18th October marks World Menopause Day which is held to raise awareness and break the stigma surrounding the subject. Menopause is a natural process that all menstruators will go through, with Menopause itself taking place over one day, marking twelve months from the final menstrual cycle. The average age of menopause in the UK is 51, but it's important to recognise there are other instances such as early menopause (when individuals stop having periods before the age of 45) and surgical menopause (where the ovaries are removed, stopping menstrual cycles) which are also important to note. Once menopause has occurred, individuals will be post-menopausal for the rest of their lives
In the years leading up to menopause, many will notice changes beginning to happen - this is known as perimenopause. Perimenopause is when cycles still occur, but changes in length and frequency begin and for many, symptoms linked to menopause also arise. Perimenopause can happen between 2-12 years before menopause and therefore understanding what these changes may look like and the symptoms, they may bring is key. There are around 100 symptoms linked to menopause with the most commonly reported being hot flushes, sleep problems and brain fog - all of which are believed to be linked to the hormonal changes - primarily in progesterone and oestrogen.
Perimenopause is not static; we see this shifting through differ stages - these stages are linked to the hormonal changes over the years. Menopause symptoms are likely to reach their highest point in the few years prior to menopause itself. While for many, menopause itself may lighten symptoms, in some cases this can continue for up to 5 years post-menopause. Symptoms can be supported in a range of ways including stress management, good sleep hygiene, movement, supporting nutrition and balancing blood sugar.
1 in 10 women leave work during the period of menopause and up to 1 in 3 consider it. Organisations are loosing experienced, qualified, invaluable members of their team when they need them the most! Menopause is a key contributor to the leaky pipeline, where we see a lack of females moving into senior leadership positions. Yet research continues to demonstrate the link between a gender balanced senior leadership team and organisational success. We are beginning to move and mobilize in the right direction but there is still work to be done to close the say-do gap and create genuine gender equality in the workplace. The development of menopause policy, support groups, forums, flexible working and male allyship can all contribute to the development of authentic gender-inclusive strategy.
Menopause does not have to be feared, we are learning so much about how we can empower ourselves to support symptoms and step into this phase of life with confidence. With women over 50 being the fastest growing population in the workforce, bringing wisdom and experience which is much needed, this is certainly a subject which must continue to be discussed.
Women’s health and wellbeing is a growing focus for many organisations as they consider how to attract and retain female talent in the workplace. Promoting an inclusive working environment for all genders and ages is paramount for every organisation and can help women employees better manage their workload and reduce stress, leading to improved mental and physical health.
More than ever before, organisations are being encouraged to consider women’s health within their policies. Managers need to be educated on the spectrum of health issues women confront and the extent to which each can affect their respective departments. As menstrual and menopausal experience can impact an employee’s attendance, ability to perform certain duties and their job satisfaction, it is vital that employers understand how they can foster an inclusive workplace culture and make helpful and reasonable adjustments.
Our Women's Health and Wellbeing Programme - CMI Level 7 programme will address how employers can address women’s unique challenges, advocating for gender equity and ensuring that company policies and practices are designed to support the health and well-being of all employees.
Information correct as of 18.10.2023