Leadership and the Menopause
4th March 2022
This #IWD2022 I aim to #BreakTheBias, to overcome the barriers of #UnconciousBias and a #NarrowViewOfLeadership towards the peri/menopause for those in the workplace. I say ‘those’ because this is as much an issue for men as it is for women, their families and communities. Everyone knows someone going through the peri/menopause, whether a co-worker, line-manager, direct report or team member, grandmother, wife, sister, or aunt. This is an issue related to developing an effective, supportive, and inclusive leadership culture. We all need to know more about the 40 or so symptoms women may experience in their own unique combination, and how we can best offer support and allyship. For 1 in 4 women, the symptoms will be mild. For 1 in 3, they will be severe. I have lost count of the times other women have said to me,
‘I didn’t know anything about the perimenopause, and it usually starting in my 40’s, I thought the menopause was just about hot flushes and your periods stopping in your 50’s – I had no idea.’
Why would they? It has been #taboo until recently and we certainly weren’t taught about it at school. ‘Women of a certain age’ are too often written-off rather than supported to be their new best-selves, taking their rightful place at the top table, and as leaders we must take action. Women should be able to be #authentic, demonstrate integrity and conviction to be their true selves, and not be afraid of 'stigma'. Instead we should be empowered to #breakthebias, becoming informed now in order to lead change for tomorrow.
Pre-pandemic this was the fastest growing demographic in the workplace, with more women of this group in #leadership positions than ever before. 59% of women between the ages of 45 and 55 who were experiencing symptoms said it had a negative impact upon them at work. 21% of women didn’t go for a promotion they might have considered previously. 25% of women consider leaving work and 12% give up work altogether. They feel they need to leave the workplace earlier because they can’t see how they can continue to cope and perform as well as they want to – hardly surprising, perhaps, if many aren’t even aware that their symptoms are those of the peri/menopause and that they may, very easily, be supported. And as leaders we can make sure they are, and are able to be their #authentic #empowered selves.
In the UK, women’s pension pots are 56% lower than men’s, although ‘fortunately’ in teaching, women’s pensions are ‘only’ 28% lower than men’s. Of course some of this is as a result of loss of pensions contributions while child rearing, but the impact of women stopping work earlier than men as a result of the menopause mustn’t be underestimated. This is an important socio-economic issue, and we need the #ClarityOfDirection to envision a future where women are properly supported to continue to earn for themselves and their families because, as leaders, we have developed an inclusive culture. A culture where women are supported through the fog that can be #menopause to keep going as their authentic selves, so we benefit from their vast wisdom and experience, and in turn they and their families will benefit from improved financial security in older age.
What can we do?
· Familiarise ourselves with the approx. 40 symptoms HERE and HERE
· Talk menopause, to reduce the taboo and stigma
· Be an ally - find ways to support those who need it. These guides are really helpful: Let's talk menopause | CIPD Guidance and Menopause and the Workplace (Newson Health)
#IWD2022 @ResilientLeadersElements #RLE #WomenLeaders #LeanIn #TheFemaleLead #ResilientWomenLeaders #ResilientLeadership #Resilience #DiverseEd #WomenEd #WomenEmpowerment #WomenEmpoweringWomen #WomenHelpingWomen #WomeninBusiness #BreaktheBias #IamRemarkable #MakeMenopauseMatter #MenopauseRevolution @GSAUK @GSAUKPD
Contact Nicky to join her next Group Coaching cohort starting w/b April 19th 2022: nicky@brightlead.co.uk or make an appointment to find out more via Calendly HERE.
An Invitation
If you would like to know more about the Resilient Leaders Elements and how we use it to support women in becoming Resilient Leaders, we would love to invite you to 2 FREE RLE taster sessions taking place on 23rd and 24th March.
Wednesday 23rd March @ 7.30 – 8.30pm https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rle-women-as-resilient-leaders-taster-session-tickets-279493080327
Thursday 24th March @ 9.30 – 10.30am https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rle-women-as-resilient-leaders-taster-session-tickets-277720568697
Please share these with your Women’s networks