Menopause as a well-being strategy: Organizational effectiveness, gendered ageism and racism

Abstract

Objective This study considers the example of one council who deliberately implemented menopause considerations into their well-being strategy instead of instituting a menopause policy. This example is used to explore whether such a strategy is a more viable and effective alternative. Study Design An online survey was distributed amongst council workers and completed by 189 individuals. The questions covered respondents’ own experiences of menopause transition at work (where applicable) and the availability of information and support for menopause at work, as well as a range of contextual factors. Main outcome measures Experiences of workplace environments and relationships by those experiencing menopause. Results Results on menopause experiences in this council are comparable to those in organizations who have implemented menopause policies or guidelines. Contextual factors, including gendered vertical segregation and racism, are highlighted as important factors influencing the experience of menopause transition in the workplace. Conclusions Early indications suggest that integrating menopause support into a health and well-being strategy helps mainstream menopause issues amongst staff. Long-term assessment is required to consider whether it is more effective than introducing a menopause policy or guidelines.

Effectiveness of workplace-based interventions to promote wellbeing among menopausal women: A systematic review

“…13 Interventions for menopause should be culturally and economically sensitive to ensure sufficient recruitment and compliance. Most women still feel that menopause is a taboo topic at work 22 and this is worsened by racial disparities and male dominance in managerial roles. Employers should consider initiating awareness on menopause at a wider scale as awareness alleviates the stigma and enables discussion and decision-making.…”

“…Out of them 11 articles were selected for full-text screening. The full text screening excluded six studies because they did not meet the inclusion criteria: three qualitative studies, [21][22][23] a secondary analysis of a larger community-based study, 24 and two clinic-based studies. 25,26 The remaining five articles were included in the narrative synthesis.…”

Policies, Guidelines, and Practices Supporting Women’s Menstruation, Menstrual Disorders and Menopause at Work: A Critical Global Scoping Review

“…These interventions acknowledge that women are managing both the physiological and symbolic realities of their bodies and in turn are faced with substantive equity issues in the workplace [7]. In short, they are paid less, are less likely to be promoted and are more likely to be harassed [3,41]. These interventions focus on a cultural shift that addresses gender equity issues such as gendered ageism, lack of women in leadership and seek to address the stigma and shame often associated with attitudes relevant to menstruation, menopause, and menstrual disorders [3,41].…”

“…In short, they are paid less, are less likely to be promoted and are more likely to be harassed [3,41]. These interventions focus on a cultural shift that addresses gender equity issues such as gendered ageism, lack of women in leadership and seek to address the stigma and shame often associated with attitudes relevant to menstruation, menopause, and menstrual disorders [3,41].…”

Exploring the challenges and facilitators that impact the experiences of being an older female worker in the European labour market

“…There are guidelines and recommendations in place to support the introduction of menopause policies to support transitions in the workplace. Despite this, research and practice supporting menopausal women in the workplace is being addressed very slowly (Targett & Beck, 2022). For instance, in this review Cronin et al (2021) reported a dearth of research on the use of digital health technologies to support older professional women in managing the symptoms of menopause in the workplace.…”