The menopause is so often seen as a woman’s issue, a private matter, and an insulting accusation, with extreme stigmatisation in the workforce. However, the statistics do not lie, menopausal women make up the fastest growing demographic in the UK workforce.
Women between the ages of 45-54 are most likely to be of menopause age, and make up 11% of the UK workforce, as well as 23% of the women in the workforce. These working women will be experienced, knowledgeable, and should be reaching the most successful part of their careers.
Yet without the appropriate resources, support, and education, they could be falling through the cracks thanks to debilitating symptoms and health repercussions of the menopause.
An inquiry led by the House of Commons’ Women and Equalities Committee found that the most commonly reported symptoms of menopause were difficulty sleeping, problems with memory and concentration, and hot flashes. 72% and 69% of the women surveyed also suffered from night sweats and anxiety/depression, respectively.
“Most respondents reported that these symptoms affected them at work, reporting a loss of ability to concentrate, increased stress and a loss of confidence. 31% of respondents took time off work due to symptoms.”
Women and Equalities Committee Survey Results
However, is not just menopausal symptoms that have an impact on workforce. It is also the increase in risk of heart disease, strokes, and high blood pressure that comes with the change. The risk of cardiovascular disease significantly increases once a woman goes through the menopause according to the British Heart Foundation.
Contact Bodyline today to find out more about our hormone replacement therapy treatments
Death before retirement age is very commonly due to cardiovascular disease, accounting for 36% of premature deaths in men and 27% of premature deaths in women. Menopause and cardiovascular disease are inextricably linked, and both separately and together pose a dangerous risk to the health and longevity of the UK workforce and its economic productivity.
Yet, countless studies are showing that the short-term use of hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) on menopausal women not only decreases symptom severity, but also the risk of heart and cardiovascular disease: “HRT significantly reduces all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) whereas other primary CVD prevention therapies… fail to do so.”
HRT is a treatment used to replace the hormones that have depleted over the course of perimenopause and the menopause in women. This therapy treatment comes in the form of gels, creams, pills, and patches, and can be made bespoke for each individual patients needs based on blood analysis. HRT can replace oestrogen and progesterone, the main female reproductive hormones created in the ovaries, as well as Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) which aids in the production of oestrogen and progesterone. HRT can also include testosterone.
The reason HRT is proven to support heart health and reduce risk of heart disease is because oestrogen keeps the arteries opened and relaxed, preventing cholesterol from building up and potentially clogging. When oestrogen is no longer created naturally, fat is more likely to block arteries to the heart and brain, which can lead to cardiovascular disease.
Additionally, HRT can help with the symptoms of menopause that also contribute to a woman’s rising risk of cardiovascular disease. These include increased visceral fat in the abdomen, difficulties with sleeping, and cholesterol levels. Research shows that menopausal HRT has been calculated to substantially lower the economic burden from menopausal symptoms and chronic diseases. Targeting the root cause of cardiovascular disease risk in women after the menopause could be the best solution to improving risk of strokes and heart attacks in working women.
Moreover, HRT can remove the stress, both physically and mentally, for working women going through the menopause. By reducing symptom severity, working women can continue to focus on their careers rather than the stigma and issues that the menopause has historically caused in work environments. This stress can of course also be contributing to increased risk of heart problems, as the British Heart Foundation sees a link between stress and unhealthy coping habits.
We offer corporate solutions for menopausal employees, with the aim of improving their life quality, retaining hundreds of thousands of women within the UK workforce, and boosting the health and happiness of working menopausal women across the country.
“Healthier employees mean happier employees. There’s less absenteeism, improved productivity and lowered health care premium costs.”
Jim Link – Society for Human Resource Management
With all this in mind, we pose a question to all business owners and their HR teams: what is stopping you from prioritising the health and wellbeing of your menopausal employees?
By targeting the root cause of absenteeism, economic costs of early retirement, and a loss of talent and knowledge, corporate HRT solutions can help businesses realise the organisational benefits of supported, healthy, and happy staff.
We work with companies and in collaboration with partners in the menopause industry to deliver corporate gold standard menopause treatments. When companies invest in their menopausal workforce, they directly remove negative stigmatisation, allow for openness and conversation, and ensure their female staff members feel valued and appreciated at all ages.
If companies can offer health insurance, dental insurance, and gym memberships for the health of their employees, why can’t they offer a heart insurance for their menopausal employees at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease by giving them access to HRT?
Let’s contribute to a fair, beneficial, and caring work environment in the UK by prioritising the health and retention of employees who are first and foremost talented and experienced as well as menopausal.
We offer a complete bespoke clinically supported menopause treatment plan – the M Plan. The M Plan offers an end-to-end solution for individuals and corporates. Bodyline has a consultative approach to ensure that the M Plan delivers positive outcomes for the patient as well as the organisation. The Bodyline way is proven to optimise menopausal women’s health and wellbeing and in turn has positive benefits to business performance. If you are interested in making use of Bodyline’s Corporate M Plan, get in touch today by calling 0800 995 6036 or via our website.
