Menopause at Work: It’s not just a desk fan

Menopause can be a difficult transition. Hot flashes, sleepless nights, brain fog, and much more…

But it’s particularly challenging when you have to show up in work and act all professional. Like nothing’s happening.

Menopause at work – it’s a problem

Menopausal women feel unsupported at work and 10% leave their jobs because they struggle to cope or feel unsupported. Many see this as the end of their careers or working lives, and almost none feel confidence that they can continue in work, never mind continue to progress in their careers.

They also have a fear that because they’re not performing at their best, they’ll lose their job. This only adds to the stress, anxiety and lack of confidence that they’re already feeling.

There are over 50 symptoms of menopause, and counting…

Depending where you read, there are over 50 potential symptoms of menopause which can be grouped into 4 categories:

• Psychological
• Physical
• Cognitive
• Emotional

Many of these can be difficult to manage, and working while dealing with symptoms can be very challenging. Some of the symptoms that are most commonly experienced are:

• Poor concentration
• Tiredness
• Low mood or irritability
• Poor memory
• Less confidence

The good news is that employers are stepping up

Menopause is a hot topic and one that’s been recognized as a matter of health and wellbeing. Thankfully many employers are already proactively supporting and training their people, so that they can become truly menopause inclusive workplaces.

More and more employers now are taking steps to ensure that they look after their people who are transitioning through menopause. The menopause also impacts those around the person going through menopause, such as partners, colleagues, family, friends, line managers. Increasingly, employers across the UK are providing workshops for their entire workforce, so that everyone understands more about menopause and how they can support colleagues and loved ones.

 

It’s not just a desk fan!

But still, almost everywhere you look, they’re talking about blinking desk fans.

And while some of us will be very grateful to have a desk fan whilst having a hot flash, for others, that has absolutely no impact on their symptoms whatsoever.

Because every single person experiences menopause in a different way. Not only that, but at different stages of their menopause transition, for every person, their symptoms change. So it’s hopeless to think that just one adjustment or type of support is going to be the right sticking plaster for everyone.

So this is for the ‘menopauser’. How do you know what to ask for in work?

WHO can you talk to?

• Line manager
• Human Resources
• Occupational Health
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Menopause Mentors / Allies / Champions

   

Should I tell my boss I’m going through menopause?

And if you find it difficult approaching them, try someone else in the business (above).

 

Empowering yourself for working well through menopause

• Do some research and preparation
• Track your symptoms and severity, and consider how these are impacting on you, your performance and how you work
• Check if your workplace has a menopause policy, what’s included, processes are in place
• Find out what support is available to you in your workplace
• Check your flexible working policy
• Prepare for your meeting. Bring notes. Decide in advance how much you’re comfortable sharing, and how to respond if conversation goes beyond area of comfort
• Explain to your manager what you’ve done so far to manage your symptoms
• Identify and share any particular stressors
• Let you manager know who they can share your information with, if they need to do that to put adjustments or support in place
• Let your manager know if you feel that you’re experiencing any negative bias at work
• Recognize that your attendance or performance might be impacting on your manager and team, recognize where they are supporting you and show appreciation for that
• Check what training, resources support and signposting information is available to you
• Schedule a follow up meeting to review and update support
• Understand that your symptoms may vary and fluctuate, so be prepared to have regular review conversations so that you can agree how to adapt adjustments in work.
• Ask for a risk assessment. Lots of people panic when they hear the words risk assessment, but these really do need to be reframed. The purpose of a risk assessment is to assess your workplace and duties, to make sure that nothing is putting you at risk or exacerbating your symptoms. And, to establish if your symptoms are putting you or others at risk e.g. driving after sleepless nights. There’s a duty of care to keep everyone safe and well.
• Learn how to manage your menopause symptoms. This deserves its own post (which I’ll write and link here later), but in essence the main options available to you are:
  • Menopause Hormone Treatment (MHT), also known as Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  • Psychology, Cognitive & Mind Therapy
  • Complementary Therapies & Supplements
• Lifestyle Changes (e.g. nutrition, movement, community)

 

Reasonable Adjustments

It’s important that you consider your symptoms, and have an understanding of what adjustments and support could be available to you. Consider those, so that you’re prepared by knowing what adjustments and support options to suggest.

Some ideas of adjustments that could be considered:

The Workplace / Working Environment

• Where possible, allowing the person to control their work environment. Some are more sensitive to cold than they are to heat. So good ventilation or a desk near a window that opens.
• Access to toilets – some might find they need more frequent or urgent toilet breaks
• Private or quiet area
• Home working
• Advance permission to leave meetings discreetly if needed

Workload

• Consider volume of work
• Change of duties or responsibilities e.g. if current duties are too physical
• Redelegating responsibilities (temporarily)
• Removal / temporary removal of stress inducing tasks

Equipment

• A desk fan! (if needed)
• Noise cancelling headphones

Uniform

• Uniforms can often be stiff, bulky, heavy and made of synthetic (sweaty) materials
• Light-coloured uniforms can be anxiety inducing for women.
• Consider comfort, lightweight, breathable, natural fabrics.
• Consider looser cut, elasticated waistbands and providing more than one size of uniform.
• Provide extra pieces for change of clothing.
• Can you ‘relax’ uniform policy or requirements? Allowing women to undo a top button, or remove a jacket?

 

Hours of work

• Flexible working. This could include adjustments like:
  – flexibility on start and finish times
  – change of shift times
• More breaks or flexibility around taking breaks
• Time off for appointments

   

Communication

• Permission to attend Zoom meetings with camera off
• Consider how information is provided. Share written information if someone is struggling with brain fog, poor memory or concentration.

An important point to note is that your employer is only required to give serious consideration to your request, and agree to what is deemed to be a ‘reasonable’ adjustment. For example, it could be impossible for a restaurant chef to not work in a hot environment. Or a small business may not have enough staff to cover different working hours if they’re only open 9-5. Or a receptionist can’t have a non-customer facing role, if there are no other office or admin staff. There are some financial and operational limitations on the business so it’s very useful for you to consider what is reasonable and could be supported and implemented by your employer.

As an HR Manager, almost all of the flexible working requests I received, detailed why it would be of benefit to the employee to work flexibly.  So a very important point for you to take onboard… anticipate and pre-empt any operational or financial reasons that the business might have in accommodating your request.

In your flexible working request application, suggest to them how your request can be accommodated, and even how it might be of benefit to the business. Keeping you employed, happy and healthy is one advantage. Recruiting, onboarding and training replacements is costly and time-consuming.

And a note for the employer who wants to help. How do you get it right for everyone?

• Be flexible.
• Every case is different. Consider each on its own circumstances.
• Consider delivering menopause workshops so that everyone in your business has an understanding of menopause and that you’ve given them the language and confidence to have conversations.
• Encourage open conversations.
• Don’t avoid having conversations.
• Train your people managers. Give them the knowledge, skills and resources to be able to support people in their teams.
• Consider training a group of menopause mentors/allies/champions (similar to mental-health first-aiders) who will have the knowledge and are recognized as the go-to people for anyone with queries about menopause.
• Check your people policies for equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Work with a menopause support provider. Get their expert advice on creating policies, training, risk, adjustments, resources and support.

Get in touch if I can help in any way. I’m a former HR Director and HR Consultant, now specialising as a Life & Wellness Coach and Writer for midlife women. I’ve trained as a menopause mentor and worked with many women and businesses. My Empowered Midlife coaching programme, offers one-to-one guidance through your midlife transition, including how to manage menopause symptoms.

 

 

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