Ten things everyone can do at work
Everyone (regardless of your age, gender or role) can do something to raise awareness and support someone going through menopause at work. I’ve thought of ten things for starters:
1. Talk about it to normalise it
Saying the word menopause out loud should be as easy as saying the word puberty or pregnancy out loud. The more we say it with respect, the more comfortable, understanding and supportive people can be. You could start by mentioning menopause to a trusted workmate. Have they heard about menopause? What do they know about it? If it feels safe to be honest in the middle of a hot flush or if you need to start your day a bit later after a sleepless night, if you forget a word or someone’s name mid-sentence…explain that these are typical and temporary changes through peri/menopause. Let people know what you need - something or nothing - because one size doesn’t fit all.
2. Keep it positive
Menopause doesn’t stay at home when someone goes to work, nor is it something to apologise for, feel ashamed of or embarrassed by. It’s an important stage of life to acknowledge, respect and support. So let’s keep it positive. Bad jokes, derogatory comments and eye rolls are not OK. We’re all getting older every day - gaining more experience, more skills and more perspectives. Let’s celebrate that.
3. Make reasonable adjustments
Everyone’s experience of menopause is different - just as everyone’s experience of starting their first job or returning from parental or bereavement leave is different. Making small adjustments to someone’s work environment through peri/menopause can make a big difference to how they experience this stage of life and their ability to perform at their best. Some examples: being able to talk about menopause openly without fear or shame, working flexibly (starting later, finishing earlier, remote working, more frequent breaks especially in long meetings), uniforms being made from natural fibres and as a series of layers that can be peeled off and put back on again, access to fresh air and cold drinking water…
4. Pin up a poster, buy a tea towel
Like many of my Gen X friends, family and workmates, I didn’t grow up knowing about menopause/ruahinetanga. Until people of all genders and ages can see the word menopause and know what it means, it will remain taboo. You could pin up one of the posters created by the Australasian Menopause Society (in English and te reo Māori) in your workplace. Or help your workmates learn about menopause when they least expect it - over the dishes! My awareness-raising tea towels are a fun and easy way to get the word into kitchens at work or home. Take your pick from two designs: ‘Menopause is Hot’ or ‘MeNoPause’.
5. Host a morning tea
It can be easier to talk about something meaningful (and maybe uncomfortable for some to start) over a cuppa. You could tempt a few people to talk about menopause in a shared workspace. What about baking Melting Moments or something else fun to get their attention? Share some basic facts about menopause and invite people to ask questions, share their stories and experiences. Chances are people will talk non-stop but to make it easier you can print and share my conversation starters.
6. Share resources and offer support
It’s easy to share some basic facts about peri/menopause, books, articles and podcasts etc on your intranet. If you notice a workmate needing support, ask if they’re OK and how you can help. Listen without judgement. They’ll appreciate knowing you’re on their team. Make sure everyone knows how to access support if they need it e.g. via their manager, People & Culture, Health, Safety & Wellbeing team or Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). Encouraging staff with lived experience or expertise to be menopause champions or part of an employee-led network/group is another great way to help people feel supported.
7. Provide free period products
As hormones fluctuate through peri/menopause, so too do people’s periods. Irregular periods (lighter, heavier, shorter, longer, closer together or further apart) are common through peri/menopause. It’s easy for someone to be caught short without period products, or to need more frequent bathroom breaks and a change of clothes if they experience heavy periods (flooding). Providing period products in bathrooms at work is a practical step you can take to reduce absenteeism, support period equity and reduce the stigma around menstruation and menopause.
8. Invite everyone to be informed
Hosting a facilitated conversation with me about menopause for you and your workmates is an easy and inclusive way to inform and engage everyone in your workplace about menopause/ruahinetanga. As a guest speaker and advocate, I can share some important facts and figures about the various stages of menopause, my personal experience, a range of potential ways for people to manage their symptoms, some common misconceptions, useful tips and resources for everyone regardless of their age or gender. International Women’s Day is 8 March, International Day of Action for Women’s Day is 28 May and World Menopause Day is 18 October but any day of the year is good by me!
9. Enlighten leaders and upskill managers
Leaders and managers play a critical role in supporting people’s health and wellbeing at work. Once they understand the many reasons to understand and support people through menopause at work they can identify and make appropriate changes so people can perform at their best; foster a diverse and inclusive culture; and ultimately attract and retain hugely valuable and experienced talent. To help your organisation lead the way, I’d love to facilitate a conversation about menopause for your leaders and managers.
10. Create a menopause toolkit, guidelines or policy
Adding menopause to your health, safety and wellbeing plan or policy is easy and helps raise awareness for everyone of any ages or gender, in any role. If you’d like to create a menopause toolkit, guidelines for managers or a stand-alone policy, there are many open-source resources you can modify to suit your workplace. The Menopause Information Pack for Organizations (MIPO) is a FREE suite of resources to help workplaces support women and people through menopause. The University of Canterbury (UC) has shared its Support Guide for Managers, the TAB has shared its Menopause Policy and AIA has shared its Menopause Support Toolkit. You can download free guidelines for people professionals and people managers from the CIPD (the UK’s professional body for HR and people development) too. Vodafone has shared its menopause toolkit and Channel 4 has shared its menopause policy, as has the UK creative agency Dark Horses.