If you’re currently going through the perimenopause or menopause and you’re suffering symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, problems sleeping and concentration struggles, then you’re not alone!
Three quarters of peri or menopausal women experience at least one or two symptoms as they go through this transitional period of life.
Symptoms and their negative impact at work
But according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), almost 60% of women experiencing the menopause polled said that their symptoms are having a negative impact on them at work
As a result, the CIPD have launched a free Guidance on Managing the Menopause at Work guide that they say will help to “break the silence” surrounding the menopause and its symptoms. The fasting growing group of employed people are women over 50 years old, so it’s becoming increasingly important that workplaces have systems in place to support their female staff.
The CIPD study found that:
- Nearly two-thirds (65%) of women were less able to concentrate
- More than half (58%) said they experience more stress
- More than half (52%) said they felt less patient with clients and colleagues
45% of women say that privacy was their number one reason for not mentioning their struggles at work, and 34% said it was due to embarrassment. But perhaps most disturbing is that 32% said they had an unsupportive boss. Almost half said they felt more supported by fellow colleagues than their managers.
Because of this, the CIPD now recommend that managers and businesses aim to do all they can to “break the stigma” associated with the menopause
Senior CIPD policy advisor Rachel Suff says that most workplaces will have at least one woman currently experiencing the menopause yet most managers don’t know how to support them. “Rather than it being a workplace taboo, line managers should be ready to treat the menopause like any other health condition and have open, supportive conversations with women in their teams”.
- Giving women a later start time if their sleep pattern is disturbed.
- Providing a desk fan to help with hot flushes
- Making sure women can take regular comfort breaks and allowing them to adapt their uniform to improve comfort levels
Have you experienced issues at work while going through the menopause? We would love to hear from you at [email protected]
