Did you know that 54% of women believe talking about menopause is still taboo?

There’s no doubt that when it comes to women’s health, there is large gender health gap. Historically, there has been little focus placed on the health needs of women. This has affected the support they receive in the workplace. The lack of awareness and education continues to pose a threat to women’s health and quality of life.

Menopause itself is when a woman’s menstrual cycle ends. The period leading up to this is called perimenopause and can last anywhere from 2-10 years. Most women during this time face a variety of symptoms. Some are well-known like as hot flashes and night sweats. However, there are over 30 symptoms of menopause, some lesser known, including brain fog, insomnia and depression. Did you know 46% of women feel unprepared for perimenopause/menopause and 55% wish they had learned about it earlier in life? In addition, 4 in 10 women feel alone during menopause. And 1 in 10 women leaves the workforce entirely due to a lack of treatment for her symptoms. This shows that despite menopause being an experience most women will go through, we still have a long way to go for women to feel supported during this time of life and get access to the care they need.

Employers have an opportunity to lead the conversation on normalizing menopause. By addressing what we know about menopause into your workplace strategies, employers can help close the gender health gap. Through meaningful actions within the workplace, employers can develop a productive workforce that attracts and retains talent, especially women leaders at a time when they’re reaching senior-level positions.

Having a strong and inclusive benefits plan is not only important but essential.

Solutions you can add to your plan include:

  • Coverage for hormone replacement therapy
  • Increasing mental health treatment coverage plan maximums
  • Virtual care and mental health coaching
  • Health and personal spending accounts

Free resources such as Sun Life’s Bright Paper: Working Together to Support Women’s Health and The report Menopause and Work in Canada and the Menopause Inclusive Playbook, from the Menopause Foundation of Canada are great places to start.

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