5 ways to normalise menopause in the workplace

By Liberty Mills, Integrative Health Coach at Liberty Mills

Liberty is a certified health coach and member of the UK Health Coach Association. She works with private clients on a one-to-one basis as well as organisations around the world to keep them and their staff happy and healthy and maintaining peak performance from the inside out. Liberty also spoke at our HR Breakfast Briefing on World Menopause Day where she shared her to tips to create an inclusive work environment for those experiencing menopause. integrativeliberty.co.uk

In order to normalise menopause in the workplace it’s essential that you make it inclusive from the start.

• Mention it to not only prospective female employees so they know this is a company that understands, but male prospective employees so they can begin to learn too.
• Bring in coaches like me to talk about the perimenopause and menopause to groups, even all-male groups so they may feel more confident to ask questions and not offend female coworkers.
• Bring in sleep coaches and nutrition coaches so these women and your men can help themselves outside of work too.

The REFER Technique:

Have a list of references to utilise and offer to help women avoid feeling isolated or alone during this chapter.

• Coaches like me may incorporate sessions as an option into benefit packages.  Local walking groups, yoga and meditation classes.
• The Peanut app
• The Balance app

ENVIRONMENT

A standard office environment can increase headaches and be restrictive.

• Try lower levels of lighting
• Walking meeting, outdoors or introducing stand up meetings will allow women to keep moving and get some fresh air (great for all the team)
• Access to fans
• Ventilation
• Access to decaf coffee - lessens anxiety and introducing healthy snack will reduce blood sugar spikes
• Option to work remotely if women feel more comfortable

FUN

Create a menopause themed bingo or quiz game and give the winners a prize.

• This will tell you what your staff don’t know about menopause and where you need to educate
• It will help lessen the taboo
• Signal that you’re a company that cares

EDUCATE

It’s important to educate and incorporate learning into the workplace.

• Wellbeing Wednesday’s can be an opportunity to take meetings outdoors if possible.
• Fruit Friday could encourage everyone to bring in fruit and biscuits are locked away
• Menopause Monday - on the first Monday of every month you could send a menopause fact out via email.

RETAIN STAFF

Look at who is taking sick days off and see what you can do to support them and keep them at the top of their game.

Why?

Oxford economics suggests that if a women earning £25k a year leaves her job due to challenges with menopause it will cost her employer over £35k to replace her.