Today, 18th October, is World Menopause Day.

Concerningly, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development showed that

– 60% of working women between the ages of 45 and 55 who are experiencing menopause symptoms say it has a negative impact on them at work

– nearly two-thirds of women surveyed said they were less able to concentrate

– more than 50% said they experience more stress

– 30 per cent of women said they had taken sick leave because of their symptoms – only a small minority of women said they told their managers about the real reason for taking sick leave

The purpose of WMD is to raise awareness on the menopause and support options for improving health and wellbeing. WMD is all about supporting women who are feeling lost and are going through menopause or perimenopause. No two people have the same experience; being aware and able to recognise your own symptoms is the first step to managing them.

This year’s focus is Cognition and Mood. For more information, please visit https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/ENGLISH-WMD-Leaflet.pdf

Menopause is not just a gender or age issue; it is an organisational issue. It can impact on colleagues both directly or indirectly. Raising awareness on this topic is vitally important.

NHS Employers continues to highlight the importance of this topic and to support organisations so they can improve staff experience. https://www.nhsemployers.org/news/world-menopause-day-18-october-2022