REENA DAYAL
EMPOWERING MIDLIFE WOMEN To Redefine Possibilities AND THRIVE
Midlife women bring a wealth of experience and are at a pivotal stage, ready to step into greater roles and responsibilities. However, they often face unique challenges such as ageism, caregiving duties, empty nests, pay disparities, menopause, and other significant life transitions.
In 2022, we embarked on a project to explore how applied neuroscience can empower midlife women, with a particular focus on menopause.
To deepen our understanding beyond personal experiences, we conducted a survey, created safe spaces for open conversations, and hosted a transformative four-part webinar series featuring insights from 15 leading experts. Throughout our focus was to explore what would it take to empower midlife women to thrive?
As a result of this initiative, our founder, Reena, now offers dedicated 1:1 coaching for midlife women in the workplace. Additionally, we’ve developed a powerful in-company intervention that integrates seamlessly into broader health and wellbeing, ERG, DEIA, or leadership development programs.
Is your organisation ready to support midlife women in unlocking their full potential while addressing critical workplace challenges?
We’d be delighted to explore how we can partner with you to create lasting impact. Here’s a sample of what we offer: a unique science based acceleration programme for mid life women - we call it Introduction to NeuroMastery.
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
Reena partnered with journalist Pete Sawyer to deliver a 3 part series for the award wining Menopause Matters in 2024 as well as a limited series of newsletter to our registered database of over 450.
We also participated in a discussion for WorkWise Pod on Leadership Ascent & Biological Distress: Blackbox of Menopause at Work and a Menopause event hosted by Women at the Wheel, Deloitte.
OCT '23
Featuring 15 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. Episode 1 recording is available on this webpage - you can click here to view as well October 19, 2023 - Redefining Menopause Care
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.
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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.