While the world has woken up to the menopause conversation, most of that conversation revolves around defining the problem. And when it comes to the workplace, the problems are real. The Mayo Clinic recently published a study showing menopause symptoms cause an estimated $1.8 billion in lost work time per year in the U.S., and $26.6 billion when medical expenses are added.
For women experiencing menopause, unsupportive working environments can lead to major career interruptions. One survey found nearly 20 percent of women in menopause have quit or considered leaving a job because of their symptoms.
In the UK — despite the government stopping short of introducing legislation to protect the rights of women in menopause — employers are enacting workplace policies.
The groundswell is growing, and US employers will also be under the menopause microscope as this conversation continues. While there are many ways an employer can support employees in menopause (including adding Gennev as a benefit), a clear policy is an ideal place to start. We brought together a team of HR professionals, medical experts who specialize in menopause, and seasoned executives to give employers a starting point.
When addressing menopause, there are several places to begin. In this guide, we’ll discuss how to consider women in menopause in all your conversations; how to integrate menopause into your existing benefits ecosystem and/or add new benefits and policies; physical improvements you can make in your facilities; and how to start a conversation that goes beyond the HR team.
Step one: Consider her
In many companies, we don’t create menopause benefits because we aren’t thinking about women in menopause. Creating a mid-life female persona can help with that. Here’s a sample persona:
When we present this persona for open-enrollment scenarios, we gain insights into how she navigates through the benefits ecosystem that already exists to support a menopause journey. Her uses may include:
And while menopause is often framed around cisgender women, it’s important to note that transgender women can experience symptoms too. To assist in their medical transition, trans women are typically prescribed estrogen and sometimes progesterone, and can take hormone replacement therapy as well. If these therapies are reduced or interrupted, the ensuing hormonal fluctuations can lead to menopausal symptoms like hot flashes. (Just as trans women taking hormones can experience PMS-like symptoms in their younger years.)
Step two: Think about whether some policies or benefits should be augmented, or new ones created
As you go through Mona’s journey, we may also come upon areas where we aren’t supporting her as much as we could. In some companies, we may have the ability to add new policies. Of course, these aren’t one-size-fits-all, but rather thought starters for companies seeking to augment their current benefits. These could include:
Step three: Train staff
Once you have identified existing benefits and policies, or created new ones, it’s important to train HR business partners, or key HR contacts, in menopause support. Ensure they understand what is in the benefits package and company policies. Gennev offers webinars that can educate HR teams on menopause symptoms, how to respond sensitively to requests and how certain accommodations can help.
Step four: Communicate widely to your employees
If Mona doesn’t know what tools are available to support her, she can’t take advantage of them. Consider adding to your benefits documents or company policies a section specific to menopause, entailing how Mona can take advantage of existing benefits and policies, and including any new ones.
When you present the benefits package to the company, call this out specifically. Consider a slide detailing the benefits and policies that apply to her.
It’s not always possible to improve physical space, but even small changes can be a big help for women in menopause. Some potential steps to take:
Discussing menopause carries a great stigma. Women themselves are not always educated on what’s happening. It’s also important that people managers are prepared to support employees — not just the HR department.
Consider the following resources for women in menopause:
For the company as a whole, some potential actions are:
Companies today are embracing inclusivity, which comes in many forms – and ages. The most happy and high-performing workplaces proactively support their employees’ well-being, and are generously understanding. Providing support services for women experiencing menopause is not just kind, it’s smart business. Addressing menopause will increase employee collegiality, productivity and retention, and help all employees to maintain the full potential that they strive to achieve.
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