Worldwide, there are 657 million women aged 45–59 and around half of them are in the workforce during their menopausal years.
Stated another way, half of the people in the workforce are women, and half of the women in the workforce are in perimenopause or menopause. There are laws and policies for women who are pregnant, but there are almost no policies or workplace protection for women in menopause.
All that is about to change.
September 7, 2021 the European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS) issued new global recommendations on how menopausal women should be treated in the workplace, calling the stage of life an important gender- and age-equality issue. It’s not easy for women to perform at their best when hot flashes and sleep deprivation are disrupting their professional lives and may cause financial uncertainty.
The EMAS focused on the following points:
- The diversity of menopause experiences and the effect of menopause on employment are shaped not only by symptoms but also by the physical and psychosocial characteristics of the workplace environment.
- Menopause is now considered to be an important gender- and age-equality issue, and dealing with its consequences should be part of maintaining an inclusive work environment.
- Addressing the menopause experience will help retain women in employment during their menopausal years and that will attract, develop and secure a workforce with valuable skills and talent.
- The EMAS recommendations for employers, managers, healthcare professionals and women aim to make the workplace environment more menopause supportive in the wider context of gender equality and reproductive and post-reproductive health.
Dr. Sharon Seibel and I are just completing a comprehensive book on menopause in the workplace which we’ll be telling you more about in the near future. Stay tuned on this important issue. If you are a working woman or a company that employs women, this is something you’ll want to know a lot more about.
I am available to discuss the recommendations and offer advice for working women and their employers. Click Here to contact.
