Menopause | The financial hemorrhage must stop

Thanks to Véronique Cloutier’s documentary on menopause, its effects on women have never been so present in the public space. Now is the time for businesses to get in on the act.

The D^D Catherine Falardeau, a former emergency physician who specialized in hormone therapy, has long wondered why the message of women’s health professionals cannot get through to the business world. She concluded that she was not speaking “the right language” and decided to change her approach.

“We’re going to talk about cash ! she announces to me passionately. We need to change our vocabulary, because we hear the word “money” more than the word “suffering”. »

In recent weeks, the doctor has designed training aimed at companies. She wants to make bosses and their employees aware of the financial impacts of the three phases of menopause and how to reduce them. There is a way “to stop the financial hemorrhage”, assures the D^D Falardeau, who regularly meets new patients on sick leave, which is costly for everyone.

Last year, the accounting firm Deloitte quantified the economic repercussions of this period of life marked by hormonal changes. His study told us that uncontrolled symptoms cause productivity losses for Canadian employers of $237 million per year, the equivalent of 540,000 lost work days. The scale of the financial losses suffered by women themselves is even more colossal, at 3.3 billion per year.^⁠1.

Deloitte also estimated that one in ten women leave their jobs due to menopause, a troubling statistic. Others turn down a promotion, reduce their working hours or switch to a job that is less demanding and, therefore, less paying. “At 45, you’re not supposed to go backwards,” says the D^D Falardeau. Men don’t back down! »

The good news is that it is possible for bosses to act.

The Canadian Menopause Foundation suggests they temporarily adjust tasks or workload based on the symptoms they experience^⁠2. The famous mental fog and memory loss can make certain responsibilities more difficult, just like the “gigantic loss of creativity” observed by the D^D Falardeau.

Companies that offer a group insurance plan should ensure that it covers doctor visits and prescribed hormonal treatments. In the private sector, the first year can cost up to $1,000 and in the public sector, it is not always easy to have access to a professional. The cost of other specialists – pelvic floor physiotherapists, nutritionists (for weight management), acupuncturists, physiotherapists, etc. – should also be covered.

Another good idea: allow women to have control over ventilation or the humidity level around them. Work uniforms must also breathe, and women must have access to showers and lockers to keep a change of clothes. Companies should even consider bathroom breaks to be flexible and make bleeding easier to manage. In an office, this is not an issue, but in a public transport company, it is more complicated.

Employers can create a culture without taboos and offer training. Even if Google exists, it is not crazy as the information online is contradictory. Many women are unaware that the symptoms of premenopause can begin as early as the thirties and that their insomnia, anxiety or depressive symptoms may be due to a hormonal drop, notes the D.^D Falardeau. Just knowing and understanding can soothe unpleasant feelings.

In short, there is no shortage of ways to mitigate the impacts of menopause on work. You just need a little good will and understand that women’s lives, over the decades, have changed dramatically.

The symptoms of menopause may not be more distressing today than in other times. But in all of history, there have never been so many highly educated women in high-ranking corporate positions. The big difference is there. Women also had their children at a later age, so that at age 50, they often still have to take care of their teenagers, which adds to the burden of their daily tasks.

The subject is also starting to spread in the United States. THE New York Times^⁠⁠3 recently took an interest in it after the Menopause Society launched a program helping American employers support women.

South of the border, menopause costs businesses US$1.8 billion per year, according to a study published in 2023^⁠4. But facilities there are still rare. On the contrary, Great Britain would be at the forefront.

Catherine Falardeau believes that we are currently at a “turning point” in collective awareness. “It’s the #metoo hormones! », pleads the doctor.

We can’t wait for the end of taboos and stupid jokes about hot flashes.

1. Read the “Loto-Méno-Boulot” column

1. Read the column “Menopause dramatically reduces women’s income”

2. Visit the Canadian Menopause Foundation website

3. Read the New York Times article (in English; subscription required)

4. Check out the Mayo Clinic study