Understanding how perimenopause can affect your people

As a manager, you know the value of checking in on your employee’s mental and physical health — for their wellbeing, and any possible impact on performance. And you might be aware of many of the issues they face; but there are possibly some lesser-known issues, like perimenopause, that might take you by surprise.

If you don’t know much about perimenopause, you’re not alone. It’s been medical diagnosis since the 1980s but has only gained popular public awareness in the late 2010s. And even then, the awareness isn’t reaching all women, or all medical practitioners.

Often, women are misdiagnosed and only through persistence do they find the treatment and advice that’s right. An all-too-common complaint from women just looking for answers from the medical system.

“Perimenopause feels like a roller coaster you didn’t choose to get on”.
–– user on reddit 

Spend some time in perimenopause subreddit and you’ll read hundreds of examples of women being misdiagnosed, their symptoms dismissed, and a general lack of awareness playing out around the world. The frustration is prevalent and warranted.

“It’s ridiculous we have to go through all of this to find relief and be educated. This is something that isn’t talked about and needs to be.”
– user on reddit

So, to help raise awareness and offer insights and advice for dealing with perimenopause, we consulted with Roxanne Nathan, a clinical manager at Human Psychology. She starts with a quick explanation of perimenopause.

“Perimenopause is the natural transition phase leading up to menopause, when a person’s ovaries gradually make less estrogen and progesterone. It typically starts anywhere from the 40s. But it can start slightly earlier, or slightly later, and last anywhere between four to ten years. It ends when 12 months have passed since the last menstrual cycle.”

Importantly, Roxanne notes, the timings and symptoms can vary widely, so individual experience can be vastly different. It’s also not something that can be prevented or avoided.

Signs and support in the workplace.

Being aware of perimenopause, and how it affects people, is the first step in offering support. However, perimenopause affects people in vastly different ways, so there are no standardised signs, just a large collection of potential symptoms that also vary in their presentation. But there are things you can look out for, and respectful ways to broach support.

An example Roxanne shares, is when you’re working with someone who seems to be struggling with their memory, forgetting things they usually wouldn’t.

“One of the (perimenopause) symptoms is brain fog. If a staff member is forgetting words that they’d normally have ready to go, you might ask if they’re doing okay”.

It could also manifest as an emotional outburst.

“You might ask, ‘How are you going?’ and they could burst into tears. It’s not because you did anything wrong. It’s because in that moment, it’s their emotional state that’s most affected by what’s happening to their physical state”.

Approaching an employee about their mental or physical state isn’t always easy, especially if you have limited interactions with them. Roxanne recommends going to a third party if this is the case. Talk to another employee who knows that person well and see if they’d be willing to ask if they’re ok, and offer support, potentially through your EAP.

If someone isn’t responsive to enquiry, Roxanne suggests letting them know you’re available to talk and there are resources available for support.

“And then what you’re doing is you’re making it okay for the conversation to happen later, and you’re also telling them that as an organization, you’ve got things in place so that person can get looked after as well”

Roxanne also advises managers to consistently catch up with employees to check on their wellbeing.

“Ongoing check-ins should be happening regardless of whether or not someone’s going through perimenopause or menopause. It should be a normal operational part of your employee-employer relationship”

Support and resources

If you’re looking for more information about perimenopause, there are resources available to read and places you can contact. This government website has an extensive list of links and resources.

As a leader, a good place to get advice and support is through your EAP. If you’re with Assure you can speak to a qualified clinician (through Wellbeing Gateway) and even organise training, or group sessions to help raise awareness.

Going through perimenopause can be stressful and tiring, especially not knowing how long it might last. The mental and physical toll can be exhausting, and can last years, so it’s important for workplaces and leaders to be empathetic and supportive.

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