As more women participate in the workforce and also work longer, symptoms of menopause at work are coming up more often. Employers should take this into account in determining their working conditions so that they avoid worsening symptoms.
Menopause
Women go through menopause usually when they are between 45 and 55 years when they stop menstruating. This can cause symptoms such as insomnia and mood swings, though not every woman in menopause are affected and symptoms differ from woman to woman.
Influencing Performance
The performance of working women in menopause may be adversely affected by concentration and memory problems. Many women dare not, however, indicate this while working, according to research. The same research shows that women who are stressed suffer more from the effects of menopause.
In addition, the high temperatures, poor ventilation, and too little time and opportunity for breaks and toilet visits make for a negative working environment.
Action
More research is needed into what the best interventions in the workplace to minimise the effects of menopause. However, in the meantime employers can ensure a climate in which menopause symptoms can be discussed, the researchers said.
Employers need to be more aware of changes in mental and physical health of women during menopause, says one of the recent recommendations of European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS). Perhaps managers can be trained in supporting women in menopause and dealing with symptoms empathically.
Other measures that employers can take are customising the operating temperature or the provision of desktop fans available to mitigate the effects of hot flushes. Symptoms such as insomnia can be accommodated with more flexible working hours and reducing stress.