More than one-third of all working women in the Netherlands are menopausal. That’s over 1 million employees. If we look at working women in the 45-60 age group, almost 35% of their absenteeism complaints are menopause related.
Of course, complaints such as sleep problems, hot flashes, feelings of anxiety and depression (and especially fluctuations in them) affect one’s ability to work. But few women with symptoms dare to talk about them at work and especially not to a male supervisor. There is shame involved, and that is not surprising. Not so long ago, menopause was mostly laughed at. Moreover, many of us have mothers who did not talk about the subject or did not work. So our generation of women has a door to open!
As an advocate of breaking taboos and as someone who falls exactly within the target group, I am very happy to see that the subject is increasingly being discussed. And yes, I too have complaints, especially sleeping problems and irritability (‘cranky days’). And no, they are not stress related ;). But it can be damned inconvenient when you just have that important presentation or a full agenda.
Taking on a leadership role during transition; too little is written about that. If you are not completely stable, then you really do face additional challenges as a leader. Especially since we expect stability from people in leadership roles. This forces me all the more to also show my vulnerability, which ultimately does make my leadership more powerful. Fortunately, I lead Bunchmark along with 5 other women in the same age group and feel free to share if I am troubled by something. I get the space to be mindful of it. Some valuable lessons I experienced:
As an executive, it is sometimes difficult to combine personal issues, such as transition, with your professional role. Still, it is important to acknowledge your situation and give yourself permission to take care of yourself and, most importantly, not to see it as a sign of weakness.
You don’t have to share every detail of your transition experience, but being open about the changes you’re going through in a respectful way can relieve not only yourself, but also your team. A little humor or self-mockery helps with this, too!
By being flexible with your work schedule or workplace, you also set an example to your team members that it’s okay to be adequate with your own wellbeing. Perhaps you can move certain meetings to times when your energy is higher, or work from home for a day to be less distracted. Flexibility allows you to keep doing your job without overburdening yourself.
That’s how it works for us. Ultimately, it’s about having an inclusive and open culture in the workplace that allows people to feel they have room to talk about it. Awareness and courage on the part of managers to mention it helps a lot.
Want to read and listen more on the topic? Women Inc did a nice literature review on transition and work. Interesting to read that how you handle transition is also culturally determinative, especially how a culture views getting older. If getting older is seen as a positive thing then the transition is also more easily handled.
Arbo Uni’s podcast is also very informative and enjoyable to listen to from an employer’s perspective.
