Older women in the workplace have reached a certain career stage and are rich in knowledge, experience and skills. Their contributions and hard work are invaluable to the workplace. It is important to recognise and appreciate their expertise, ensuring they receive adequate support in the professional environment. These women bring a wealth of knowledge and have the potential to make significant contributions to the organisation. By creating an inclusive and supportive work environment, organisations can tap into the immense value that older women bring to the table.
Why do we need to support them?
While older women in the workplace bring a wealth of experience and skills, it is important to recognise that they also face many challenges. Despite their expertise, they may face obstacles that require support and attention. Acknowledging and addressing their needs is vital to ensure their success and wellbeing in the workplace. By providing the necessary support and resources, organisations can help older women overcome these challenges and fully leverage their valuable contributions.
Let’s consider two of the biggest challenges these women face, what factors impact them and explore ways to support them.
1. Career Advancement
Older women face challenges in advancing their careers. Despite their potential for growth, they are often overlooked for advancement opportunities.
Factor(s) – One factor contributing to the lack of career advancement opportunities is their limited access to up-to-date technological knowledge. Technology evolves rapidly, and older women may find it difficult to keep pace with the constant changes.
Approach – In order to equip older women with technological advancements, organisational leaders need to identify the skill gap. This involves assessing the skills necessary for their tasks, evaluating their current skill set, and determining which additional skills are required. Once the gap is identified, several measures can be taken to support older women. User-friendly guides and manuals can be produced for older women to access, training sessions can be provided and a supportive and friendly IT team can be established. Additionally, promoting the use of applications that assist with tasks such as zooming and document editing can develop their technological capabilities.
While implementing these steps can greatly benefit older women, it is important to seek their feedback on the support techniques provided and to inquire about further improvements that can be made to enhance their technological skills.
Factor(s) – Another contributing factor may be the limited networking and mentoring opportunities available to older women.
Approach – Mentoring can be provided to help older women develop the necessary skills. Organisational leaders can appoint mentors specifically for these women.
Furthermore, encouraging their participation in networks that expose them to new opportunities is essential. Organisational leaders can encourage interactions within the organisation through employee clubs or Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). These groups provide a platform for employees' professional development. Through these groups, young women can assist older women in expanding their professional connections.
2. Menopause
Although menopause and its impact on older women at work are widely discussed topics, organisational leaders may find it challenging to fully comprehend the specific challenges women face during this phase and determine how best to support them.
“Menopause marks the end of a woman’s fertile years and occurs once you stop having your period” Women’s health action. It is associated with physical, emotional and cognitive changes.
Factor(s) – Women experiencing menopause contend with mood swings, hot flashes, joint pain, fatigue, dryness, anxiety, sleep disturbances and many other symptoms. A few ways that these symptoms can impact work are (i) various hormonal changes often making it hard for women to focus on tasks challenging their problem-solving skills and (ii) disrupted sleep patterns may cause reduced energy levels.
Approach – Firstly, it is important for organisational leaders to familiarise themselves with the concept of menopause and its relevance to their organisations. Increasing awareness can facilitate better support for women and help reduce the stigma associated with menopause. Secondly, it is beneficial to normalise discussions about menopause in the workplace. Thirdly, it is important to identify strategies through which organisations can provide support to women experiencing menopause. These strategies may include understanding the various menopause therapies available and determining which ones are funded and which ones are not, ensuring that your employees have access to appropriate therapies, offering resources to support women's wellbeing, implementing health and wellbeing programs, accommodating medical appointments during working hours, and promoting flexible working arrangements.
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