Normalising Menopause: How women and workplaces will reap the rewards

“Boss, the menopause has got me good – the brain fog, the hot flushes and low mood, I need a time out.”

And just like that… I can make that happen. 

But I am in the minority, keenly aware of my privilege as an educated woman in a well-paid job with an employer of choice in the professional services sector. For so many, in reality for the majority of working women - their lot is to suffer in silence, reduce their work hours or resign. This is according to many of the voices heard by the recent Senate Standing Committee on Issues related to menopause and perimenopause, which released its report last week. 

At long last women’s voices on this taboo topic are being heard and governments are listening. The report is a call to action for employers to also do their part, small or large, to strip away the crusty layers of shame and stigma associated with menopause. And it can’t happen fast enough for some women. 

Research by the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) shows women transitioning through menopause stand to lose an estimated $60,000 in retirement savings when they cut back on work or retire early. The superannuation penalty for many women will have major ramifications for their retirement nest eggs down the track. But the impact can also be more immediately felt. 

Going part-time or casual to lessen the mental and physical load of managing menopause and perimenopause, often means women at the peak of their game, are less seen, less heard and so more easily dismissed and overlooked. Women’s currency in terms of their sage advice and counsel collapses in workplaces that have not been designed for them. 

Last week, the Standing Committee issued its report and 25 recommendations spanning improvements across the health, employment, education and pharmaceutical sectors. The recommendations call for more data collection, research to quantify the impact of menopause and for significant changes to training for medical professionals. 

I save my biggest shout of “about bloody time” for its recommendation that the topic of menopause is introduced into our school curricula – because arming young women with information about menopause as a natural physical transition in their reproductive life cycle is just a no brainer. If that recommendation is implemented, we will see a generation of women enter the workforce with a mindset that normalises issues around menopause at work. 

But in the meantime, employers, large and small, can move the dial now.  World Menopause Day is around the corner – on 18 October – plenty of time for employers to make a commitment to develop perimenopause and menopause workplace policies in consultation with their employees. That’s just one of the recommendations of the Standing Committee. The benefits of introducing policies far exceed the obvious bonuses of improved productivity and reduced absenteeism; it sends a message that employers want women of all ages, but especially those in their 40s and 50s to stay in the workforce, to contribute and feel valued. 

Ora Advisory is proud to be a member of Menopause Friendly Australia. Ora made its commitment to being a menopause friendly employer, and we started small. Just talking about menopause, we don’t under-estimate how much our people will value the conversation because everyone has a mum, a sister, a partner and friend that relates. And we also don’t over-estimate how much is required of employers – it starts with a bit of compassion and some sensible leeway. 

Ora punches above its weight when it comes to partnering with our clients to lift their D&I outcomes and transform their organisational culture; our methods are simple, our team is humble, but our work is stellar. 

Our clients have cottoned onto our simple approach; Ora can help transform your work culture into a menopause-inclusive culture, get in touch for a chat. 

Paula Gonzalez | General Manager