The Power of Community in Navigating Menopause at Work by Lesley Fettes
For Menopause Awareness Month – Embracing Lifestyle Medicine and Holistic Support
When I was 36, sitting in a business presentation that should have secured a significant contract, I experienced what I now recognise as one of menopause’s most isolating symptoms. The room felt like a furnace, my shirt stuck to my back, and suddenly I couldn’t find the right words. My brain, usually sharp and focused, felt like it was wrapped in cotton wool. My business partner Jane watched helplessly as I stumbled through what should have been a straightforward pitch. We didn’t get the project.
On the drive back to Cambridge, when the sat nav suggested we “avoid the ferry crossing” between Oxford and Cambridge, we laughed until we cried. But beneath that laughter was confusion, embarrassment, and the frightening realisation that something was very wrong with my usually reliable mind.
This was my introduction to brain fog – one of the 34 symptoms of menopause that no one had told me about.
The Silence That Isolates Us
I knew very little about menopause at 36. My understanding extended to hot flushes, periods stopping, and perhaps some evening primrose oil. That was the extent of my “knowledge.” The only memory I had of my mother’s menopause was her taking evening primrose oil supplements. We simply didn’t talk about it.
This silence isn’t unusual. According to research referenced in workplace menopause policies, many women experience symptoms for years without understanding what’s happening to them. When you’re part of the 1% who experience premature menopause (before 40), that isolation becomes even more profound.
The lack of conversation around menopause creates a perfect storm in the workplace:
- Women don’t recognise their symptoms
- They don’t know how to ask for help
- Colleagues and managers lack understanding
- Performance suffers without context or support
Why Community Changes Everything
Community transforms the menopause experience from isolation to empowerment. When women share their experiences, several powerful things happen:
Validation and Recognition
Hearing others describe brain fog, night sweats, or mood changes helps women understand they’re not “going mad” or losing their professional edge. Symptoms have names, causes, and – importantly – solutions.
Practical Solutions
Within our Healthy and Happy Hormones community, women share what works: from managing presentation anxiety during hot flushes to finding the right HRT specialist, from workplace adjustments that help to lifestyle changes that make a difference.
Professional Confidence
When you understand that your symptoms are temporary (even though that could be a relatively long period of time, they will subside) and manageable, you can advocate for yourself more effectively. You’re not asking for special treatment; you’re managing a natural life transition.
Building Workplace Support: A Strategic Approach
Creating menopause-friendly workplaces requires both formal policies and informal community support. Here’s how to build both:
Formal Policy Framework
Every workplace needs a comprehensive menopause policy that includes:
- Statement of organisational values – Clear commitment to supporting menopausal employees
- Defined responsibilities – Roles for individuals, line managers, HR, occupational health, and trade unions
- Reasonable adjustments – Flexible working, temperature control, uniform modifications
- Support resources – Contact points, information sources, counselling services
- Training programmes – Manager awareness, colleague education
- Communication strategy – How information is shared and stigma reduced
Informal Community Building
Start a workplace menopause support group:
- Find allies – Usually 2-3 women willing to champion the cause
- Secure leadership support – Frame it as employee wellbeing and retention
- Create safe spaces – Regular meetings, confidential discussions
- Share resources – Books, websites, specialist contacts
- Invite experts – External speakers, occupational health professionals
- Include allies – Male colleagues and managers as supporters
Practical Workplace Adjustments
Simple changes that make a huge difference:
- Flexible working hours – To accommodate sleep disruption and energy fluctuations
- Temperature control – Desk fans, seating away from radiators
- Presentation support – Colleague backup (like Jane learned to do for me)
- Regular breaks – To manage concentration and energy levels
- Confidential spaces – For dealing with sudden symptoms
The Holistic Approach: Your Triangle of Hormonal Health
At Healthy and Happy Hormones, we focus on lifestyle medicine – the evidence-based approach that Menopause Awareness Day 2025 champions. Our Triangle of Hormonal Health shows how three key hormone systems interconnect:
- Stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol)
- Blood sugar hormones (insulin and glucagon)
- Female hormones (oestrogen and progesterone)
When these systems work in harmony, they support healthy digestion, immune function, and overall wellbeing. When they’re disrupted – often by workplace stress, poor sleep, or nutritional gaps – symptoms multiply.
Community support helps maintain this balance by:
- Reducing stress through shared experience
- Encouraging healthy lifestyle choices
- Providing accountability for self-care
- Sharing practical strategies that work
Creating Your Own Support Network
Within Your Workplace:
- Start conversations – Share your experience with trusted colleagues
- Approach HR – Request menopause awareness training
- Form a group – Even 2-3 people creates momentum
- Invite managers – Education reduces unconscious bias
- Document successes – Show how support improves performance
Beyond Work:
- Join online communities – Facebook groups, professional networks
- Attend local groups – Many areas have menopause cafes or support meetings
- Access professional support – GPs, menopause specialists, nutritionists
- Consider coaching – Programmes like our 10-week course provide structure and community
The Ripple Effect
When I think back to that disastrous presentation, I realise it was actually a gift. It forced me to seek help, which led me to understanding why I was feeling like I did and got my diagnosis of premature menopause. I learnt about HRT and why I needed to take it to protect my heart health and bones, what lifestyle changes I needed, and ultimately to co-founding Healthy and Happy Hormones with my friend Maggie.
My experience of premature menopause made me stronger. Through kettlebell training, proper nutrition, and stress management, I achieved things I never thought possible – obstacle races, half marathons, even a 52.4-mile moonwalk around Edinburgh in the middle of the night. More importantly, I found my voice and purpose in supporting other women.
Taking Action This Menopause Awareness Month
This October, commit to building community:
- If you’re experiencing symptoms: Reach out. Talk to a friend, colleague, or healthcare provider
- If you’re a manager: Arrange menopause awareness training for your team
- If you’re in HR: Review and update your menopause policies
- If you’re a colleague: Become an ally. Listen, learn, and support
Remember: You don’t have to suffer in silence. Menopause affects approximately 51% of the population, and with women now making up nearly half the workforce, supporting menopausal employees isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s essential for business success.
Lesley Fettes is an experienced marketing consultant with over 18 years of experience running a successful creative marketing agency. Now working independently, she specialises in helping SMEs without in-house marketing expertise to connect with their target audiences. Lesley’s holistic, hands-on approach ensures that every aspect of her clients’ marketing strategies is tackled with precision, delivering real results.
Beyond marketing, Lesley is the co-founder of Healthy and Happy Hormones that supports midlife women seeking balance by focusing on nutrition, exercise, stress, and sleep management.
Locally, Lesley teaches kettlebell classes in Cambridge, sharing her passion for fitness with an inspiring group of women.
Visit: lesleyfettes.co.uk
Email: hello@lesleyfettes.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesleyfettes/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesley_fettes/
Need immediate support? Contact your GP, speak to women’s health specialist, or join our community where women share what works and what doesn’t. Because together, we’re stronger.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/healthyhappyhormonesmenopause