Managing the Menopause at Work

Season 1 • Episode 5
Julie Dennis, Menopause Trainer

The menopause can be stressful enough for women without the challenges of dealing with it in front of your colleagues. 75% of women of menopausal age are in work and will be affected by a range of symptoms, from hot flushes which are uncomfortable and can embarrassing; flooding which can be a nightmare if access to a toilet is restricted; or anxiety and loss of confidence which might impact your performance.

In this episode, I talk to Julie Dennis, a specialist trainer and menopause coach who runs workplace workshops to support women in midlife. She’s full of practical ideas to help you navigate the challenge of the menopause at work and sensible strategies to ensure that you get the support you need from your employer. She’s also got some great advice for line managers on how to offer tangible support to their female workforce during the menopause.

There are so many ways that life can be made easier for you and we discuss everything from mini USB fans and sanitary supplies to flexible working and occupational health support. Even very simple changes can help to make life bearable when menopause symptoms start to affect you at work and Julie seems to have a clever solution for everything.

I hope this episode will empower you to take control of your environment and make sure that you get the support you need, so that you feel more confident about coping with the menopause at work.

Show Notes

To find out more about Julie and the work that she does, visit www.juliedennis.net.

You can also follow her on Twitter and Linked In.

Useful Resources and Products

Here are some of the websites and services that we discussed or that are relevant to the theme of the podcast:

The Menopause and Me – Business in the Community Guide for Managers

A Gov.UK Research Report into The Effects of Menopause Transition on Women’s Economic Participation

Faculty of Occupational Medicine –  Guidance on Menopause in the Workplace 

Here’s a link to some USB phone fans: a lifesaver on a hot day, even if you don’t have hot flushes!

Listen to episode 3 Dealing With Anxiety & Overwhelm, to help you keep calm at the office.

Try my 10-Day Va Va Voom energy diet to help you get the spring back in your step: