How to manage the workplace during menopause
I’m going to talk about a lot of ‘mmmms’ in this blog. And not the good ‘mmmmm chocolate’ kind. More the ‘is this shit still happening in the 21st century FFS’ kind.
Management.
Masculine.
Menopause.
None of these are dirty words. But, if you’re working at leadership level in corporate, the combination can create one hell of a headache. In fact, if you’re anyone going through menopause in the workplace, you may well be in for a wild ride.
In this blog I share how menopause and the workplace can collide with disastrous results: and steps you can take to minimise the fall out. In other words, let’s talk about how to manage the workplace during menopause.
You are not the problem
Let's get something clear first. You experiencing perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms isn’t the problem. The lack of understanding and support in the workplace is. I want to get this clear because for decades, it’s felt like the reverse. How many times have you (or others you know) felt shame or embarrassment at work about:
Needing time to seek medical help
Brain fog and fatigue
Mood changes
Changes to your body?
I know of women who have left jobs, dropped out of PhDs or faced disciplinary proceedings, all as a result of them having the audacity to experience menopause. And countless more who’ve just shouldered the burden of managing symptoms and medical appointments quietly. Knowing that it would be seen as ‘unprofessional’ to talk about it at work.
It shouldn’t need spelling out, but I’ll do it anyway. Transitioning through the menopause isn’t something you can be blamed for. And, at a time when your body and mind might be going through the wringer, your workplace should be supporting you, not making life harder.
Things are changing, but there’s still a long way to go. A 2019 survey conducted by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that three in five menopausal women—usually aged between 45 and 55—were negatively affected at work. When menopause is something that directly affects 51% of the population, that’s just not good enough.
What’s your workplace culture like?
Workplace culture is both invisible and all powerful: like the air we breathe. There’s no getting away from it. And it can take a lot of hard graft to shift it too (more on that in a while). So it’s worth taking a moment to pause and really think about what your workplace culture is like:
What behaviours does your leadership team reward?
What behaviours get frowned upon (behind closed doors, if not publicly)?
How open and honest are people at work? How open and honest do you feel you can be?
What sort of approach to work does the senior leadership team model?
What are your organisation’s stated values? Do people really live and work by them?
Whatever your workplace culture is like, it will inform how you and others are treated during the perimenopausal and menopausal years.
If the culture is task-first, people-last, then you will be expected to put up and shut up: to be silent about your symptoms and not let anything get in the way of the job in hand (which is likely to be wildly unrealistic anyway - I know, been there). If the culture is people-first, your workplace will recognise that supporting you is an investment in the organisation too. It’s good to know what air you’re breathing.
Working in a toxic masculine workplace culture
If you’re in a supportive workplace, great. It’s not going to be all moonlight and roses, but hopefully you’ll know your employer has your back. But what about if your workplace is more like this:
A focus on results at all costs
An unavailable line manager, who doesn’t want to know
Failure, or making mistakes, is ‘not an option’
Shame or aggression are the go-to strategies to resolve conflict…
If this is where you work, menopause can feel a whole lot more stressful. The good news is, the tide is turning. A 49 year old office manager was recently awarded £37,000 in damages resulting from harassment and unfair dismissal after her employer called her ‘an old biddy with aches and pains’. And a former social worker is suing Leicester City Council on grounds of discrimination as a result of feeling forced to resign because of her menopause symptoms. She is being supported by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
What can you do?
Here are five practical ways to manage your workplace (not suppress your symptoms!) during your perimenopause and menopause.
-
Speak up! Shame thrives in the dark. Take a deep breath and normalise talking about this stuff (without sharing anything you don’t want to). It’s much easier to do this with a buddy: see whether a group of you can collectively agree to stop being silent about menopause.
-
Menopause isn’t currently a specifically named protected characteristic under the law. But if you are treated unfairly this could be considered discrimination if it is related to a protected characteristic, such as age, disability, gender reassignment or sex. As I mentioned earlier, the EHRC is happy to throw their weight behind court cases relating to menopause. You can read more about menopause and employment law here.
-
Ignorance is not an excuse. Menopause is now on the agenda and it’s not going away. There are plenty of coaches, trainers and agencies who can help your organisation get up to speed, whether it’s helping line managers understand their role, or HR departments develop appropriate policies. Henpicked is just one example.
-
If there are benefits to menopause (and there are for many!), surely top of the list is the ‘I’m not taking this shit anymore’ mode that it seems to activate. Gone are the days when you need to feel embarrassed about your menopausal symptoms and meekly apologising for being an inconvenience. Instead we’re in an era of women claiming the facts of menopause, owning their worth and reminding employers that recruitment of experienced and skilled staff is a lot more expensive than creating a menopause-friendly culture to retain them!
-
If you're in a leadership role, be mindful that you’re not perpetuating the culture. People going through menopause are the fastest growing workplace demographic. Let people know you value their skills, experience and talent and want to support them. We know that everyone’s experience of menopause is different, so the very best thing you can do for the people you lead is to listen to them, and support them as they need it.
Need a thinking partner?
It is so helpful to have someone outside your workplace to offload to, make sense of things and develop a plan for your career, during menopause or at any time!
I offer confidential listening and mentoring packages for women in leadership roles, tailored to whatever you need: whether that’s an hour or two a month, or a deeper dive every quarter. Packages start at £185.
Just get in touch to discuss what’s right for you.