The menopause at work: How hot flushes make everyday working life more difficult

Almost one in five women is considering taking early retirement because of menopausal symptoms. It is only recently that the significance of the menopause for workplace culture has been recognised and openly discussed. By Lilofee Fettich, WDR “When I have 90 minutes of lessons before the next break, I do wonder whether I’ll manage it or whether I’ll have to take a break in between.” Antje Krause*, 54, (name changed) is a teacher at a vocational school. Her heavy, irregular periods with heavy bleeding make her day-to-day work difficult. Sometimes she can incorporate group work into her lessons so that she can go to the toilet. With some classes, however, a break is not possible. Added to this is her reduced ability to cope with stress. Even with the same workload, she feels more drained than she used to: “I’d get through the week, but then on Friday, Saturday and Sunday I’d get a migraine or just withdraw.” Stomach aches, hair loss, migraines In her mid-40s, Krause noticed the first changes; by the age of 50, she had a whole ‘bouquet’ of symptoms: mood swings, stomach aches, brain fog, hair loss, joint pain and migraines. She repeatedly sought medical help, was prescribed an antidepressant and dietary supplements, and even underwent a spinal tap due to suspected MS. It was only after talking to friends that she attributed her symptoms to perimenopause – in other words, the onset of the menopause. This means she is going through the same phase as nine to eleven million other Germans, 85 per cent of whom experience similar symptoms. Miriam Stein criticises in the ARD documentary “The Menopausal Years: Too Hot for Germany?”. She is co-author of the recent report “Equal Rights During the Menopause”, published by the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency. Strength training: relief or strain? Not all symptoms occur daily or are illness-like. But when they do occur – such as sleep deprivation – they take their toll, according to Stein: “The UN classifies sleep deprivation as a method of torture, so it’s no wonder a woman experiences brain fog. And that always affects her ability to work.” To provide relief, doctors often recommend strength training. For Krause, this felt like an additional burden: “I was going to the gym and at some point I just didn’t want to go there any more. I felt really awful because, of course, you know you have to do strength training during the menopause. But I really couldn’t stand it there. The smells, the lights and the music. I just couldn’t stand it any more.” These days, she prefers to go for walks with her dog instead. When travelling, she feels most comfortable in her motorhome because of her heavy periods. That way, she always has a toilet to hand. She’s also had her coil removed, which has balanced her hormones, and takes dietary supplements such as iron. At her school, the female teachers have set up a basket of sanitary products in the toilet. She would like to see “more quiet rooms, quieter places to retreat to”. Menopause as a risk of poverty Krause’s experience highlights a wider problem. According to the studies analysed by Stein and her co-author Franzi von Kempis, many women feel that things at work are no longer going as they used to. Pascale Hilberger-Kürlum, Vice-President of the German Nursing Council, hears one thing above all else in her discussions with nursing staff: “The first thing they always say is, ‘I love my job.’ And the second thing is always, ‘I can’t cope with it any longer.’” Almost one in five women going through the menopause are considering taking early retirement because of the symptoms. One in four female managers are thinking about stepping down from their leadership roles. At the same time, women aged between 40 and 50 visit the doctor more frequently and earn less during this phase of their lives than they did previously. Alongside motherhood, the menopause could therefore pose a further risk of poverty for women, explains Stein. Many high-achieving women affected: women aged between 40 and 59 are among the most economically active groups in Germany. They often work in sectors facing a shortage of skilled workers, such as care or, like Krause, in schools. Ferda Ataman, the Federal Independent Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination, therefore warns that society relies on high-achieving women going through the menopause. According to Stein, those particularly affected are people who are often overlooked by the healthcare system: women in rural areas, those with a migrant background, those on low incomes or with disabilities, as well as trans and intersex people. Being able to change clothes at work Different solutions are needed depending on the job, says Stein. Flexible working hours, suitable room temperatures, the opportunity to change clothes and, for women who work outdoors, access to toilets are all helpful. Company doctors should be trained on the subject and offer counselling. Stein draws a comparison: “In all the years I’ve worked in German corporations, I’ve come across a great many people who have made use of occupational health services for back pain prevention. I didn’t get the impression that this had any negative impact on their standing within the company. In one case it’s back pain, in the other it’s the menopause.” The first generation to speak openly about it The UK has enshrined support for women going through the menopause in law: from 2027, companies with more than 250 employees must have a menopause strategy. Women used to face more prejudice than men on the basis of their age, according to Stein. “If a woman is treated less favourably at work or is assumed to be less capable, then that is, of course, a matter of discrimination.” Healthy women also make entire societies more resilient to crises, says Stein. Not every woman…