Menopause is a hot topic right now. There are workplace legal reasons to address the challenges. Here is your guide to help you get started.

1. 1
Welcome to
Menopause in the Workplace
A Guide for Managers

2. 2
If you’re not
talking about
menopause, you
should be!

3. Today’s Agenda
3
• Who is SimplyHormones?
• What is Menopause?
• The Workplace
• Menopause Traffic Lights
• Action Plan
• Q&A’s

4. Kathryn’s True Story - it’s not unusual –
How menopause nearly destroyed my life
and how I survived !
• Ignorant of strange symptoms
• Didn’t know who to speak to
• Husband suffering!
• Resigned from executive job
• Diagnosed with Depression
• Divorce/madness!
• Is this as good as it gets??
4

5. Helen’s Story - Happy 50th
Birthday Helen
• But not so happy
• Depression
• Loss of confidence - putting on
a face
• Horrendous night sweats -
EVERY night
• Lack of sleep
• Joint problems
• No possibility of children
5

6. Helen’s Story - Happy 50th
Birthday Helen
Menopause Positives:
• Different kind of confidence
• Different approach to goals
• Sourcing a menopause
specialist
• HRT worked for me - now I
sleep
6

7. The Last Ten Years!
7
Radio & TV

8. EMAS Conference – Madrid May 2015 and BMS
Conference London 2016
8

9. What is Menopause?
 Kicks off around age 35
 Peri-menopause
 More acute changes at age of 45
 The Tsunami at 50!
 Menopause is PMS on Speed!!
 No more monthly certainty
 It’s the end of Reproduction
 Women have significant and different needs
 Symptoms can last up to 15 years!
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What is it? Will I
survive?

10. 7:10 women (9 million) experience debilitating symptoms
NOT a minority issue!
10
13 million women currentlygoing
through Menopause
Affected
Sailingthrough

11. How would YOU feel?
Symptoms can be a major source of distress
11

12. Kirsty Wark and Carol Vorderman - TV
Presenters:
“Every woman goes through Menopause.. All living
and working longer, why the persistent taboo?
“Why are we so reluctant to alleviate the symptoms?”
“We are shockingly uninformed about Menopause
and how to deal with it”
“We really, really need to talk about it more”
Dr Heather Currie, chair BMS
Carol urges women to try and focus on the fact “it’s
just a different chapter in your life, that’s all it is

13. 13
Worklife
Balance?

14. 1. Denial
2. Resistance
3. Confusion
4. Exploration
5. Commitment
The Menopause Change Curve
14

15. What do these things
have to do with Menopause?
•
• Depression
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Osteoporosis
• CVD – Cardiovascular disease
15

16. What do you know about
Surgical Menopause?
• Hysterectomy
•
• Cancers
16

17. Profound Moments at Menopause
“If asked what I felt, I would say I had stopped
living; nothing brings me pleasure, everything
brings me endless sorrow” – Sofia Tolstoy,1910
“I want my life to end” – too many women are saying this
“I’m so tired all the time” – It’s hormones
“There are some symptoms just too
embarrassing to talk about”
“I’m so frightened!” - So many women say this
17

18. 18
I’m scared!
 Symptoms are so distressing
I cry at the drop of a hat
I’m shouting all the time!
 My marriage is going down
the pan!
QUICK SOLUTION:
 Talk to someone trained to
listen!
Relationships Suffer!

19. Why do Doctors know so little?
Medical Training consists of 1 x
45 minute lecture with slides!
19

20. “Every woman who is worried about the
effects that menopause is having on her
life must be given the chance to find
out if there’s an option that works for
her”
Professor Mary Ann Lumsden, chair of expert group
to develop NICE guidelines:
“Diagnosing and Managing Menopause” 2015
20

21. What happens at Work?
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• Poor coping skills, depression, stress
• Disciplinary procedures
• Managers not coping
• Menopause not part of workplace agenda
• 49 and tearful? Menopause!
• Benefit of hindsight ~ too late!

22. 22
Thanks for calling
Anger Management:
What the &%$! Do you
want?

23. 23

24. Start having
conversations and
sharing information
to help women take
control

25. Where do Men fit into all this?
• Too often left out in the
cold
• Men show great
perception and insight
• Training is a valuable
Resource
• Menopause is Emotional
25

26. MENOPAUSE TRAFFIC LIGHTS
WOMEN
MEN
© SimplyHormones 2016
Red Group 1 Age 45 - 55
Red Group 2 Age 55 – 60
Amber Group 3 Age 36 – 44
Green Group 4 Age 61 – 65+
Green Group 5 Age 26 - 35
Groups 1 and 2: Vital to incorporate
Groups 1 and 2 into your supply chain of
Information, Advice, Support, Counselling
and Training.
Group 3: Invite to join conversation –
Knowledge is power and will help avoid
problems later on.
Group 4: Health Checks for
Degenerative Diseases e.g Diabetes,
Heart, Bones etc.
Group 5: General Health awareness
to include hormonal health, PMS and
depression.
Vital to incorporate this group into your
supply chain of Information, Advice,
Support, Counselling and Training – May
have partners at home or colleagues at
work suffering from symptoms.
Red Group 1 & 2 Age 45 - 55

27. Support your managers –
give them the tools to
start a conversation

28. 500 Safety Reps were asked to provide feedback on how women were
supported through menopause in their workplace. Here are some key
points from the research:
 80% said NO information was made available to women about
menopause
 49% didn’t have risk assessments dealing with Menopause
 45% said managers didn’t recognise problems associated with
Menopause and lacked information and training
 70% didn’t have a policy for handling absence linked to Menopause?
 22% said no Occupational Health/Welfare support available
TUC Research

29. Supporting Working Women
through the Menopause - TUC
“Women should be able to expect support and assistance during what is, for many, a difficult
time”, specifically:
 Employers should ensure all line managers have been trained to be aware of symptoms
with necessary support
 Guidance about Menopause freely available and part of wider occupational health
awareness campaign; with positive attitudes
 Additional options for help as well as line manager: HR/OH
 Women should experience no detriment for time off due to Menopause symptoms and
reflected in absence procedures
 Flexible approach to toilet break requests
 Risk assessments should consider specific needs of menopausal women, to ensure work
environment does not worsen symptoms

30. Get the FULL effect from our Training
Programmes:
1. Women Only – ½ or whole Day session:
“How to Survive Menopause without losing
your mind”
1. Line Managers – 1-day Training
1. HR/Occupational Health – 1-day Training
1. Optional Online training 30

31. CPD BENEFITS
CPD accreditation is not a box ticking exercise. Research shows that it will
have valuable repercussions as learning is embedded to the benefit of
colleagues within the organisation.
How CPD benefits:
 Keeps knowledge and skills up-to-date
 Recognised as beneficial for career progression and advancement
 Accreditation ensures consistent and high standards
 Promotes greater work engagement from the workforce
 Allows for sharing, best practice and support, maximising staff potential
 Improves staff morale
ROI (Return on Investment) is measured by the transferred value to the organisation
contributing to a reduction in absenteeism and improving productivity and staff
retention.

33. Share ideas
• Information on notice board/toilets - leaflets/guides/sources of help
• Women’s Health Days
• Library of info/articles/books/info packs
• Healthy eating options available
• Lunchtime support sessions
• Mentors / Champions

34. QUESTIONS?

35. RESOURCES – FURTHER READING
▪ www.simplyhormones.com
▪ It’s not you it’s your hormones – Nicki Williams
▪ The New Natural Alternatives to Menopause – Marilyn
Glenville
▪ New Menopausal Years….the Wise Woman Way–
Susun S. Weed
▪ Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom – Dr Christiane
Northrup
▪ The Wisdom of Menopause – Dr Christiane Northrup
▪ Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus –
John Gray
▪ The Female Brain – Louann Brizendine, M.D.
▪ The Male Brain – Louann Brizendine, MD
▪ WELEDA: www.weleda.co.uk/menopause-tips
20% Discount: MENOPAUSE17

36. RESOURCES CONTINUED – READING AND RESEARCH Positivity – Barbara L. Fredrickson
 Learned Optimism- Martin Seligman
 Your Pocket Life Coach- Carole Gaskell
 Being Happy – Andrew Matthews
 http://www.womens-health-concern.org
 http://www.thebms.org.uk
 NICE Guidelines on Menopause
 NEW: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/menopause-
transition-effects-on-womens-economic-participation
 http://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace-issues/health-and-safety/women-
and-health-and-safety
 www.thebms.org.uk

37. RESULTS FROM OUR TRAINING
Results out of 10:
 9.2 - The activities aided my learning
 9.4 – I was engaged with what was going on in the course
 9.5 – I would recommend this program to others
 Excellent Study Day – Trainer well informed & friendly
 Excellent Course – Lots of resources
 Increased knowledge will enable me to signpost and support employees
 100% of attendees agreed staff performance affected
If you’re not talking about Menopause,
You should be!
Our Training – We are Good at what we Do!

38. 38
P O Box 218, Uckfield, E.Sussex TN22 3YT
enquiries@simplyhormones.com
Call us now to arrange
further training
01825 582010