World Menopause Day is held every year on 18th October. Initiated by the International Menopause Society, the purpose of the day is to raise awareness about menopause and support options available for improving health and well-being for those experiencing it i.e. 51% of the world’s population!
Given peri/menopausal women (40-60+) are the fastest growing workforce demographic on the planet, with projections there will be ONE BILLION women experiencing menopause at work by 2025, it makes sense that this day be recognised in our workplaces with awareness based education and the provision of fully human support (physical, social, and psychological).
New Zealand specific research by Dr. Linda Dear (conducted in early 2023) revealed 8% of women transitioning through menopause leave the workforce early each year. According to NZ census data there are 500,000 women in this life stage in paid employment in Aotearoa New Zealand meaning a potential loss of 40,000 ‘peak career’ women from our workforce each year. This is talent organisations, our economy, and our country can precious afford to lose.
It’s also important to emphasise the potential of this life stage to negatively impact women’s identity, confidence, relationships, career trajectory, and financial security:
- The gender retirement savings gap currently stands at 36% for women 50+
- Women over 50 are 20% more likely to be pushed out of a long term role
- The impact of gendered ageism for women seeking new employment in their 50s and 60s means it takes twice as long for women to find employment as similarly experienced men of the same age; and
- Women 55+ are one of the most at risk groups for housing insecurity and homelessness.
For these reasons and plenty more it’s critical that we support women and the people they live and work with to understand and navigate this temporary transition successfully. Using workplace education, support services like EAP and specialist menopause medical care, and appropriate workplace practices and policies are now table stakes if we want women may stay employed and progressing in meaningful ways.
As part of the lead up to World Menopause Day this year, I had the opportunity to speak with the UK Government’s (former) Menopause Employment Champion, Helen Tomlinson about her cross sector work with employers across the UK to address this very challenge. Helen’s role is currently in transition while the new government finalise their plans for continuing these efforts so she had the opportunity to share reflections on her first two years in what is the only position of its kind in the world.
You can watch the recording of our conversation HERE where we talk about:
- Helen’s personal menopause journey
- How this world-first role came about
- The Four Point Plan guiding Helen’s work with employers of all sectors and sizes across the UK
- Reflections and lessons from her first two years in the role; and
- Her challenge/invitation to New Zealand employers.
I encourage you to make a 1-hour meeting with yourself this Friday, and perhaps invite some of your team to join you, and give us a jolly good listen to mark World Menopause Day. There may just be some inspiration in there for you to start the conversation in your workplace or take it to the next level.
If you’re feeling called to become an in-house menopause champion or you consider yourself a workplace changemaker, then come and join the 2500+ people who feel inspired to elevate, enrich and amplify the workplace conversation about peri/menopause in the Menopause@Work (NZ) group on LinkedIn.
Changing the world is a team sport and we’d love to have you on the field with us, playing your part : )
