Uniforms That Support Menopause
Work uniforms aren’t just about your employees looking the part – it’s about making sure they feel the part too.
It’s a given that everyone in your business deserves to step into their workday feeling dignified and comfortable. However, for women experiencing menopause, maintaining this sense of comfort can be a challenge.
Hot flashes, bloating and a host of other symptoms can disrupt comfort and focus at work – with 92% of women surveyed advising that their symptoms affected them in the workplace. So, it’s clearly important as an employer to take proactive steps that can enhance the work experience for women going through menopause.
In this article, we’ll look at how thoughtful and innovative staff uniform design can provide support to women during menopause, focusing on the important areas of design that can make all the difference.
Understanding menopause and the impact on women’s health and well-being at work
There’s still a lot of stigma around talking about menopause in the workplace – but there really shouldn’t be. It’s completely natural, typically affecting women between the ages of 45 and 55,
It’s estimated that more than 65% of women going through menopause suffer from physical or emotional symptoms, which commonly include:
- anxiety
- mood swings
- trouble concentrating
- hot flashes affecting the face, neck and chest
- difficulty sleeping
- fatigue
- heart palpitations
- headaches and migraines
- joint pains
- aching muscles
- changes in body shape
- Bloating
- weight gain
- dry and itchy skin
- reduced sex drive
Menopause can be a challenging time, and anyone going through it should be given the support they need. Fortunately, there are a range of actions that businesses are able to take to help make those facing menopause more comfortable.
Introducing awareness programmes designed to reduce stigma and promote a greater understanding across the business, can help female employees feel more relaxed about discussing their challenges. Allowing flexible working hours can also help address the interruptions to sleeping patterns and any feelings of fatigue. And agreeing to provide equipment such as desk fans and ergonomic chairs can help alleviate discomfort.
However, one of the most important areas where businesses are able to make a significant positive difference for women going through menopause, is in their choice of staff uniform.
The role of work uniform in menopause support
Imagine the discomfort of having a sudden, uncontrollable hot flash while you’re at work – you feel the blood rushing to your face and upper body, you’re aware you’re going red, and you start to sweat. But you have a staff uniform that doesn’t allow you to hide sweat patches, making them clearly visible and making you feel self-conscious.
Or consider a scenario where you put your work uniform on in the morning and it fits perfectly. But after lunch you suffer from abdominal bloating – and the waistband of your work trousers starts to cut into you, causing discomfort – and even a bit of pain.
Neither of these situations would be comfortable or empowering – but it’s the reality that a lot of women going through menopause face.
A considerate and empathetic approach to uniform design can help overcome a lot of the challenges that women face when it comes to workwear for menopause.
By allowing the layering of uniforms, choosing the right fabrics, and incorporating adjustability into your uniform design – you can help ensure that all employees can feel comfortable and dignified while they are at work.
Uniform design with menopause in mind
At JSD, we’ve been embracing innovation in workwear since 1981, and with a women-founded and led team of designers we have the empathy and compassion necessary to help address the challenges that come during menopause.
During our research phase, we go into depth about the needs and objectives of your business, what you want your staff uniforms to represent, and also gain insights into the specific preferences of your current employees.
We also carefully consider inclusivity for all current and future employees – taking into account a wide range of circumstances like pregnancy, menopause and disabilities and how we can make workwear more comfortable and accommodating for every member of your team.
When designing a uniform with menopause in mind, there are a number of factors that can drastically improve the comfort and well-being of your staff.
Layering
Introducing a layering concept to your staff uniforms can be a great solution for empowering women going through menopause – allowing an element of control over how employees are able to respond to changes in their body temperature and sweat responses throughout the course of the workday.
Having the ability to add or remove uniform items can provide a simple yet effective way to maintain both comfort and professionalism.
Fabric choice
Selecting the right fabric is another important factor when you’re designing uniforms for women going through menopause.
Lightweight, breathable, natural fabrics are often recommended – with cotton remaining a popular choice for offering comfort during hot flashes. However, an increasingly common material in sustainable uniform design is bamboo fabric which not only has the benefit of being more eco-friendly, but also has moisture-wicking properties and is naturally antibacterial.
Adjustable fit and size
The body changes experienced during menopause can affect how a uniform fits from one day to the next – or even from morning to afternoon!
By including features such as elasticated waistbands and adjustable closures to your staff uniforms, it can make a significant difference to accommodating changes in the body during menopause – helping ensure your employees are comfortable and maintain their self-esteem.
Seam alignment
Dry skin and increased skin sensitivity are other symptoms of menopause that should be considered during your staff uniform design – as it’s important to ensure that seams are positioned in a way that won’t cause any irritation.
Having a thoughtful approach to design can prevent discomfort and allow all members of your team to focus on their work without distraction.
Looking for thoughtful, sustainable uniform design that improves the comfort and performance of your employees?
Speak to JSD. We’re a women founded business who have been pioneering innovation in workwear since 1981.
We have the empathy, compassion and experience to design work uniforms that are suitable for every individual member of your team – including women that are going through menopause.
If you are looking to redesign your current uniforms, or are looking for ways to make your existing uniform design more inclusive or sustainable – please don’t hesitate to contact our team today.
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