Today is International Women’s Day, an event that commemorates the movement for women's rights.  In my latest ‘Weekly Wisdom’ I want to talk about menopause in the workplace.

In my Real Cost of Menopause survey, I found that 84% of the women interviewed, equal to about 8 million working women in the UK, believe their productivity at work is reduced because of their menopause symptoms.  75% feel that their productivity is reduced for over a week every month, which equates to a loss of 280 million work days per year.

Yet, only 20% admitted to taking time off to deal with their symptoms. This means that day after day, millions of women are working through tension headaches, fatigue, depression, foggy memory, mood swings, and many other menopause symptoms without saying a word.

In the past, menopause was not on the corporate agenda, now more companies are implementing menopause policies.

I am aware that many women are still afraid to bring up the ‘M word’ in front of their managers or bosses, especially if they’re younger or male. It’s considered an embarrassing, taboo topic.  Moreover, women fear that their performance will be evaluated against a  situation that occurs in the life of every woman over which they have little control.

Women shouldn't have to suffer without support.

You need to communicate to your manager and colleagues to let them know you’re going through a transition, just as you would if you were pregnant or having a bad day with your period. You have every right to expect support in the workplace.

To find out more about what’s really going on in your body at the time of the menopause and how you can overcome symptoms without having to take HRT or any drugs,  join me at my next free MasterClass.