Say It: How Speaking Up About Menopause at Work Improves Culture For All
Speakers at the recent “Let’s Talk Menopause” symposium (L to R): Dr. Mary Claire Haver; Dr. Sharon Malone; Tamsen Fadal; Dr. Lisa Larkin; Dr. Lauren Streicher; Dr. Sheryl Kingsberg; Stephanie Prendergast, MPT; Dr. Sameena Rahman.
Very few people could pull this off, but Halle Barry sure did.
On the steps of the U.S. Capitol recently, the iconic actress shouted, “I’m in menopause, OK?” as part of her mission to seek federal funding for the 2023 Advancing Menopause Care and Mid-Life Women’s Health Act.
For the more than 11 million women in this country ages 35-60—plus the millions in perimenopause and post-menopause—addressing such a personal health fact might seem out of place in public or at work.
But it’s time to be real. This approach is far past enduring the demeaning jokes about periods and hormones that women have had slung at them for many generations in the workplace. It is a call for information, honesty, allyship and networking to erase the stigma and enhance the value of all workers.
It’s time to treat menopause as the multi-dimensional life stage it is affecting every aspect of personal and professional life.
“It’s time to treat #menopause as the multi-dimensional life stage it is affecting every aspect of personal and professional life. #womenshealth”
That is the mission of Let’s Talk Menopause, a national nonprofit that held its annual symposium in Chicago recently with panels of MDs, experts and healthcare specialists who have the mission of “changing the conversation so women get the information they need and the healthcare they deserve.”
It is also about women speaking honestly about what is happening to them physically, and to stop hiding and always feel valued.
Fostering inclusion and power with transparency and intention is also the mission of Take The Lead’s Power Up Conference on Women’s Equality Day August 26 in Washington, D.C. with the theme of Together We Lead, speakers, panelists, break-outs, discussions and networking.
“Fostering inclusion and power is also the mission of @Takeleadwomen #PowerUpConference on #WomensEqualityDay August 26 in Washington, D.C. ”
Read more in Take The Lead on Power Up Conference
As Daisy Auger-Dominguez, global leader, author, organizational strategist and speaker at the Power Up Conference, says in her TEDX talk viewed by 46,000 people, ”When employees feel seen, heard and valued,” is when real change happens.
Being able to speak up about physical conditions without a work colleague dismissing it “as all in your head,” is part of amplifying everyone’s voice at work.
At the Chicago conference, Pauline Maki, professor of psychiatry, psychology and obstetrics & gynecology, as well as director of the Women’s Mental Health Research Program at the University of Illinois-Chicago, says sleep deprivation is a key side effect of menopause, and affects performance at work, as well as mental health.
“At the @LTMenopause conference, Professor Maki said sleep deprivation is a key side effect of #menopause, and affects performance at #work.”
Addressing sleeplessness can be through cognitive behavioral therapy, hormonal treatment options and lifestyle changes, says Sheryl Kingsberg, clinical psychologist and chief of behavioral medicine at University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center. She says it is necessary to change negative thoughts about this physical reality.
“Instead of asking yourself, ‘What if I have a hot flash in the middle of a board meeting?’ take back control of your life,” says Kingsberg.
“ @SherylKingsberg says it is necessary to change negative thoughts about the physical reality of #menopause.”
Adjust away from the catastrophic thoughts fearing you will be judged and manage what you will say and do. You can say, “I’m having a hot flash,” and keep moving forward without shame or embarrassment, Kingsberg advises.
“Validate the mind/body connection,” says Dr. Judith Joseph MD, MBS, psychiatrist, and principal investigator at Manhattan Behavioral Medicine.
Maki suggests that women move away from the previous “gold standard idea that I can’t have anything about me” that is distracting or deemed unprofessional. “Don’t apologize for what happens hormonally. We need to own and label this. We’re not going to just suffer, we’re going to normalize it,” Maki says.
“This is real,” says Dr. Lauren Streicher, MD, Clinical professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and founding director of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Menopause.
““Don’t apologize for what happens hormonally. We need to own and label this.” — Pauline Mackie. #womenshealth”
There is a range of physical symptoms from heart palpitations to brain fog, joint pain and libido concerns. Seventy percent of women will have urinary symptoms, that are a direct result of a lack of estrogen, says Streicher, author of several best-selling books.
“These are all related to hormone deficiency,” says Dr. Sameena Rahman, MD, founder of the Center for Gynecology & Cosmetics. “This is a ‘we problem,’” she says.
Some companies and organizations are beginning to move towards effectively dealing with a workforce profoundly affected by this life stage.
Speaking up about it is one of the nine Power Tools of Leadership created by Gloria Feldt, co-founder and president of Take The Lead. “Tell your story,” is the ninth power tool.
The stories of employees and leaders are changing some processes in the workplace.
“The stories of employees and leaders are changing some processes in the #workplace. #progress”
“Fifteen percent of large organizations, up from just 4% last year, indicate they are either currently offering or plan to offer benefits intended to help women experiencing menopausal symptoms, according to a survey from HR consulting firm Mercer,“ CNN reports. “That may help begin to break the stigma attached to being menopausal at work.”
The Mayo Clinic recently published a study on menopause and work and found from the 4,440 participants ages 45-60 that 13.4% reported at least one adverse work outcome due to menopause symptoms.
The research shows, “The odds of reporting an adverse work outcome increased with increasing menopause symptom severity; women in the highest quartile of total MRS scores were 15.6 times more likely to have an adverse work outcome vs those in the first quartile. Based on workdays missed due to menopause symptoms, we estimate an annual loss of $1.8 billion in the United States.”
Another report, the “Menopause in the Workplace Survey from Carrot Fertility, a fertility care platform, found the overwhelming majority of women surveyed face challenges at work due to menopause symptoms and don’t feel that they can speak up about them,” according to Fortune.
More than 80% of women say managing symptoms at work is difficult. Many kept silent about their symptoms for fear of being seen as less competent.
“More than 80% of women say managing symptoms of #menopause at work is difficult. #womenatwork”
Fortune reports, “The survey shed light on how ageism is a driving force behind the silence around menopause in the office. Nearly half—47%—of women surveyed face ageism at work. Older workers who say they are discriminated against because of their age can feel the need to work harder to prove themselves so they don’t lose their jobs.”
“When it comes to workplace policies that can support people going through menopause, I think it really just aligns with what employers are already searching for, which is a flexible solution,” Heather Tinsley-Fix, a senior advisor of employee engagement at the AARP, tells Fortune.
“Awareness without action means nothing,“ Auger-Dominguez says in her TEDx talk. But when every colleague and employee is valued and heard, “It breeds the highest levels of innovation, creativity and collaboration.”
Learn more about the Power Up Conference speakers here
Speaking up on menopause is one thing. Acting on that information for everyone in the workplace is another.
As Auger-Dominguez says, “What leaders do matters more than what they say.”
““What leaders do matters more than what they say.” — @DaisyAD, global leader, author, and speaker at the @Takeleadwomen #PowerUpConference.”
Stay up to date on the latest info for the Power Up Conference and Concert August 25-26 to learn more on advancing leadership, career development, achieving gender parity at work and more.
Leadership Takeaway of The Week
“Instead of asking yourself, ‘What if I have a hot flash in the middle of a board meeting?’ Take back control of your life.”
Sheryl Kingsberg, clinical psychologist and chief of behavioral medicine at University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center
