Recognizing the Need for Menopause Care in Your Office Wellness Plan
Go ahead. Say it with me. Men. O. Pause.
It’s funny how that word has the power to stop you in your tracks.
For many, the current social level understanding of menopause holds many pre- and mis- mis-conceptions about what is happening and what to expect around it. Often, it is associated with the worst (and sometimes funny) instances and symptoms that a woman experiences during this pivotal health event.
Unfortunately, reactions often create a judgmental feeling in the office setting. Creating an environment that acknowledges the normalcy of the life event aims to instead evoke a feeling of support through the stages of this complicated and beautiful part of the female experience.
What is Menopause?
Simply put, menopause is the process by which the female body discards the ability to reproduce offspring. This generally occurs between ages 45 and 55 but can vary significantly based on several criteria, such as health, location, race, biology, etc. Symptoms also vary from woman to woman throughout the duration of the change in body modality.
Dive deep into the details of this time of adjustment HERE.
Menopause at the office.
Women have been a vital part of the workforce worldwide for decades. Accommodations and recognition of the various stages of life they experience have evolved and grown, but menopause coverage has yet to become a commonplace offering.
If you’ve worked in an office long enough, you will have seen at least one woman befriending a desktop fan, sitting as close to the A/C as possible, suffering from more headaches than usual, or even being slightly unpredictable in her reactions. To date, many women have opted to struggle through this stage of life privately. Luckily, as time passes, women are becoming more open about this unpredictable phase.
While the simple act of destigmatizing this stage of life can be the change needed to begin a deeper understanding for all office team members, implementing a set of support initiatives within your wellness plan is even better. Resources specifically designed for women over 45 can add to overall work performance, retain or increase the perception of their value within the company, lower the number of sick days taken, and more. The face of the corporate workforce in the U.S. is increasingly aging, which means the needs of your team are changing.
“The Baby Boomers may not have been that keen to talk about menopause in the workplace, but this younger generation most certainly is, and they’re not going to be okay with having to deal with this at work,” says Stephanie Faubion, director of the Center for Women’s Health at the Mayo Clinic. “It’s where we were with pregnancy and lactation in the 70’s.” (time.com)
In severe cases, treatments can be costly and, therefore, possibly skipped, leaving this portion of your staff feeling confused and uncomfortable. As many as 45% of women in menopause said they have had to take sick days due to menopause symptoms (forbes.com). Productivity and other measurables lower during a “flash” or sudden onset of symptoms. You can help!
A well-designed and executed wellness initiative that supports this stage of life can help mitigate the effects felt in the office. When women are educated on the process and given access to appropriate, positive care, they can take action and be better prepared for the inevitable without resorting to leaving early, taking additional sick days, suffering through symptoms in awkward silence, and missing meetings. Not only are the middle-aged women feeling the effects, but their younger or older female coworkers and their male counterparts are as well.
Adding Menopause support to your health and wellness package will benefit your entire office. Here are a few things to consider adding to your wellness plan:
Add hormone therapy coverage and other specific women’s health providers to your insurance coverage
Offer opportunities for education – via handouts, webinars, or in-person activities for all employees
Be open to making adjustments to work environments as requested
Have at least one female on your H.R. team – often, it is easier to share with someone who has (or will) experience this
Implement flexible work hours, allowing employees to adjust as needed based on current symptoms
Comfortable, high-performing members of your team benefit the company. Staff members who feel welcomed, safe, and supported in the workplace perform better, are more invested in the company goals, recommend the company as a highly rated place to work, and maintain employment with the company for longer, allowing the entire organization to benefit from their wisdom and experience.
…when [menopause] benefits are offered, 58% of women report they have positively impacted their work, mostly by allowing them to bring their best selves to work. (newsroom.bankofamerica.com)
Every organization has a unique vibe and set of needs; conducting a simple survey will help you determine what your staff wants so you can use your valuable time and resources best. Turn to Movement 1st Wellness to assist and guide you through successfully implementing and maintaining supportive health initiatives as part of your wellness plan.
