20% of the workforce are going through menopause right now! That’s 1 in 5 employees.
What does that mean for you and your team?
Menopause (including perimenopause – the lead up phase) is one of the remaining taboo topics in the workplace. And yet, the impact for those experiencing it, and the flow on effects for their work mates and families is significant.
– 13% of women will leave the workforce because of debilitating symptoms
– Many more will change to part time or lower skilled roles to better manage themselves
– The suicide rate for women is highest for this age bracket
– Menopause exacerbates existing mental health and neurodiverse conditions
– Currently, many GPs are not upskilled in menopause enough to ensure they diagnose and manage symptoms effectively
– Every woman’s experience is different
Why does this matter for you and your team?
Essentially there are some relatively easy adjustments we can all make which better supports everyone in the workplace, including women experiencing menopause symptoms.
Essentially open, genuine, respectful and empathetic conversation. Actually wanting to support them to perform at their best, and adapting your approach to suit.
Asking ALL your team members, regularly:
“how are you going?”
“how do you work best?”
“What can I/we do to create a team or work environment that helps you perform at your best?”
“Do you need flexibility or any adjustments in the workplace?”
And then, of course, doing what you can to make that happen. For many of us, this will take a big cultural shift, so approaching this one team at a time can be best – and getting management on board is key.
Personally, I’ve come into teams where the first question I’ve been asked is “Do we still need to ask permission before we go to the toilet?” – I mean, really?! Respecting that our employees are coming to do the best job they can AND that they are responsible adults is key to any positive working environment. Even more so as our bodies change and are no longer as predictable as they may have been in the past. Feeling like you are being monitored constantly effects the quality of work negatively – every time.
Creating a really effective, equitable work environment also requires a significant mindshift and cultureshift.
– Remote and flexible work environments may be helpful – where flexible is actually flexible and not constrained “You MUST be in the office on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday!” Perhaps it is preferred rather than required?
– Physical work spaces may need to be adaptable. If we need to provide adjustments for physical injury or dis-ability, enabling people to have adjustments to improve mental wellbeing should also be an option.
– Regular break options. Maybe one break for morning tea and a longer break for lunch suits most people, but perhaps 4 shorter breaks might be just what someone needs to feel at their best.
– Flexible work times – does everyone need to clock in and out at the same time? If I am at my best in the morning, maybe I could start earlier and get my work done then? Someone else might need more sleep in the morning and works better in the late afternoon/ evening?
– Recognise that no one works 100% all the time, which means we have days where folk are working at 150% and other days where it might be 50% or even 10%. Do they need to hang out in the office then or can they go home and rest up?
One of the benefits of COVID shut-downs was that we discovered that we could work differently AND actually be more productive. The world did not end when we could work in our own way. Going back to “how things were” is not the same as choosing a more positive and productive future.
Adapting our expectations of how our team works might just help us discover a better way of working for everyone – including menopausal women.
