Supporting Menopausal Colleagues

October is World Menopause Awareness Month, but menopause happens all year round.

20% of women sail through menopause, and perimenopause (the years leading up to our final period). Another 20% suffer terribly from physical, emotional and cognitive symptoms, lack of sleep, brain fog, hot flushes, increased anxiety and many other effects. These can last for about seven years. So, it’s important for workplaces to make reasonable adjustments to avoid losing experienced staff.

1 in 10 women consider leaving their job due to lack of adjustment for menopause symptoms. 60% muddle through somewhere in the middle, and benefit from a workplace culture where they can talk about their symptoms if they wish.

You can foster a menopause-supportive culture at work by stocking and wearing the Menopause Awareness Ribbon, hosting Menopause Cafes at work, offering Menopause General Knowledge talks to all staff, providing Menopause for Managers training.

Support your colleagues by listening to how menopause affects them at work and asking what reasonable adjustments might help e.g. flexible working hours, a place to shower and change, controllable room temperatures, breathable uniforms.

Learn more at:

• www.menopauseatwork.org

• www.menopausecafe.net

• The Menopause Workshop at the EVH Conference on October 30th