Janice Turner on menopausal women and other great stuff

Menopause per se does not require any time off work, or “special accommodations”.
What may require these are the pathological symptoms that accompany the menopause in some women. So, you are not having time off for “menopause”, you are having time off for menorrhagia, insomnia, exhaustion, depression or whatever.
Which is perfectly reasonable, and should not be instead labelled as menopause and implied to be something that employers must expect all women workers to suffer - therefore making them reluctant to employ older women at all.
I went through menopause as a hospital doctor, and didn’t need any measures at all. Sure, I had a few sweats, some heavier periods and many nights of broken sleep, but I didn’t need “special” measures at work.
By contrast, a theatre colleague couldn’t even scrub up for procedures, as she sweated right through her surgical gown in minutes. That was a problem that needed treatment, so she saw her GP and started HRT. She had a sick note until her symptoms were controlled- it was none of our employer’s business, and she didn’t want management involved in her personal health problems.

The problem we are having is lots of repeteated sick leave, over a pretty long period of time, with no overt explanation for why and no sick lines. So it's very difficult to support said member of staff. Other members of staff we have coped with various health issues/absences but it's all much easier when out in the open - partly because one can then plan for contingencies. (I know (very roughly) what the problem is only because I have been accidentally copied into correspondence, which of course I can't and wouldn't raise.)

It can be awful, but then again I've also been through PMDD and PCOS and have worked through all of it... I guess ideally what would be great is if women could request more support and flexibility if these issues are affecting their health in major ways. In my case I regularly had to take time off work because I was bleeding so extravagantly. But I don't think we need some kind of special treatment just because we have periods or go through menopause - for many women, these are not illnesses or disabilities, just normal parts of life. But yes of course support should be available to women who need it.

It's reassuring for me that the conversation has opened up. My mum suffered horrendously, and combined with a stressful job and depression - she left work early.

Being able to talk frankly about what you need in terms of support, why you need it, and being listened to without embarrassment on either side is what I would like for everyone.

One thing owning menopause in print or anonymous forums, quite another in front of your peers and professionals.

The menopause at work is a difficult one. I expect as a journalist & writer, janice works from home most of the the time & that makes a lot of difference. I started mine about 2 years ago & Im self employed & work from home which means when I couldn’t sleep, or had the sweats very badly or just had those days where I wanted to kill ppl, I didn’t have to cope with it in an office which I think makes it much easier

Now I’m starting the joy of VA & was horrified at how hard I had to fight my GP to get medication for it “but you’re already on HRT”

What I am glad about is that at least it’s been talked about

I think there's truth in both views. The invisibility - and young women ignore me just as much as men do - was probably the biggest shock, but it's also quite liberating.

But the potential impact on your health and mental well-being is also very real, and I've little time for the idealism or the quasi spirituality. It's a normal life stage, nothing more and nothing less.

I suspect that there is a huge variability in how people experience menopause

Yes of course, ditto periods.

I suspect that there is a huge variability in how people experience menopause
For many women , they may be more worried about being written off at work being "a certain age" than anything else
Others get horrendous problems that dominate their life
It's wrong to assume something about people , such as how they will react to menopause or what if any support they will need simply because they are women

I think there is a trouble saying normal sickness procedures will cover any problems

If you are off for lots of odd days, which I think menopause and period troubles are more likely to result in, you will get negative marks over your sick record
If you are off for 6 months due to a heart attack ( which I think affect middle aged men more) then no negative mark

Women are I think much more likely than men to have th type of issues that needs occasional sick days that get penalised in most work places

I thought the bit about menopause was dismissive and patronising. It would be no exaggeration to say that mine nearly ruined my life (thank god for hrt). It wasn't in the slightest bit "transformative", I was perfectly capable of saying what I did and didn't want to do before thanks. A misstep from St Janice afaic

Excellent article, thanks for the share. I will form an orderly queue behind you to crush on JT.

Menopause at work is a tricky one, probably partly because of the (understandable) desire for privacy. How can employers support women when they can't actually raise the subject? We have this issue at work just now - the time off involved is considerable and there are various practical issues (toilets, again) to navigate. Yet this must all be somehow sensitively sorted without discussion. Not easy.

I agree. I'm fed up of the menopause being another stick to beat women with.

Brilliant. Agree with you re menopause accommodations- unnecscary and patronising.