In an industry with a large population of male employees, it can be easy for women to minimise their struggles. Whether rightly or wrongly, they may anticipate a lacking reaction from those who can never truly understand what they are experiencing, and so for decades, female health, reproductive health especially, has fallen by the wayside. Hiding these struggles only angers the problem. In 2025, women comprise around 15% of the workforce in the construction industry. While this seems a small number now, the skills gap that the industry is currently facing demands more talent. The increase in hiring may see a corresponding increase in female representation. To attract and retain female talent in the construction and data centre industry, they need to be able to show up to work and be authentically themselves. For this to happen, laying inclusive foundations is imperative so that those experiencing menopausal symptoms can do just that. This can be facilitated by the education around female health, in particular menopause, starting now.
What is the menopause?
Menopause is the process of dwindling hormone levels (oestrogen and progesterone), and the ovaries ceasing to release eggs. The combination of this causes periods to stop. It’s a process that most often happens naturally but can also be catalysed by medical intervention such as surgery or treatments. The most expected age range for this to happen within is 45-55, however it can happen earlier, with premature menopause happening before the age of 40.
This process, however, is not quick and easy like we would hope it would be. It’s often preceded by perimenopause, which is when symptoms slowly but surely start to make themselves known. The symptoms can then stretch over the course of years, sometimes even 15 on the longer side of things. These numbers make us understand just how many of the women we appreciate in our industry must be experiencing this physical change.
What are the symptoms of menopause?
Menopause is accompanied by a myriad of symptoms, including ones that aren’t as widely highlighted in mainstream menopause education. As well as symptoms that are broadly circulated like hot flushes, night sweats, weight gain, and brain fog, there are also more obscure symptoms that accompany menopause like sleep disruption, anxiety, low mood, joint pain, heart palpitations, and restless legs.
For example, some people find one of their primary symptoms to be mental fuzziness, and the inability to complete tasks as they would like. This can present as a lack of motivation, sometimes causing women issues in their workplace if they are seen to be unfocused without their employer knowing the reason. In reality this is out of their control, but they may be too self-conscious to speak to their line manager about the difficulty they’re having. This is just one of more than 34 symptoms of menopause, and each one demands a woman to find fresh methods of coping to adjust to their new norm. While there are methods of treatment, such as HRT, BHRT, and lifestyle changes (like staying hydrated, limiting caffeine, limiting stress, and maintaining a good diet), even finding the right treatment plan can be a lengthy and experimental process.
In addition to the physical symptoms, a change this huge in a woman’s body can be mentally draining. Many people experience a lack of confidence, difficulty accepting visual changes in their body and frustration at what feels like an inability to think clearly. GenM found that 71% of menopausal women hold fear over what’s happening to them, a massive 45% feel invisible, lonely, or dispensable, and only 2% feel like they’re thriving during the process. Work must be done in order for people to experience support at work during a time of such biological change.
Managing symptoms in our industry
Going through menopause at work can be a breeze for some. For others, navigating health issues that their peers aren’t aware of can be difficult. Working in the construction and data centre industry can contribute an additional layer of difficulty, especially for those in roles that require them to work on site. In a government report, Dr Andrea Davies mentions that “working environments like those with lack of temperature control, cramped conditions, some uniforms and stress can also make menopause symptoms worse.” Not only could working in this industry hold some hidden challenges for menopausal women, but they may also have more of a reluctance to talk to their peers about it, the majority of which will be men.
For women that are in these working environments, a supportive culture is a necessity. Knowing more about the menopause will help peers to approach someone’s request (for example a desk fan, clarification on information to help with brain fog, an altered uniform for site etc) with understanding and acceptance, as opposed to confusion and potential awkwardness.
It is not only men who may not know how to support a woman going through menopause. An inclusive culture needs to be promoted throughout the data centre industry, encouraging openness and education around topics such as these. To support a menopausal woman, you don’t need to be a medical expert yourself. Having a general understanding of what it is will be enough, as long as conversations are approached with warmth, support, and a willingness to aid someone through this process.
Myth busting the menopause
“Menopause is just hot flushes.”
No! There are so many symptoms that someone can experience, not to mention the effect it can have on wider health like your heart and bones too. The hormone oestrogen helps to protect your heart and maintain a healthy bone density, so when oestrogen production decreases, women are at more risk of heart issues, osteoporosis, and arthritis. The symptoms are vast, and often unrecognised.
“Menopause is only physical.”
The menopause actually causes shifts in your brain too. Neurotransmitters also fluctuate, so serotonin and dopamine levels are often changing. It can become hard to regulate moods, and some women will experience anxiety, irritability, low mood, and even depression. Dismissing changing emotions as ‘hormones’ during menopause can diminish the real biological changes that are happening in the brain.
“I’ll be going through this forever.”
When someone is experiencing the hardest parts of menopause, it can be difficult to see the path out of it. However, with treatment that works for you and the eventual regulation of biological processes, it’s possible to regain confidence and feel like yourself!
“HRT is always the answer.”
HRT (hormone replacement therapy) is a treatment that acts to relieve the symptoms of menopause by replacing the oestrogen and progesterone that the body is missing. While some women find it to be the best solution, it doesn’t work for all. There are also alternatives, such as BHRT (bioidentical hormone replacement therapy), which is a specific type of HRT, made from ‘natural plant sources’ to create a bespoke chemical structure which is identical to that of the woman using it. Some people may opt out of taking anything at all, choosing instead to take non-hormonal prescription medicine, and/or making lifestyle changes like addressing diet, sleep, stress and exercise.
“Everyone experiences menopause the same way.”
Even women themselves don’t know what to expect. Everyone will find themselves battling different symptoms for a varying amount of time, some finding it much more difficult than others. This can make it tricky for those both at home and in the workplace trying to support them, but the priority is approaching everyone with compassion.
How can we promote education around menopause in the workplace?
Those not experiencing the menopause need to be involved in the conversation if we want to break the unnecessary taboo. Wider sources of education need to be made readily available, and events to host these conversations need to be widely promoted. Forum for Women in Data Centres (FWD) are aiming to do just that with their upcoming event, FWD x AVK does the menopause. On 20th October, they will be hosting an event that accelerates a workplace culture of inclusivity around hormonal health, even featuring the MenoVest for people to experience a glimpse of menopausal symptoms.
Companies are now going the step further, setting up Menopause Policies that line managers and fellow employees can refer to and follow when in doubt about how to support their peers. This can be especially helpful in our industry, as someone with menopausal symptoms may be required to work on site, and could have requests to make their experience easier. This gives site workers more direction on how to assist their colleagues.
Above all else we need to promote compassion, flexibility, and understanding. Education is important, but these human traits are essential in making someone feel as though they can come to work, unapologetically.
Sources and signposting
There are a number of incredible sources available for those experiencing menopause, and similarly, those looking to find out more about it.
Over the Bloody Moon – the world’s largest collective of menopause, andropause, and menstrual health experts.
Stella – an expert online menopausal clinic.
GenM Menologue – an online catalogue featuring inclusive, impactful information and product reviews.
International Menopause Society – a membership-based organisation who advocate evidence-based treatment options that optimise mid-life women’s health.
Finally, we are aware that we have been using cisgender language throughout this article, using ‘woman/en’, which may not resonate with all who experience menopause/menopause symptoms. We’re in support of transgender men and non-binary individuals who may also go through this biological process, and refer you to the following article which may prove helpful: Inclusive Language and the Menopause.