Navigating Menopause in Remote Work: A Path to Empowerment

Imagine Sarah, a 52-year-old project manager, has always been a dedicated and high-performing employee. However, recently, she’s been experiencing fatigue, hot flushes, and difficulty concentrating, and all these symptoms are affecting her productivity and confidence.

Well, Sarah is not alone; many women face similar challenges during menopause, especially in remote work settings.

Remote work is renowned for its flexibility offerings, which can be beneficial for women experiencing menopausal symptoms. A recent survey found that 31% of working women desire flexible home working arrangements to manage their health better. For Sarah, the ability to work from home allows her to rest when needed and manage her symptoms discreetly and confidently.

But whilst remote work provides flexibility, it also presents challenges. A study highlighted that fatigue, difficulty sleeping, poor concentration, and memory issues are common menopausal symptoms affecting work performance. In Sarah’s case, these symptoms are impacting her ability to meet deadlines and participate in virtual meetings effectively.

Employers, therefore, play a crucial role in supporting menopausal employees. Research indicates that nearly 8 out of 10 menopausal women are in work. However, many workplaces lack formal support for menopausal employees; one survey even discovered that 90% of workplaces have no formal support for women experiencing menopause, which is an alarmingly large number considering that almost all women will experience menopause in their lifetime. This is why it is so important for organisations to be implementing menopause policies and training managers can help create an inclusive environment.

Companies that implement supportive policies for menopausal employees often see improved retention and productivity. A report by the Faculty of Occupational Medicine found that early and severe menopause can affect productivity and reduce time in employment. By providing flexible working hours and understanding managers, employers can help retain experienced employees like Sarah whilst still offering her the support she needs.

Menopause is a natural phase in a woman’s life, and with the right support, women can continue to thrive in their careers. For Sarah, a combination of remote work flexibility, supportive policies, and understanding colleagues can make a significant difference. Those employers who recognise the importance of supporting menopausal employees to maintain a healthy and productive workforce are the ones who will find themselves retaining those hard-working staff like Sarah.

At OrgShakers, we can offer employers guided support in formulating menopause policies, as well as offer menopause training to middle-managers and executives. This would enable them to identify a drop in productivity from someone like Sarah and recognise the signs that she may be perimenopausal – potentially even before she has understood what is happening herself. This is why having that holistic view on menopause in the workplace is so important, especially when in a remote working world, sometimes the only things you can see are those productivity dips.

If you would like to discuss how we can help ensure your menopause support policies extend to cover all working environments – whether that be in-office or remote – please get in touch with me at therese@orgshakers.com