I am a 44-year old woman in perimenopause and working from home. My air conditioner is on 68 degrees. My ceiling fan is on high. A small fan under my desk points directly at me. Also, I am wearing shorts and a tee shirt.

Because I work remotely, I can make my workplace feel like the Arctic and tolerate my hot flashes. This would not be possible if my office was located in person.

Many women who have experienced remote work in the past few years have also had this realization. Many women are now faced with the decision of changing their jobs after the pandemic.

RELATED 'F*cking Ridiculous! 'Scotland Is Promoting Menopause, But There's One Big Problem.

A new survey has found that nearly half of women aged 40-55 have thought about leaving the office to look for remote jobs in order to better manage their menopause symptoms.

79% of the 1,000 women who were surveyed said that working during menopause was more challenging than other life stages such as starting a new career, having a family or getting promoted. Respondents ranked their 50s first when asked about the most difficult decade for working in the workplace. This was well ahead of the second-ranked 20s.

Employers are losing high-quality talent, despite the fact that half of the workforce is female and 20 percent are between 45-54 years old.

Home is the better option

Carrot fertility benefits company conducted a new survey and found that 47% of 1,000 female respondents were either in perimenopause/menopause or had been for the past five years. They also indicated that they would consider remote or hybrid work due to menopause symptoms.

A third of women surveyed indicated that they would consider switching from full-time to part time work due to menopause symptoms. 22 percent said they would be open to retiring earlier.

Another study from the UK showed that 18% of women who are going through menopause think about quitting their job.

RELATED 'I've been a monster:' Women share the unexpected emotional effects of menopause

These results don't simply relate to the office thermostat. Problems at work can include mood swings, sleep loss, brain fog, and other symptoms.

Patients share stories about how their menopause symptoms affect their relationships and careers. They are often exhausted, emotional and react inappropriately to situations. Dr. Monica Christmas is the director of the Center for Women's Integrated Health, University of Chicago Medicine in .

Employer Benefits and Perks Never Consider Menopause

A survey of 2,500 women by Gennev, a telehealth company, found that 99 percent of those in the menopause age range said they don't receive any benefits from work. Nearly 25% of respondents to the Carrot survey had taken time off work due to their menopause symptoms but kept it secret from their employers.

These numbers show that employers should accommodate workers in this age bracket as it can be very costly to replace them.

"A lot of women leaders who are skilled and valuable are in this group, and the replacement costs are much higher than the average," Tammy Sun, Carrot CEO, told Bloomberg.

Slow change

There are some companies and governments that recognize this issue as a problem for senior leaders, with more mature female workers than ever before. In the United States, however, it is not often discussed about the role of menopausal women at work.

Nicola Green, a British consultant who advises employers about how to support female workers going through menopause, names efforts such as free menstrual products in the toilet and access to cold water as ways to accommodate menopause symptoms.

She says that giving remote work options or flexible hours to female workers is the best way for them to be supported in this stage of their lives and to keep them on staff.

More from Suggest

• A Study shows that more women are using cannabis to treat symptoms of menopause. But is it safe?
• You are not crazy, it's Perimenopause Rage. Women openly discuss their experiences and how to spot it in yourself
• These genius products will stop you from getting night sweats.

-----------------------------------

By: Perry Carpenter
Title: Working With Menopause Symptoms Ranks More Difficult Than Starting A Family: Why Employers Need To Pay Attention
Sourced From: www.suggest.com/accomodating-menopausal-women-at-work/2678156/
Published Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2022 11:45:00 +0000

Read More