SEATTLE — Colleen Moen is 55 and going through menopause, but like so many women, the symptoms like anxiety, trouble sleeping and hot flashes caught her by surprise.
"When you don't understand what's happening in your body or why you're acting that way it can be really unsettling," said Moen.
Part of the problem is very few people talk about menopause, especially in the workplace. Moen was afraid to ask for time off or to leave work early for a doctor's appointment.
"That conversation isn't in the workplace. It's not something I'd consider saying as a valid reason or a health issue," said Moen. "I think that was my biggest frustration. I think benefits through the workplace is one of the broadest ways you could get the information. It would have been so helpful, honestly, to just, have that resource."
That's why MiDOViA is trying to reduce the stigma by creating more menopause-friendly workplaces. The professional training and coaching company based in Edmonds is working with companies to educate and train managers and human resources professionals to create menopause policies and programs to support women.
"It's not that individuals and organizations don't want to bring in those policies and support it, they don't think it's necessary because they don't understand the depth and breadth of what menopause means and what women are going through during that transition," said April Haberman, co-founder of MiDOViA.
Haberman says three out of four women experience menopause symptoms. One in four women experience severe symptoms.
A study from the Mayo Clinic in 2023 found nearly 11% of women missed work because of menopause symptoms, which equals $1.8 billion in lost productivity in the U.S.
Some women cut back hours and others quit their jobs during menopause, at a time when many women are at the peak of their careers.
"We come into organizations and provide that support, that cultural shift, that inclusive environment so she can go to a manager and ask for time off and it's not questioned," said Haberman. "We want to make sure that women are able to stay in the workplace, their talent can be utilized and they can thrive."
Seattle Study Club, an organization that educates dental professionals, recently hired MiDOViA to increase awareness about menopause for those in the dental industry. Understanding this critical phase of life and how it impacts female patients when it comes to gingival health, but it also could be key to keeping more female dental professionals in the workplace.
MiDOViA is also working with large companies like Microsoft and they also provide individual support and coaching.