How confident do you think you or a member of your team would feel to talk to you about the menopause?
Research from Bupa has shown that almost a million women have left their job because of menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats and increased anxiety, while others are forced to take long-term absence from work to manage symptoms. This is a tragedy and a real loss of talent in the workplace.
Often a few simple changes to the working environment can make a world of difference – even just talking about the menopause openly can reduce the impact of some symptoms and enable people to continue performing well in their roles.
Line managers play a vital role in supporting colleagues with menopausal symptoms which can help retain valuable talent.
What can you do?
Whether you’re a line manager in a large business or the leader of a small company, the chances are you employ or manage at least one woman. And most women will experience menopausal symptoms at some stage. It’s a natural stage of life experienced by around half of the workforce at some point, and yet it’s a taboo subject in many workplaces. This means many employees with menopause symptoms, which can be severe, suffer in silence. But the menopause needn’t be an awkward or embarrassing topic, and it certainly shouldn’t mean that anyone needs to press pause on their working life. Often a few simple changes to someone’s working environment can make a world of difference – enabling someone experiencing menopausal symptoms to continue performing and contributing to their full potential. Even just being able to talk openly can reduce the impact of someone’s symptoms.
The key behavioural areas that will assist you in managing this issue are:
Building and sustaining relationships – this is vital if you are to have the trusting, open relationships with team members that are needed if they are to share concerns relating to menopause. This behavioural area also involves showing empathy, concern and consideration for people and providing opportunities for them to speak to you, which will enable early, sensitive conversations about such issues and their impact on work.
Providing knowledge, clarity and guidance when needed, including providing clear feedback, clarifying expectations, making time for people and giving advice and guidance to team members on their role and adjustments that can be made if required.
Improving your understanding of what the menopause is and how it can affect people.
The Menopause is a very sensitive subject so if you, as an employer need support in handling this issue please get in touch with Carrie
