Loretta Dignam
Founder and CEO, The Menopause Hub and Menopause Hub Academy
This International Women’s Day, I find myself reflecting on the challenges women face throughout their lives personally but also professionally.
Every day, I meet women from all walks of life — regardless of their background, job or income — who are deeply impacted by hormonal changes they simply cannot escape. Each stage of life brings unique challenges for women, many of which intersect with work and career aspirations.
Why women’s experiences are shaped by hormones
Periods and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) can affect productivity. Fertility issues, pregnancy loss and post-natal depression can impact mental health and wellbeing. Decisions about childcare, whether to work full-time, part-time or stay at home weigh heavily on women’s minds and can hugely impact their careers.
Later in life, menopause arrives, often accompanied by symptoms like fatigue, brain fog and anxiety — which can affect performance at work. A staggering 84% of menopausal women report that their symptoms negatively affect their work performance, with 37% missing work due to these symptoms and 18% missing three or more days.1
Men do not face the same challenges because of their hormones. Men’s hormone cycles actually end up working in their favour most of the time. Yet, our workplaces are often designed as though these realities do not exist.
Fertility issues, pregnancy loss and
post-natal depression can impact
mental health and wellbeing.
Creating supportive work environments
If employers want to attract and retain great female talent, they need to provide meaningful support throughout a woman’s life cycle. Here are some tangible ways organisations can make a difference:
- Flexible working options: Offer hybrid working, work-from-home arrangements and flexible hours.
- Period products: Provide free period products and ‘caught out kits’ in bathrooms.
- Parental support: Establish parent-focused employee resource groups (ERGs) and return-to-work buddies for post-maternity leave employees. Offer pregnancy loss leave, surrogacy leave and adoption leave.
- Childcare support: Consider on-site childcare, childcare subsidies or support finding reliable childcare options.
- Perimenopause and menopause support: Implement menopause policies, offer training to staff and menopause champions (peer-to-peer support and signposting) and provide access to professional support through menopause specialists and health programmes.
Driving change this International Women’s Day
This International Women’s Day, let’s commit to breaking down barriers and ensuring workplaces are designed to support everyone’s success. It’s time for real change — because when women thrive, businesses thrive too.
[1] Menopause Hub Survey, Sept 2023, among 3,044 peri/menopausal respondents
