October is Menopause Awareness Month. It’s an initiative by the International Menopause Society (IMS) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to raise awareness about menopause and improve support for women. October 18th is World Menopause Day.
In the past menopause has been secret and taboo. However, over the past few years, it has become more mainstream. 50% of the population will experience menopause (with 80% of those experiencing symptoms). And the other 50% may be impacted, directly or indirectly. Menopause affects women personally and professionally, with 45 being the average age of perimenopause (the lead up to menopause) and 51 being the average age of menopause (when menstruation stops). According to the most recent Census in 2022 there are 652,000 menopausal women in Ireland and 420, 000 of these are in paid employment. This is a very large part of the workforce in Ireland.
Discussing an intimate health condition in the workplace can be very daunting for employers, and managing a sensitive conversation around health can be difficult. A good start is to approach with empathy and understanding. While there are lots of issues for employers already to manage in todays’ workplace, there are some straightforward things that employers can do to support employees, which can result in a happier and more effective workforce.
Some of the common symptoms that can impact women at work are: Cognitive (76%) like poor concentration or memory, fatigue (63%), anxiety (52%), feeling overwhelmed (48%) and loss of confidence (48%). Physically woman can experience hot flushes/flashes or heavy menstruation/periods. However there are many other varied symptoms reported.
Some examples of what employers might be able to do to support are:
- Regular team engagement, one to ones, feedback and a buddy system where suitable
- EAP Programme if costs allow
- Flexible working arrangements where possible
- Provision of a fan or a workstation close to a window
- Short breaks to step out for fresh air
- Easy access to toilet/hygiene facilities with flexibility to use these facilities as and when needed, for example when working in a customer facing role or a production line
Research carried out by The Menopause Hub in September 2023, with 3044 peri/menopausal women in Ireland found that:
- 84% of respondents were negatively impacted by symptoms at work;
- 38% took time off work due to symptoms;
- 18% took 3+ days off;
- 34% were considering giving up work;
- Up to 10% will leave work due to symptoms.
When these women were asked what they would like from their employers:
- 90% wanted training for HR and managers
- 94% wanted a menopause policy
There are a number of training modules available free from the HSE on www.hseland.ie that are just 20 minutes long. In order to access these you’ll need to set up a HSEland account at https://www.hseland.ie/dash/Account/Login
Other helpful resources are:
https://assets.hse.ie/media/documents/Menopause_and_the_workplace_-_considerations_for_managers.pdf
https://healthservice.hse.ie/staff/procedures-guidelines/hse-menopause-policy/
https://www.hsa.ie/eng/workplace_health/occupational_health/menopause_and_the_workplace.html
https://www.themenopausehub.ie/menopause-blog/how-to-create-menopause-inclusive-workplace
ISME’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
We offer an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support our members and their employees. We are committed to delivering the best and most appropriate, and accessible solutions along with our partners, Laya healthcare and their health and wellbeing provider, Spectrum Life. All of their services continue to be delivered to the highest clinical standards by fully accredited, experienced professionals.
This programme offers unlimited access for your employees & their families to a 365 freephone EAP service also accessible via website, app, or live chat.
What is the cost?
Members up to 30 employees €950 (fixed cost per year)
Each subsequent employee €8 per employee per year
This is a discounted rate for ISME Members
For further information visit https://isme.ie/isme-wellness-programme/
