MENOPAUSE AND THE WORK LIFE BALANCE

The menopause is an unavoidable fact that all women go through. However, for many women this natural process is a time of anxiety and distress due to the various symptoms that can accompany it. Women are an important and an integral part of the society. We just cannot function without her. She is a daughter, a wife, a mother, a friend, a sister, a grandmother. There are many health issues they may experience over the course of our lives that can affect their ability to do jobs – but often, the menopause may not be something that immediately springs to mind. Women are living longer, working more and retiring later. Most of them are over 50-year-old in various forms of employment are women, all of whom will experience the menopause and its symptoms, which in some women will be mild to moderate, while in others they may be severe and debilitating. About half of these women will find it somewhat, or fairly difficult, to cope with their work, about half will not be affected and only a few will be severely compromised. Poor concentration, tiredness, poor memory, depression, feeling low, lowered confidence, sleepiness and particularly hot flushes are all cited as contributing factors. As with any longstanding health-related condition, the need for support and understanding from line management is crucial and can make a major difference to how a woman will deal with the adverse impact the menopausal symptoms may have on her productivity, her job satisfaction and her efficiency.