Fitness company proposes solutions for employers to meet America’s menopausal workforce challenge

A US ‘science-backed’ fitness company has marked World Menopause Day by proposing solutions to employers to support women going through menopause.

P.volve provides low-impact fitness workout based on functional movement and resistance equipment, encouraging women to listen to their bodies and reach their wellness goals.

To celebrate World Menopause Day, the New-York-based company has published a set of special recommendations to help.

“Nearly all women feel symptoms of menopause which can affect their work performance and force them to take time off,” said Julie Cartwright, president of P.volve.

“Employers who want their female workers to perform at their best should do everything they can to support them as they move through this often long and challenging life transition.”

Cartwright said that statistics show the depth of the workforce menopausal challenge.

Two million American women enter menopause annually, most of them during their 40s and 50s, their prime working years, with symptoms typically lasting between seven and 15 years.

Additionally, 90 per cent of women say menopausal symptoms have affected them at work while 75 per cent of those seeking help fail to get it.

“Employers who want to take proactive steps to assist their female workers move through menopause should consider a five-step approach,” said Cartwright.

P.volve has advised employers to listen to their workers, identify menopause champions, provide educational and informational resources, measure progress through data and update efforts based on results.

The company’s Moving With Menopause programme, offered to individuals and employers as a comprehensive turnkey employee benefits scheme, is a fitness and education programme created to support women through the transition of menopause, addressing both its physical and mental effects.

Dr Amy Price Hoover, P.volve’s chief physical therapist who helped develop the programme, said: “Movement and exercise are crucial to smoothing the path through menopause.

“This is true even for mindset and mood, often affected by menopause, which can be enhanced through breathing techniques, stretching exercises and meditation. These can fight insomnia, sleeplessness, ‘brain fog’ and other issues that affect cognition and mood.”

Jacqueline Gianelli, founding nurse practitioner of Elektra Health, which worked in partnership with P.volve to create the Moving With Menopause, added: “As women, we have the unique opportunity to experience our bodies as they adapt to different stages in our life journey.

“We believe that each of these health moments can be addressed through education, science-backed solutions and a community of supportive care.

“Now, we need to emphasise our mission in helping every woman understand their individualised menopause journey and help them thrive in their own lives and in the workplace.”