Why we need to talk about menopause at work

This post is the first in a series created to challenge the taboos around menopause in the workplace. LinkedIn is encouraging members to post about their experiences in order to help lift the stigma. Please join the conversation #menopause

Menopause. It’s not a word we often hear spoken out loud in the workplace.

In fact, the Faculty of Occupational Medicine has noted that while nearly eight out of ten menopausal women are in work, the majority do not feel comfortable discussing their experience.  

As someone who is in the ‘perimenopause’, the lack of open conversation and understanding in the workplace has meant there have been times when it hasn't been easy to deal with.  However, I decided when I started going through this that I really wanted to normalise the experience and be open about it at work. 

I went into it not knowing what to expect. I was a little surprised that it began when it did - I was under the misimpression it was something that only affected women in their 50s. When in fact, the average British woman has concluded or reached the menopause by 51. 

I knew about the infamous hot flushes (which I am yet to experience) but was ill-prepared for the insomnia, anxiety, heightened emotions, and mood swings. All common symptoms it turns out. I‘m also experiencing memory problems with a second round of “baby brain” - feeling forgetful and frequently losing my train of thought half-way through a sentence. I now write everything down in a notebook for fear I’ll forget it!

Sometimes, when I’ve mentioned the ‘menopause’ in conversation at work people have been uncomfortable and haven’t quite known how to respond. Yet most of the time, it has felt freeing to be able to openly reference it when I need to. For example, asking people to repeat things I know they’ve already told me because of my ‘foggy’ brain, and not being embarrassed about that.  I've also found it helpful to talk to colleagues going through the same thing about our shared experiences.

While there have been times where I really haven’t felt like myself, I’m aware that for some women their menopause experience includes suffering from debilitating symptoms such as extreme hot flushes and severe depression and anxiety, resulting in having to make significant alterations to their job in order to adjust or even stop working altogether.  

We are retiring later, and there are more women than ever in the workplace, which adds up to the fact that menopausal women are the fastest-growing group of workers in the UK (according to the CIPD).  These women bring significant experience and add enormous value to organisations, and given the fact that 51% of the world’s population will go through the menopause at some stage in their life, its time for things to evolve.

At a company level, this is starting to enter the mainstream - Channel 4 announced last year that it was introducing a dedicated menopause policy. At LinkedIn, all employees have access to health insurance and 24-hour mental health support, CBT treatment and visits to specialists such as nutritionists and dieticians are also covered.

Politicians are also starting to pay attention. For example, MP Rachel Maclean, was the first to speak out about the menopause in the House of Commons here in the UK. She is now campaigning for greater flexibility for menopausal workers, which is a welcome step.  

While workplace policies and guidelines can play an important role, creating a culture where employees feel comfortable being open with their managers and teams is equally important. We’ve been working with Menopause in the Workplace, who put a lot of emphasis on getting the basics right - access to information and an open, supportive working environment go a long way.

I’d love to hear about your own journey too – your experiences, and how you would want your workplace to support you. 

Share your experiences on LinkedIn using hashtag #menopause - let’s normalise the conversation!