Sometimes this means people will have challenges of their own and need support and understanding whilst at work. This is especially true of the menopause, a subject still a taboo topic in the workplace, with some going through it finding it hard to share their experiences with colleagues.
On World Menopause Day it is worth reminding ourselves about some of the statistics around the condition and which could have implications for the world of work:
- 75% women will transition through the menopause whilst working (CIPD, March 2019)
- 2 out of 3 women feel unable to talk to colleagues about their menopause experience (CIPD, March 2019)
- 90% of senior women feel unprepared and on the back foot when noticeable changes arrive (Gen-M ‘Invisibility Report’, October 2020)
- 53% claim to experience low mood, irritability, and mood swings (CIPD, March 2019)
- 41% claim to experience memory loss (CIPD, March 2019)
- 25% will experience clinical depression or acute anxiety (NHS)
Many of us know very little about the menopause and how it manifests itself. This, coupled with the fact it is still a taboo subject, has led Morton Fraser MacRoberts to work with an organisation to provide training for everyone in the workplace about this important topic. By educating ourselves about the consequences of this life change we can make positive changes at work which will support those going through it, as well as managers and colleagues, helping everyone to feel a greater sense of care and belonging.
