Menopause & The Mind

Creating and sustaining a mentally well workplace requires us to support all employees at all stages and events in their lives – we all have mental health, just as we have physical health and both change throughout our lives, and like our bodies, our minds can become unwell.

Avoiding uncomfortable topics isn’t something we do at Mentally Well Workplaces, menopause is a ‘silent issue’ for most organisations and the psychological impacts are often misunderstood by employers.  Women aged 45 years and over comprise 17% of the Australian workforce (Tilly et al., 2013), meaning that over one million women are currently going through, or have already gone through, menopause.  As there appears to be a lack of menopause specific support or information, awareness or education we have launched our Menopause & The Mind Campaign to shine a light on an important and overlooked issue which will affect half the population.  

You may know that every woman goes through menopause, which usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55.  You may even know some of the physical signs and symptoms of menopause, but do you know the psychological affects?  Do you know there’s a stage prior to menopause called peri-menopause and this phase can occur years before any physical changes?  

Peri-menopause and menopause can be accompanied by a variety of psychological symptoms, including cognitive changes, anxiety and depression. These symptoms are thought to be due to hormonal fluctuations during menopause. Estrogen and progesterone, two hormones that decline during menopause, are known to have an impact on mood and affect.

Our Menopause & The Mind Campaign, which was referenced in LinkedIn News – Big Ideas for 2023 – is focused on myth busting and supporting women in peri-menopause and menopause through a combination of education, awareness and empowerment.   By implementing these measures employers can help women to manage their symptoms, maintain their productivity and performance and create a supportive workplace culture. 

We’re inviting our current and future clients, and you!, to participate in our research which takes a deep dive into the psychological affects of menopause in our workforce.