My menopause in my late 30’s / early 40's was an absolute roller coaster & not in a good way!
I had no idea what was going on, and it took months to discover I had gone through a premature menopause. I was not a text book case and had no clue what I was experiencing was menopause.
Even if your menopause heralds its arrival with some of the more common symptoms, it can still take months to confirm that it is menopause, and even longer before you can confidently deal with those symptoms. In the meantime, your work may suffer, and your confidence can take a huge knock. I know. It happened to me.
Recent studies state that there are over 60 or 70 symptoms that could be showing up in an almost infinite number of combinations, it isn’t a surprise that there isn’t one simple route through the maze of symptoms of menopause.
Each person going through menopause needs something a bit different.
Likewise, there isn’t one single methodology or approach for an organisation to engage with the issue of menopause.
There are many factors to consider when it comes to supporting people through menopause at work, not least the fact that menopause is a very personal subject.
As a business leader, a People, Wellbeing, Inclusion or Occupational Health professional, can you even begin to imagine starting a conversation with ‘have you thought it might be the menopause?’
I don’t think anyone would be under the impression that this is a good way to start a useful or productive conversation!
Workplace culture, the makeup of the workforce and even the attitude of the Senior Management Team can affect how supported, or not, those going through menopause feel at work.
That’s why, since my own menopause, I’ve been dedicated to raising awareness of menopause at work and not just for women of a certain age, but for the whole organisation. After all, 51% of people will be directly impacted by menopause and 100% of us are indirectly affected.
Helping organisations become places where signposting for menopause is part of the package when it comes to staff wellbeing, health and performance.
If menopause is part of the structure and policies of an organisation, it becomes easier for menopause to be considered a normal part of the human work experience.
When you consider that women over 50 are the largest growing cohort of employees in the UK, there is a great need for employers to become menopause savvy not least because it will save them money.
A key step on the road to supporting colleagues, is ensuring that menopause isn’t something that we just talk about.
As I learned more about menopause, including the devasting affect it can have on women just like me who struggled to handle many of the symptoms at work, I realised that knowing about menopause is only part of the solution.
Your wellbeing or HR team aren’t ever going to be able to offer menopause advice directly but may well find themselves becoming a sounding board for those looking for support. Without in-depth understanding, they may find themselves unable to suggest a useful course of action, or to even signpost someone correctly to find the right answers for themselves.
Running regular Menopause Awareness, Menopause Coach and Menopause Champion trainings are key needle movers to normalising this life stage for everyone.
In 2023, Women of a Certain STAGE are committed to training 100 Menopause Coaches, 1000 Menopause Champions and adding a further 250 employers to our Menopause Savvy client list.
My goal, with the help of my team is to help as many people as possible through menopause, by enabling employers to support their staff, and incorporating an efficient and useful menopause programme into their wellbeing plans.
Each organisation has its own unique approach to culture, values and wellbeing.
Our framework, ensures the process is an excellent fit for both the overall aims of the business and for those within the business. I like to think of it as our own ‘one size doesn’t fit all’ approach to workplace solutions!
To complement in-house training, we run an annual curriculum including free courses, regular webinars, Menopause Champion certificate programmes and the exciting Menopause Coaching qualification which is useful on many levels; it’s great as a way of understanding your own menopause journey.
It’s also perfect to bring more in-depth support to the people you work with. Get in touch via email: lauren@womenofacertainstage.com and I’ll be happy to share a copy with you.
To offer you the chance to develop your own approach to menopause at work, I have created the Become a Menopause Coach Diploma which gives you the skills and knowledge you need to support and retain anyone going through menopause.
I know it works.
In the course, I teach the exact same method that I have been using for the past 8 years to help people successfully navigate their menopause.
The course equips you with a toolkit of knowledge, resources and skills and the exact scripts and curated handouts to deliver a six week coaching programme called The Menopause Plan.
Becoming a Menopause Coach will not only help give you confidence to support those at work, it will also make your work a better place. It makes it easier to attract and retain staff, saving you money, and boosting your reputation as an organisation that really understands and cares about staff.
We all realise that there is no single answer to the issues raised by menopause.
Taking that first step to improving the way that your organisation approaches menopause is the best way to begin to support your colleagues.
I am committed to helping you access accurate information on menopause.
As a way to boost, or consolidate your knowledge, I invite you to register for the FREE ‘Menopause: The Basics’ course HERE.
It is delivered every two months, live via ZOOM from 1230 -1300, with a 15 min Q&A after.
Over 16,000 people enjoyed this bite sized course in 2022 – will you join us?
This three-day lunchtime course will provide you with loads of useful information about menopause and will hopefully be your starting point to understanding menopause and the ways that it can become something to be celebrated!
Get in touch if you’d like to explore best practice and your own next steps to normalise menopause, or click HERE to choose a time to chat.
Your Speaker & Trainer,
Lauren Chiren
CEO, Women of a Certain Stage
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