Should men say 'menopause' three times a day to help working women?
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Loading... - Genevieve Francoise
- 29 Aug 2021
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A woman is pouring sweat at her desk. It’s a cold day. There’s no fan nearby; nor is there a shower. Statistically, this is what she will do next: hide it or joke about it. That’s what many women do when they are in the menopausal transition, because what else can they do? The menopause is good fodder for standups joking about their mothers-in-law having power surges. But until recently, it rarely surfaced in conversation. This is astonishing, when 70% of women are in paid employment, including 4.3 million women over 50, when the average age of menopause is 45-55, and 75% of women report having menopause-related symptoms. Yet barely any workplaces make adjustments to accommodate female employees trying to work through broken sleep, depression, hot flushes, migraines or any other of the 30-plus effects that fluctuating hormones can bring.
Now, Dr Andrea Davies of the University of Leicester has suggested that the first step is talking about it. She wants her male colleagues to say “menopause” three times a day to neuter the taboo. This has got press attention of course, but the fact that the university is one of a tiny number of workplaces to have a formal menopause policy is more interesting – it serves the same purpose as a daily incantation by breaking down a silence about the condition. Online forums abound with stories of women who have left their work, reduced their hours, lost partners and confidence. As the University of Leicester’s report says: “Menopause is a natural part of every woman’s life and it isn’t an easy transition. With the right support it can be much better.” Here’s how:
Conversation
Many women report feeling embarrassed or unable to talk to their managers or colleagues about how they are feeling. Initiatives such as menopause cafes, where colleagues discuss the menopause, are a good idea, as long as male colleagues are involved.
Relief
A Government Equalities Commission report into menopause and work proposed “low-cost environmental changes”: showers for women so they can feel clean despite pouring sweat; cheap USB desktop fans; better ventilation; and enough toilets for women who have heavy periods or bladder problems (the menopause can weaken the pelvic floor). Natural light can lift moods dragged down by hormonal fluctuations.
Compassion
Menopausal women report feeling less able to concentrate. Employers could be more flexible about workloads, working hours, perhaps rescheduling tasks to the less difficult days (though as menopausal symptoms are unpredictable, that could mean every day for years).
Clothing
Tight, synthetic material uniforms can exacerbate hot flushes. Rather than Casual Fridays, what about menopausal mufti?
Documents
Studies suggest that the number of workplaces with menopause policies is less than 5%. HR departments now routinely address pregnancy and maternity leave: it’s about time they did the same for menopause. It’s in their interest: women who lose their jobs because of menopausal symptoms have sought redress in employment tribunals, and won.
