NI doctor and women’s health and menopause specialist, Dr Andrea Latimer on the need for menopause support at work

My aim is to offer a 360-degree holistic approach to support women navigating perimenopause and menopause.

The upcoming Let’s Talk Menopause in the Workplace event on May 7 in Belfast, is timely to discuss the importance of empowering local business leaders and HR professionals to support individuals experiencing this life stage.

Given the average age of menopause is 51 years, a significant number of employed women will be working through their menopausal transition. Many women go through menopause at a younger age, either naturally or following gynaecological surgery or other health conditions such as cancer.

Some women can have distressing symptoms during perimenopause, which typically begins around age 40. Throughout women’s reproductive life stages, it is important to support them in the workplace, and from a medical perspective employers are an important part of this conversation in terms of fostering understanding and support.

Taboo, a lack of reliable healthcare information and difficulty accessing healthcare are currently playing a key role in forcing one in 10 women navigating the menopause out of the workplace. This highlights that the menopause is not just a personal health concern but a workplace issue which local business leaders should feel empowered to improve to help retain their female talent.

Menopause can cause a wide range of physical and physiological symptoms including sleep disturbance, fatigue, brain fog, hot flushes, anxiety and loss of confidence and can have a severe impact on daily work activities, attendance at work and overall workplace performance.

By encouraging open and honest conversations around the menopause, the unique impact it can have on employees and the support employers can offer, this will help remove the stigma and allow individuals to feel safe, understood and supported in the workplace.

In my opinion, education is fundamental to enabling business professionals to fully understand the effects and consequent impacts of the menopause on its workforce and the benefits in introducing measures to support women.

Attending an event like Let’s Talk Menopause in the Workplace and hearing from health and wellbeing experts will reinforce the necessity for greater recognition of menopause in the workplace and will equip guests with integrative approaches to support women effectively through this transition.

Developing a practical and user-friendly menopause policy is also imperative to ensure you, as an employer, are attracting, nurturing and retaining valuable employees.

It is important when developing this kind of policy that female staff are consulted so their needs are considered, and the appropriate support structures are implemented such as flexible working, adjustments to working environments etc.

At Let’s Talk Menopause in the Workplace held in the Belfast Cineworld Complex at Odyssey Place, thought leadership will outline how businesses can put in place menopause-friendly policies and working conditions.

In my role as an Occupational Health doctor, I look at how best to maintain the wellbeing of employees, preventing and removing health conditions and developing solutions to keep staff with health issues at work. I offer menopause health and wellbeing training in workplaces and have seen first hand the positive effect addressing these issues can have, both on the women and the workplace.

There is a need to provide information and to raise awareness, not just in women experiencing menopause, but for all staff, in particular line managers and HR managers who have legal responsibilities for the health and wellbeing of their team at work. Initiatives such as menopause cafés, menopause champions and running menopause information sessions will help to make it a shared topic among all employees, regardless of gender.

With menopausal women the fastest-growing demographic in the workforce it is evident the urgent need to improve menopause care within the workplace.

Employees value working environments where they feel respected, and their knowledge and capabilities are appreciated.

Therefore, investing in appropriate menopause workplace care will help to create a supportive, open and inclusive menopause-friendly work culture where staff have the confidence to discuss support required for their symptoms. In turn, this will help businesses establish a highly motivated, efficient and effective workforce.

Improving menopause care can also lead to improved attendance and reduced absenteeism helping to mitigate the associated negative financial effects and the workload/stress impact on other staff.

Businesses will also be able to retain experienced and highly valuable staff where women have the support to navigate this life stage in way that works best for them both professionally and personally. Investing in menopause-friendly workplace initiatives is not just about doing the right thing, it’s about smart economics.

I have a clear understanding of menopause care and how it relates to the workplace, and I look forward to sharing and empowering business leaders and HR professionals with this knowledge to help improve the quality of life for their employees and, as a result, enhance the overall performance and success of their businesses.

Let’s Talk Menopause in the Workplace, taking place on Tuesday, May 7 will be hosted by BBC Northern Ireland’s Health Correspondent, Marie-Louise Connolly and will aim to empower leaders to foster inclusive and supportive workplaces for individuals navigating the menopause. Legendary businesswoman and health and wellbeing authority, Liz Earle MBE will headline the event.

For more information about Let’s Talk Menopause in the Workplace and to book tickets visit letstalkmenopauseni.com.

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