MENOPAUSE PORTRAITS AT WORK
'Menopause Portraits at Work' is a virtual exhibition that Over The Bloody Moon is running, from October through to February, to highlight different experiences of how menopause may impact people in the workplace. To bring to life real people's stories shared by our community, we commissioned two artists who have collaborated on creating a series of still life imagery designed to provoke empathy.
To launch the exhibition, we are running a virtual event via Zoom on:
Oct 22nd at 12:30-13:15 BST
Who is it aimed at?
This event is aimed at HR professionals, Wellbeing and Occupational Health managers, Inclusion and Diversity leads, and Employee Resource Group leads championing women's health / menopause.
What is it?
A 45 minute virtual Zoom event to learn about the real impact and diverse experiences of menopause in the workplace. We will be covering:
-
Why menopause is a critical Inclusion and Diversity topic
-
Meet the artists and deep dive into different aspects of menopause
-
Hear real workplace stories from women (natural, early and surgical menopause)
-
How you can support people impacted by menopause
Why would I want to attend?
-
Be better informed about menopause and its variances
-
Develop empathy for colleagues transitioning through menopause
-
Be equipped with ideas on how to implement menopause support
'MENOPAUSE PORTRAITS AT WORK'
See below a series of still life portraits commissioned from multidisciplinary creatives, Pansy Aung and Consuelo Zaccaron and join us on the day to hear them talk about some of the common tensions and issues we hear from our community. Their stunning photography seeks to make people stop, smile, and engage in this often, stigmatised subject. Capturing unexpected pairings of workplace images to represent the visible and invisible symptoms of menopause.
HOT FLUSHES
Hot flushes are commonly associated with menopause and affect 70% women, even those on Hormone Replacement Therapy.
Hot flushes last on average four minutes and people describe them as an intense burning heat that rises sometimes from the chest, up the neck and face to the crown of the head whilst others experience the heat radiating up from their feet or arms.
This causes red blotches to appear on the face and neck and heat can be extreme. This can be particularly difficult for those who wear uniform, in environments with heat or cold, and for those who are in public facing roles or in meetings.
As hot flushes create red blotches on the neck and face, this can make people feel stressed and embarrassed. Anxiety is also a trigger for hot flushes and so those impacted by hot flushes more frequently may find themselves in a viscous cycle.
BRAIN FOG
Fluctuations in oestrogen that are particularly pronounced during perimenopause (the stage ahead of menopause) may impact on cognitive function, making it harder for people to organise their thoughts.
The brain metabolism begins to slow, and tasks can take longer to complete, as well as people finding it harder to focus on conversations. As the mind is an important asset in the workplace, this can derail those impacted by brain fog and is sadly a cause for people to leave their job, often not disclosing the real reason why.
As cognitive function is affected by fluctuating hormones, this usually settled down postmenopause where women can feel back in their stride. Reducing workload, delegating challenging work tasks temporarily and enlisting the support from others when needed are ways to support those impacted by brain fog.
MEMORY LAPSES
Memory lapses affect over 40% of people transitioning through menopause with some finding their vocabulary reduced, unable to remember the names of people, projects and nouns.
Some describe themselves as becoming scatty and forgetful to such a degree they worry they have early onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
This is due to declining oestrogen and rising cortisol, our stress hormone. There are various strategies that can help. For example, to avoid losing objects, anchoring (putting them always in the same place), alongside sticking RFID tags on items that are most misplaced. Scheduling in reminders for tasks on the mobile as well as sharing what’s going on to colleagues, rather than hiding it, helps others empathise and encourages them to support.
Ensuring a good supply of Vitamin B6 and B12 also boosts cognitive function.