Creating a Supportive Workplace Environment for Menopausal Women
Menopause is being spoken about more than ever before - and not just at home. While every woman's menopause journey is different, it's finally being recognised as something that affects the day-to-day lives of women, impacting their workplace experience. As an employee, you might feel as though you don't have much power helping colleagues out during this time. Your employer might have already enabled flexible working, created a formal menopause policy, or re-evaluated their hiring process. But what can you do to contribute towards a supportive workplace environment for menopausal women?
1. Education is Key
To create a supportive workplace environment for menopausal women, it can be highly beneficial to start by educating yourself. This can include reading books and articles, attending webinars, workshops, and speaking to others, as some suggestions as to how you can find out more. Learning what symptoms may come with menopause can help you to become more mindful and aware of what a colleague/s may be undergoing, allowing you to help make accommodations such as those below, where necessary.
2. Become a Menopause Champion
One incentive that your employer might have implemented is appointing a menopause champion (also sometimes known as a menopause ambassador or menopause sponsor). This is the 'go-to' person for discussing anything menopause-related, and in turn, raising the profile of menopause in the workplace.
If the opportunity arises, you might want to think about putting yourself forward for this role. This can also be a great way to improve working relationships, as you'll need to be a trusted employee, who might need to navigate potentially difficult conversations. Specifically, who can become a menopause champion will depend on your workplace, but this person doesn't have to be a part of the HR department.
3. Advocate for More Change
Even if becoming a menopause champion is not an option in your workplace, or you don't have the capacity to do so, your voice as an employee is still important when it comes to making suggestions for further change. With your newfound knowledge from educating yourself, you may want to speak to your HR department regarding any additional changes that can be made in the workplace to make things more comfortable for your colleagues going through menopause. If these aren't in place already, this could be suggesting practical support such as creating a working area closer to the bathroom or more temperature control options. Alternatively, you might want to suggest any resources such as articles or webinars on menopause that you found helpful, to be shared with the wider team.
4. Be Patient
The menopause is a significant life change for many women, which can inevitably affect both personal and professional life. In fact, one study showed that over half of women had been unable to go to work at some point due to menopause symptoms, and 67% said that menopausal symptoms had a mostly negative effect on them at work. *
At home, your colleague may be having less sleep, which can lead to a lack of concentration, irritability, or low energy in the workplace. You may also notice them showing emotional symptoms such as increased sensitivity or anxiety. Alternatively, your colleague might not outwardly be presenting as though they're having any symptoms but that doesn't mean to say they're not going through them. But by having this understanding, can help you to approach conversations at work with more empathy and patience.
5. Respect Privacy
While discussing menopause at work is something that's no longer considered taboo for many, others can still feel uncomfortable with this subject. Even if you're going through menopause yourself and feel confident talking to your colleagues about this, it's important to acknowledge that not everyone will feel the same way. And while there's no reason to, many women feel embarrassed, awkward, or even concerned about judgement. Therefore, it may not be something they either wish to discuss or should they open up the conversation to you, don't want their experience shared with others. Perhaps in time, from building more of an understanding, a colleague may be happy to talk more openly.
* Menopause in the workplace | CIPD
