Menopause is the natural biological process that marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years, happening around the ages 45-54. While it is a normal part of growing older, the hormonal imbalances associated can cause a range of physical and emotional symptoms that can be incredibly difficult to deal with without support or medical help.
Symptoms can include hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, and sleep disturbances, along with brain fog, lack of concentration, and memory loss.
For many women, menopause symptoms can significantly impact their quality of life and work performance. In fact, 11% of the UK workforce is made up of women between the ages of 45-54, the age at which going through ‘the change’ is most common.
Since a third of the UK female population is going through the menopause, and women make up 50%, it’s incredibly important for employers to start considering support for menopause treatments for their employees.
Our menopause specialist customer services team will support you start your menopause treatment plan
Why Support Menopause Treatments?
Menopause can affect women in a large variety of different ways, and it is not uncommon for women to experience severe or debilitating symptoms that can impact their ability to work. At minimum, hot flashes and night sweats can cause discomfort and disrupt sleep, leading to fatigue and decreased productivity. Mood changes, such as anxiety and depression, can impact confidence and work performance, as well as interpersonal relationships. These symptoms can have a knock-on impact on raises and promotions, as 4 in 5 employers do not consider menopause during annual appraisals with female employees.
What’s worse, studies show that women do not feel comfortable opening up about their menopausal status to employers, for fear of stigma and ridicule, as well as a lack of understanding from managers who are often male, or at a younger age.
By offering support for menopause treatments like Bodyline’s fully supported HRT M-Plan programmes, employers can not only help their employees manage these symptoms and improve their overall quality of life but can also remove the stigma and embarrassment associated with the menopause. This can lead to a happier, healthier, and more productive workforce.
If you are wondering if your employer should be supporting menopause treatments, the answer is yes – for pastoral and economic reasons. For the benefit of their female staff, and the benefit of their company as a whole.
What Can Employers Do?
Bodyline’s founder and managing director stands firm that menopause is not an illness and should not be treated like so in the workplace.
She says, “Symptoms can start in a woman’s mid 30s in perimenopause and continue well into mid 50s. We should start by treating the root cause of the symptoms and providing support through the menopause journey.
“Every woman’s experience of the menopause is different and a blanket standardised approach to treatment and support will not yield quantifiable benefits for organisations or deliver a step change in health and wellbeing of the menopausal employee. Menopause should be on every organisation’s business agenda.”
There are ways employers can put menopause on their business agenda for the benefit of their employees, and the benefit of their productivity.
These may include:
Providing Information and Resources
Employers can aid the company, and thereby their employees, by committing to an audit to identify the menopause risk for the organisation with strategic recommendations and KPI targets for improvement.
Employers can aid their employees by providing information and resources about menopause to the wider team to destigmatise and democratise information. They can also make clear the available treatment options for women in need. This can come in the form of brochures, websites, or educational seminars.
Here at Bodyline, our corporate menopause solutions include training and workshops for menopause awareness, education, and support, as well as introducing management and treatment options.
Offering Flexible Work Arrangements
Menopause symptoms can be unpredictable and may require employees to make adjustments to their work schedule or environment. Employers can offer flexible work arrangements, such as allowing employees to work remotely or in a hybrid setting, to allow women to better manage their symptoms and ensure it does not impact workflow.
Just as flexible work can be perfect for those with young children and those with disabilities, it is a fantastic aid in the mental health of menopausal employees.
Offering Menopause Treatments with Bodyline Corporate Solutions
Employers can offer health benefits that cover menopause treatments, such as hormone replacement therapy or medication for those struggling with debilitating menopause symptoms. These can be offered directly by Bodyline or provided by Bodyline through your occupational health company. This can help reduce the financial burden of treatment for employees, as well as improving their overall life quality.
At Bodyline, we offer personalised treatments and wellness prescriptions including lifestyle advice, medical treatment, and vitamin & supplement recommendations.
The Benefits of Supporting Menopause Treatments
By supporting menopause treatments, employers can benefit from happier, healthier, and more productive employees. Those who receive support for their menopause symptoms are more likely to feel valued and supported by their employer, increasing job satisfaction, improving retention rates, and boosting performance.
In addition, supporting menopause treatments can help reduce absenteeism and presenteeism in the workplace. Employees who are able to manage their menopause symptoms are less likely to miss work or perform poorly due to their symptoms.
Menopause treatments in the workplace will also ensure businesses retain good quality, experienced businesswomen and reduce the risk of early retirement.
If you think your workplace would benefit from Bodyline’s corporate menopause services, or you are experiencing menopause symptoms and would like to learn more about how your employers can help, contact or refer Bodyline Medical Wellness Clinics today at 0800 995 6036. Or you can fill in our online contact form for a call back.
Our team of experts can answer any questions you may have and help you determine which treatment options are right for you.
