decided to not to provide special protection for employees experiencing menopause in the Equality Act (2010), the policy paper from July 2022 is an excellent source of advice for employers and workplaces are improving their support. Check it out!

Reach out to me here to explore coaching for women, or consulting and training on how to create an innovative culture of well-being in your organization.

To learn more about the topic, consult the resources referenced:

Biote: 2022 Women in the workplace survey (https://biote.com/learning-center/biote-women-in-the-workplace-survey

Targett R, Beck V. Menopause as a well-being strategy: Organizational effectiveness, gendered ageism and racism. Post Reproductive Health. 2022;28(1):23-27. doi:10.1177/20533691211060098

Menopause: What employers need to know (https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/behavioral-competencies/global-and-cultural-effectiveness/pages/menopause-what-employers-need-to-know.aspx

Menopause and the workplace: How to enable fulfilling working lives: government response (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/menopause-and-the-workplace-how-to-enable-fulfilling-working-lives-government-response/menopause-and-the-workplace-how-to-enable-fulfilling-working-lives-government-response#:~:text=Menopause%20is%20not%20a%20protected,the%20Equality%20Act%20are%20needed