You could be forgiven for thinking that we talk about menopause enough nowadays.
Every day on 2022, my Google alerts told me there was another article in the press, or a new piece of 'research'.
On reading these pieces of information, it was clear to me, just how much information has been rehashed over the last few years, and how little originality there is in the work being presented.
Stronger together
This year, Women of a Certain Stage are collaborating with two universities to look at effective help and support through menopause. We are seeking confirmation and clarity - or otherwise - over what I have witnessed working across thousands of women, who have employed natural, medical and combined approaches to their menopause.
If you have been following the myriad of information on menopause in the media, you may have seen multiple Parliamentary reports and celebrity documentaries, that risk leaving you feeling that menopause as a subject has been done.
And dusted.
If it’s ok for someone with a huge following to be sharing warts and all about their menopause, it is surely fine for your colleague to be open about their symptoms? For our transgender, non-binary and gender questioning colleagues sitting beside us, also to feel safe to speak out or seek support for their symptoms?
Sadly not.
Menopause has always been hidden and taboo.
I believe most of us welcome the new willingness to chat all things menopause. Yet, I still encounter people shying away from the topic, and, actively telling me or their employer menopause should not be discussed at work.
Removing the stigma around menopause for a whole generation is hard: over 86%, don’t know what menopause truly is, nor how it may impact them.
Often, it is only when symptoms such as brain fog, hot flushes and anxiety become overwhelming and begin infiltrating daily life that the pieces fall into place.
We know that getting a doctor to confirm we are perimenopausal or menopausal can take four years or more. Consequently, employers have an increase in long-term sick leave, and around 14% of people simply quitting their jobs.
I know.
I left my job believing I had early onset dementia in my early 40’s. I left my job rather than being seen as weak or vulnerable.
Such a loss can be devastating for both employee and employer.
With estimates that it can cost over 200% of an executive’s salary* to replace them, never mind the lost skills, knowledge and experience. The toll of losing members of staff goes further; adding stress and increased workloads to colleagues left behind.
Menopause awareness sessions, single gender sessions, line manager training and policies or guidance documents are all great steps to help remove menopause as a block in a person’s career.
More needs to be done.
Over the past eight years, WomenofaCertainStage.com has evolved.
We have invested in training, research and have presented our findings to organisations and individuals globally, to help them understand menopause and access effective help and support.
You can read more about why I committed to normalising menopause here.
It is vital that everyone has access to accurate information on menopause. If you are ready to build , or consolidate your knowledge on menopause, I invite you to register for the FREE ‘Menopause: The Basics’ course HERE.
It is delivered every two months, live via ZOOM, typically from 1230 -1300, with a 15 min Q&A after.
Over 16,000 people registered in 2022 and found it to be a great way to begin learning about menopause.
If you are interested in taking your menopause support to the next level, check out
I was so excited to watch our graduates help so many other people this year.
We are most definitely stronger together, changemakers!
Click HERE if you’d like to explore best practice and your own next steps to normalise menopause at work and to choose a time to chat.
Your speaker & trainer,
Lauren
*Source: Centric HR
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