60 - One billion women: Why we’re finally talking about menopause

Welcome back to Blended!

 

Today, we’re talking about menopause.  

 

Women’s health issues, from menstruation to menopause, have long been overlooked in workplaces, schools, even families. But, increasingly, those issues are coming to the fore. Women are finding their voices and speaking up about the things that impact them every single day. And finally people are paying attention.

 

Menopause has been hitting the headlines. Many organizations are starting to look more closely at the impact of menopause in the workplace, and what it really looks like to be a more supportive, inclusive employer. 

 

But where do they start? Awareness, policies and procedures, workplace accommodations, health and wellbeing – there’s a lot to consider.

 

Our guests will be shining a light on it today. They’ll be exploring what menopause is and what it can look like for women, the stigma and negative connotations attached to menopause, and how organizations can better support women in the workplace.

 

 

 

IN THIS EPISODE:

 

[01.15] Introductions to our Blended panelists.  

·       Karin – CEO at NIRAKIO

·       Nadine – Creative Director and Founder of Mayana

·       Claudia – Retired Global Supply Chain Executive, DEI Champion and Community Activist

 

[07.08] The group discuss what menopause is, the common symptoms, and what it’s really like for women as they navigate this transition.

 

“One billion women will be in menopause at this time. So it’s a very lucrative opportunity, and it’s also a very predatory environment.” Nadine 

 

“It’s a natural stage of life that most women experience between the ages of 44 and 55. And, given that women represent 40% of the workforce today – and growing! – its impact on the workplace is a really critical topic.” Claudia

 

·       Stages of menopause (peri-menopause, post-menopause)

·       Psychological symptoms

o   Mood changes

o   Anxiety

o   Lowered confidence

o   Second-guessing

o    Feeling a loss of control

o   Rage

o   Loss of patience

·       Physical symptoms

o   Hot flashes

o   Night sweats

o   Joint pain

o   Weight gain

o   Sexual impact

o   Lack of sleep

·       Cognitive symptoms

o   Brian fog

o   Inability to concentrate

·       Claudia’s positive experience of training, awareness and education at IBM

·       Understanding the impact on women in the workplace

·       Identifying symptoms

·       Encouraging women to ask for help/speak up

·       Link to aging

·       Cultural differences in symptoms

·       How menopause impacts women’s tolerance level for things they’ve been socially conditioned to quietly accept  

·       Empathy

·       Vulnerability

·       Public display of private health

·       Uncomfortable

·       Weaponization/reclaim of language

 

“It’s a stage of life that’s typically experienced in the latter stages, so it identifies as aging. I identified as getting older. So did that diminish my value to the organization, did they think I could still lead innovation when, suddenly, I’m an older member of the team?” Karin

“Black women are the last to get diagnosed, they’re the last to get help. And that’s where we’re seeing these big disparities. The menopause space was predominantly white-facing, and there was not a lot of information for racialized people, so the goal for us is to have that conversation. Because when we’re serving everyone, everyone benefits.” Nadine

“I started making jokes that I wasn’t having hot flashes – I was having power surges! But, in making those jokes, it opened the floor to discussion.” Karin

“To have something so personal and health related happen, it amplified that I was female in a room full of males. Not that I tried to dress like men, or act like men – but I never really tried to call out that I was female.” Karin  

 

[36.06] The panel explore the negative connotations around menopause, the stigma of aging, and how we talk about menopause, to ourselves and to each other.  

 

·       Tackling stigma

·       Creating awareness

·       Open conversations

·       Education

·       Women leaving the workplace

·       Feeling of diminished value and vibrancy in the workplace

·       Shame

·       Women often internalize struggle/‘suffer in silence’

·       Interplay with personal life

·       Who’s responsibility is it to change the conversation/challenge the stereotypes/tackle the stigma?

·       ERGs/women’s groups

·       Systemic issue

·       Creating community

·       Safe spaces

·       HR

 

“I was a diversity and women’s network leader for many years, and it wears you out… I would like to see more engagement with HR to help fuel some of these things to create awareness and reduce stigma. It can’t all be on the women.” Claudia

 

[50.34] The group discuss the impact of menopause on women in the workplace, and how organizations can better support women to thrive, not just survive.

·       Clear and inclusive policies, processes and procedures

·       Confidentiality

·       Consideration of non-binary and trans people

·       Sick leave/menopause-related absence  

·       Manager training

·       Sensitivity

·       Informed conversations

·       Legal obligations/compliance

·       Identify appropriate accommodations

·       Access to resources

·       Health benefits 

·       Employee assistance programs

·       Menopause champions

·       Peer support groups

 

[58.04] The panel reflect on the different ways women can take control of their own health and wellbeing during menopause.

·       Advocacy

·       Try something different

·       Therapy

·       Alternative medicine

·       Medical referrals/recommendations

·       Keeping records

·       Taking control   

·       Assessing the symptoms that are having the biggest impact on quality of life

·       Keeping a symptom diary

·       Proactive approach to health   

·       Understanding triggers and managing responses 

·       Non-judgement

 

[01.03.58] The group sum up their thoughts from today’s discussion. 

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

You can connect with Karin, Nadine and Claudia over on LinkedIn.