REENA DAYAL
EMPOWERING MIDLIFE /MENOPAUSAL WOMEN
Women at midlife have gained substantial experience and are poised at greatness, ready to accelerate and own bigger mandates. At the same time they are impacted by challenges due menopause, ageism, carer duties, pay gaps and life choices.
In 2022 we initiated a project to explore how applied neuroscience could support women in menopause..typically at the mid-life phase of their lives. We ran a survey, a 4 part webinar series and followed up with 1:1 coaching for women at the workplace experiencing menopause.
A lot we learnt as we took a holistic approach to support women in menopause - give them the right kind of support and they become agents of change for organisations, communities and society at large.
If there are organisations or forums that would like to engage with us on this topic, we will be delighted to have a chat and see if there is a good fit.
here is a sample of what we can offer
Ageism, lack of flexibility, menopause, wage gap, unequal workload, career plateau, lack of role models, societal bias...the list can go on...but, I am determined to carve out my space in the business world and be positive. It's tough and I can do with a little help.
Client Speak
OUR JOURNEY
It was the Covid time frame when Reena noticed the difference when coaching women in mid-senior management who were experiencing menopause. It was a sharp learning curve full of powerful insights as she was at the same time moving into peri-menopause phase. It was a matter of time the idea took shape in 2022. Lets start from now and work backwards to where it started.
'24-'25
Drawing from our learning with 14 incredible experts and feedback from our audience, we are launching an exciting neuroscience based programme for mid-career / mid-life menopausal women - Introduction to NeuroMastery. Available for companies to implement in their organisations. Please contact us at hello@thecollaborators.org
OCT '23
Featuring 14 specialists from the fields of medicine, nutrition, Ayurveda, neuroscience, workplace consultants, executive coaching and everyday role models, we launched a 4 part online webinar series - The Wise Woman. We received a fantastic review from speakers and audience alike. We learnt a lot on what combination of support would help women through this complex life phase.
MAY '23
We launched our Menopause Safe Space Focus Groups and free confidential 1:1 chats for women in menopause. In our focus groups we offered neuroscience insights to help women better understand how they can regulate their emotions and sharpen their cognitive skills.
'24
We launch a series of written articles in Menopause Matters, a limited series of newsletter to our registered database of over 450 and public facing neuroscience based articles via Linked IN. Our aim to grow awareness of how midlife women can transform their health, life and career during this transition phase.
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JUN '23
We were shortlisted to present our Menopause survey findings to reframe menopause in the workplace in the British Menopause Society's 32nd Annual Scientific conference. Reena interacted with medical specialists and diverse experts on menopause care to better understand how our approach can complement what it being offered today in the UK.
Comments from our safe space focus groups
Happy | Empowered | Enlightened
Why didn't someone tell me earlier??
MAR '23
Reena and the current chair of Lean In Equity & Sustainability network (Nadia Lalout-Landemaine) ran a roundtable in the first Women in Energy network Alliance conference in London. The topic featuring Menopause was how to plug the second big talent pipeline leak in organisations?
OCT '22
We went public with our plea in an awareness building panel conversation co-hosted by Lean In Equity and Sustainability during World Menopause Week 2022. Reena was joined on panel with experts in an engaging webinar.
We launched our Menopause Survey to better understand the challenges, aspirations and hopes of women in menopause.
I didn't know the symptoms and only after some education now recognise that I started with symptoms when I was around 44. I wish I knew earlier what was happening so I could have taken action. I've now resigned my job and taking a career break of a year out to focus on my health, wellbeing and caring responsibilities
Anonymous survey respondent from our Menopause Survey
READY REFERENCE RESOURCES
72% of our respondents say Menopause IMPACTED emotional stamina, 60% CALLED OUT work productivity and 80% physical WELLBEING.
60% SEE THiS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME BETTER LEADERS. 30% SAY WOMEN are struggling and DON't UNDERSTAND It.
74% say organisations need to do more.
In all our interactions we invite women to explore and try neuroscience techniques...new age to ancient practices. It is an empowering and transformational experience for them. What is fascinating is it energises them to help others and transform the communities they operate in. This ripple affect is what inspires me.
Reena Dayal
Passionate about empowering women to lead through change and menopause
Overnight, I found I was unable to think clearly nor take firm decisions. My confidence levels plummeted!
In meetings with hot flushes assaulting me...An ongoing joke in the company and no action. It was a nightmare for me.
I had to make a difficult decision to leave a job I loved as I could not cope. It was brutal as I was poised for promotion.
“Women make up nearly half of the UK workforce, but around 900,000 have quit their jobs because of the menopause.”
Wellbeing of Women Charity
“Negative impacts of symptoms on economic participation identified in the evidence base include lower productivity, reduced job satisfaction and problems with time management. Women leaving due to menopause resulting in £7.3 million loss”
UK Government Equalities Commission, 2017
Menopause can be so debilitating and misunderstood. Stress is higher due to unstable hormones. Businesses need clarification and guidelines to regulate and structure how they deal with it - Anonymous survey respondent
Anonymous survey respondent from our Menopause Survey
WHY MIGHT BUSINESSES AND WOMEN PAY ATTENTION?
We know menopause typically affects women between the ages of 45-55. This age bracket is a powerful inflection point for all genders; for women it often gets accentuated with various stages of menopause; bringing extraordinary disruption to physical, mental and emotional state of varying degrees. It can be frustrating as it is also a time when women are peaking in their career and are poised to lead larger work mandates and bigger roles. Effective and timely support enables women to maximise well being and growth.
Research and feedback is showing menopausal women often opt to leave their jobs as the added pressure of an unsupportive environment adds to the confusion, unhappiness, frustration and anxiety they are experiencing. This is leak in the talent pipeline at a time when women are at their prime. With the right kind of support organisations can develop, support and retain this talent group.
Discussing the issues with other women makes a difference, knowing my company sponsored my coaching made me proud..
Menopause cannot be seen as a stigma anymore. Not in 2022! It affects me, my team, my family, my business.
CIPD Report 2019 on Menopause at Work
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Nearly two-thirds (65%) said they were less able to concentrate
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More than half (58%) said they experience more stress
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More than half (52%) said they felt less patient with clients and colleagues
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40-48% of women reported that menopause had affected their mood/ mental well being.
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70% did not inform their employers
HOW IS YOUR ORGANISATION RESPONDING?
Do you offer tailor made leadership development solutions to this high potential talent segment?
In response to changing business landscape leaders must offer programmes that cater to the unique needs of a diverse workforce. Vanilla one programme fits all is an option that is seen as ineffective to fully unleash leadership capabilities required to transform future business strategy, team acceleration and growth.
Are there sufficient well being and DEI initiatives for this talent segment?
With an ongoing urgency to shift gender metrics and a noticeable ageing of the UK workforce, organisations that fine tunes the delivery of DEI strategies will see the benefits in creation a strong employer brand. Leadership coaching and well being solutions for women experiencing different phases of menopause must be included.