• July 19, 2021
• Kayley Wilson
• no comments

Recently, ITV News wrote an article on how a ‘third of women in Wales consider giving up work due to menopause symptoms’. It highlights the problem businesses up and down the UK face and may not even be aware of!

Menopausal women are the ‘fastest growing demographic in the workplace’ (Government report on menopause) and in December 2021 there were over 15 million women employed in the UK (ONS). So what happens when women begin to experience menopause symptoms that have an impact on their wellbeing and ultimately on their job?

As with any healthcare or wellbeing issue, there are times when you need to confide in your line-manager or colleague and ask for support. So the first question is…. does your company promote an open workplace culture that gives their staff the confidence to speak out and ask for support when they need it? The second question is …. would you view menopause symptoms with the same empathy as a more understood healthcare issue, say tonsillitis?

Sadly, there is a lack of understanding of menopause and this is leading women to have no option but to walk away from their jobs and careers. Recently, many celebrities have highlighted their own struggles with menopause and spoken out about the daily struggles of dealing with symptoms whilst remaining in their careers. Brain fog, fatigue, aches and pains and low mood, these are just a small number of symptoms menopausal women can experince.

The average age of menopause in the UK is 51 but symptoms begins years before and can continue for many years afterwards. So when younger women experience symptoms, their employer may assume those women are too young for menopause and may draw their own conclusion as to why they are taking time off sick, seem less engaged or are struggling with aspects of their job. The same applies for older women.

This is why it is important and sensible for business owners and managers to train everyone to identify the menopause, it’s symptoms and stages and be confident to act on any menopause issues when they arise.

We want everyone to feel like they can speak up and ask for support and those that are asked for support, can provide the access to resources and practical help required to help alleviate symptoms. All resulting in women remaining in their roles for as long as they want or need to.

At Change it up, I use my extensive experience in management and my personal experience of menopause to provide open, informative and interactive courses full of tips, facts, practical guidance and access to resources.

Let’s work together and raise awareness of menopause in the workplace.

[email protected] Let’s #changeitup