Lead to Soar: Career Advice and Guidance for Ambitious Women Leaders

Michelle Redfern is joined by Lisa Saunders and Natalie Moore from Own Your Health Collective to explore how workplaces can better support women through perimenopause and menopause, pivotal life stages impacting women at the peak of their careers. Together, they address the often-taboo subject of menopause, highlighting the need for awareness, education, and supportive policies to ensure that women can continue to thrive professionally during these changes. Lisa and Natalie share actionable insights for both organizational leaders and individuals to foster inclusive environments, reduce stigma, and introduce practical solutions that make a difference for women's health and well-being at work.

Episode Highlights

Menopause in the Workplace

  - Roughly one in five women consider leaving their job due to menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes, brain fog, and fatigue.

Normalizing Menopause Conversations

  - The conversation around menopause is currently where mental health awareness was a decade ago—leaders must build an open culture to reduce stigma.

  - Natalie emphasizes introducing “menopause vocabulary” in the workplace to increase understanding and normalize discussions about women’s health.

Impacts on Mental and Physical Health

  - Beyond physical symptoms, menopause often brings cognitive and emotional challenges, like anxiety, depression, and brain fog, which can affect work performance and confidence.

  - Supporting women through perimenopause and menopause contributes to healthier, more engaged employees and retains valuable leadership experience within companies.

Practical Ways Leaders Can Offer Support

  - Embrace flexibility in work hours, hybrid work, and options for part-time adjustments when symptoms are especially challenging.

  - Introduce menopause awareness training for managers to equip them with the language and empathy needed to support affected employees.

  - Implement workplace policies, such as health leave for menopause, to alleviate the pressure on women to “push through” symptoms without adequate support.

Breaking Down Stigmas and Biases

  - Michelle shares personal experiences of reluctance to discuss menopause and emphasizes the importance of visible role models to normalize the conversation.

  - Lisa and Natalie note that while many women feel uncomfortable discussing menopause, it is often a colleague or manager showing empathy that encourages them to seek support and open up.

Leadership Call to Action

Educate Yourself and Your Team:

   - Encourage company-wide learning sessions about menopause to introduce inclusive language and destigmatize the topic.

   - Train managers specifically on recognizing symptoms, creating open dialogue, and offering support to women who may be struggling with symptoms.

Be a Role Model and Normalize Menopause Discussions:

   - Women leaders can play a pivotal role by speaking openly about menopause experiences to pave the way for younger generations.

   - Encourage leaders to leverage existing frameworks like mental health awareness initiatives, using familiar concepts to open conversations on menopause as well.

Resources

- Own Your Health Collective: https://ownyourhealthco.com.au

- Own Your Health Collective: https://www.linkedin.com/company/own-your-health-collective/posts/?feedView=all

- Podcast: Perimenopause Power: https://omny.fm/shows/peri-menopause-power 

Lead to Soar is a podcast for ambitious women and the leaders who support them. Hosted by Michelle Redfern and Mel Butcher, it delivers evidence-based, practical advice on leadership, career progression, and closing the gender gap. Join the Lead to Soar Network at leadtosoar.network or get Michelle’s book The Leadership Compass at michelleredfern.com/book.