If you’re a business owner, manager, colleague, friend, family member, or let’s face it, a human being, then you need to know about the menopause. HARRIETTE LUSCOMB explains why.
The menopause is something that happens to all women as they conclude their reproductive phase.
It happens to other mammals as well: female killer whales move into a matriarchal position in their pods only after menopause.
The term menopause relates to the very specific point, 12 months after a woman has experienced their last period. Women experience biological changes in their body leading up to this point and its called the perimenopause.
However, some women experience post-menopausal symptoms as well. And it’s not only those who identify as women who will experience menopause. Some transgender men, non-binary people and intersex people, or people with variations in sex characteristics, may also experience menopause.
There’s still a woeful lack of research into this largely female health and wellbeing issue, which amplifies the importance of menopause awareness days. But it’s a significant area that needs to be explored as menopausal women are the fastest growing demographic in the workforce.
According to the Faculty of Occupational Medicine, nearly eight out of 10 of menopausal women are in work. Even if you’re not going to experience the menopause directly yourself, it’s likely that you will work, manage or employ someone who will.
Here are five top tips you can adopt to be supportive and minimise the potential negative impacts:
- Don’t feel like you need to be THE expert. Being open, curious and equipping yourself with an understanding of the menopause is a great position to be in. Check whether your company has a menopause policy, invite speakers into your organisation to share their knowledge and facilitate groups for people to share their experiences if appropriate. This will help you avoid making assumptions or using inappropriate language.
- Manage with compassion. Perimenopause can come with a whole host of side effects that may impact what people want to wear, sensitivity to temperature and to light, and may have them questioning their judgement. It may also be embarrassing to talk about. If you notice changes in somebody, don’t make clunky assumptions, or demand to know “what’s wrong?”. Instead, foster trust, accommodate changing needs where possible and make relevant support structures within the organisation known to all employees.
- Make time for your holistic wellbeing. When we are experiencing changes beyond our control, it’s even more important to prioritise looking after ourselves, our bodies and our minds. Get time away from your desk, make sure you are eating nutritious food, socialise with friends and incorporate some exercise into your days. This will also help you have a better understanding of yourself if changes do start to impact you.
- Build a culture that is focused on celebrating people’s strengths. A common initial impact of the menopause for women is a knock to their confidence. Davina McCall talks about even wondering whether she was experiencing Alzheimer’s. Imposter syndrome can take over and it can lead to menopausal women leaving their jobs. We can all combat this by focusing more on our strengths, and the strengths of those around us. Focus on what we do well; it will build self-efficacy AND resilience for when times get tough.
- Focus on creating psychological safety in your workplace. This is an environment where people feel they can express themselves, their ideas, opinions and perspectives without judgement or negative consequences. Taking steps 1-4 is a great place to start in building psychological safety for you and those around you.
The good news is that these tips can be applied to any workplace or social situation, and will help people whatever experiences they may be going through, not just the menopause.
Here are more details about World Menopause Day 2024.
Main photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions, above photo by boram kim, both on Unsplash.
ENDS
