Andrea Berchowitz: The link between menopause and gender inequity at work | TED

Transcriber:

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

Of America's 500 largest companies, only 42 have female CEOs.

在美國的五百大企業中，

只有四十二家的執行長是女性。

And if you look at other countries,

如果去看其他國家，

the data is similar, and in some cases, worse.

資料都差不多，有些國家還更糟。

And, of course, there are a number of factors

當然，有許多因素會造成 全球的工作場所性別不平等。

contributing to global gender inequity in the workplace.

But I believe that there is one factor often underecognized,

但我相信，有一個因素 通常都被低估了，

and that's menopause.

那就是更年期。

So what do I mean?

我這麼說是什麼意思？

Many women will rise into senior positions of leadership

許多女性會在四、五十歲時 升遷到資深的領導職位。

in their 40s or their 50s.

The average age of a CEO is mid-50s.

執行長的平均年齡是五十五歲上下。

Perimenopause, or the transition into menopause,

圍停經期，或稱停經過度期，

generally occurs also between 45 and 55.

通常也出現在四十五歲 到五十五歲之間。

And this is where the symptoms really start,

此時症狀就會開始出現， 且可以持續十年之久。

and it can last up to 10 years.

So just as a woman is stepping up, taking the reins,

當女性正要更打拼、

取得控制權、發揮 最高潛能來賺錢時，

earning at her highest potential,

her body can feel like it's betraying her.

她的身體卻像是在背叛她。

Now, for anyone who doesn't know, which turns out to be many of us --

如果有人不知道 （結果發現多數人都不知道），

就我來說，我一直到前幾年 才和我母親第一次談到更年期——

for me, I had my first conversation with my own mother about menopause

in the last few years --

it's a big deal.

那是件大事。

And it's not just a big deal for women over 45.

且不僅對四十五歲以上的 女性而言是大事。

Nonbinary, transmasculine and younger women

非二元性別、跨男性， 以及較年輕的女性

may all cope with menopausal symptoms.

可能都得面對更年期的症狀。

So what are these symptoms?

所以，有哪些症狀？

有身體的症狀，

They can be physical,

so that's hot flushes, joint pain, urinary incontinence, heavy periods.

比如熱潮紅、關節痛、

尿失禁、經血過多。

They can also be mental: anxiety, depression,

也有心理的症狀：焦慮、憂鬱、

bouts of low confidence, difficulty sleeping.

信心低落、難眠。

Imagine that -- 10 years of difficulty sleeping.

想像一下——十年都難以入睡。

The list is long and symptoms can change,

症狀清單非常長， 且可能症狀可能會改變。

so it means you never really know what to expect.

那就表示你永遠不知道要預期什麼。

But make no mistake: they are significant.

但別誤會：症狀都很明顯。

So significant, that in a study by Vodafone across five countries,

明顯到這種程度：

在沃達豐的跨五國研究中，

it found that 60 percent of women dealing with menopausal symptoms

發現有六成面臨更年期症狀的女性

said it impacted their work.

都說她們的工作受到影響。

In another study in the UK,

在另一項英國的研究中，

30 percent of women said they missed work due to their symptoms.

有三成的女性

說她們因為症狀而無法工作。

And at the extremes, women are making serious choices about their careers.

在最極端的例子中，女性 得要做出職涯的重大選擇。

As many as 11 percent forewent a promotion opportunity,

有 11% 的女性放棄了升遷機會，

and as many as eight percent resigned from their positions

有 8% 的女性

因為更年期症狀而辭掉了工作。

because of menopausal symptoms.

My fascination with female leadership and the obvious gap

我對於女性領導 及其明顯落差的著迷，

began as a strategy consultant working in boardrooms around the world.

始於我在世界各地的 董事會議室擔任策略顧問。

In over 10 years, I can count on one hand

十多年來，我用一隻手就可以數出

the number of senior women over 50 in executive positions that I saw,

我看過的五十歲以上年長女性經理，

不論是在西雅圖、杜拜、 拉哥斯，或紐約上州都是如此。

whether it was Seattle or Dubai, Lagos or upstate New York,

women were scarce at the top.

在高層的女性很稀有。

I started to look around and question the system I was in,

我開始到處看看， 質疑我所處的體制，

wonder what opportunities really existed.

納悶到底有什麼機會存在。

The women at the top were exceptional.

在高層的女性非同尋常。

The bar seemed almost too high to reach.

標準似乎高到不可攀。

And so I started speaking to my friends and colleagues in their 40s and 50s.

我開始跟四、五十歲的朋友同事談。

They talked about things I knew: balancing a serious job, teenagers

他們會談到我知道的事： 在正職工作、青少年孩子，

and caring for elderly parents.

及照顧年邁父母之間找到平衡。

但在少數幾個例子中， 內圈朋友會御下心防。

But in a few instances, close friends opened up.

They talked about how their bodies and their minds were changing

他們談到他們的身心 發生了什麼改變，

and the impact of menopause on many aspects of their lives,

以及更年期對他們人生 許多面向的影響，

including work.

包括工作面。

It was at that point that I realized

那時，我了解到，

if I wanted to make a difference to women in the workplace

如果我想要為工作場所的 女性帶來改變，

so we can all work as long as we want to,

讓我們可以照自己意願繼續工作下去，

it was to improve menopause care.

要做的是重要更年期保健。

I believe the workplace can play a major role

我相信工作場所能扮演重要的角色，

in improving the experience for women coping with menopausal symptoms.

改善面臨更年期症狀的女性 會經歷的狀況。

And it might sound cliché, but it does start with awareness.

或許很老套，但必須要 先意識到這個問題才行。

And then it means changing the physical setup of our offices,

那就表示要改變辦公室的實體環境、

resetting expectations around work culture

重植在工作文化中的期望，

and updating health care policies.

並改良健康照護政策。

So, first: awareness.

所以，第一點：意識。

Since we learn virtually nothing about menopause in school,

因為我們在學校、新聞、 流行文化中都沒有

in the news, in pop culture,

學到關於更年期的知識，

it's impossible to expect that even the most well-intentioned manager

因此很可能連最有善意的經理

would have a clue how to be supportive.

對於如何提供支持都毫無頭緒。

So many societies place so much pressure on women to appear young and happy

許多社會給女性相當大的壓力，

要女性時時刻刻都表現 年輕、快樂、活躍。

and vibrant all of the time.

All that effort put towards pretending that you're not going through

盡所有努力

假裝你沒有經歷老化這個自然過程，

a natural process of aging

is a complete waste of time.

根本是浪費時間。

Meanwhile, a day in the life of a peri- or postmenopausal woman

圍停經期或停經後的女性， 每天要經歷的可能是

could be running to the bathroom to wait out a hot flush,

衝到廁所，等熱潮紅過去，

looking for paper towels for perspiration that came out of nowhere

大家都冷得要死時，

卻因為不知道哪來的汗水 而去尋找紙巾，

when everyone else was freezing,

skipping a meeting or sending someone else,

缺席會議或請人代理出席，

because a wave of anxiety made you feel like you couldn't cope

因為一波焦慮來襲， 讓你覺得你招架不住，

or skipping a business trip altogether,

或者得把出差全部取消，

because heavy periods made leaving home virtually impossible.

因為經血過多， 多到根本無法離開家。

One way to raise awareness is to bring the discussion right into the workplace.

提升意識的方法之一，

就是把討論直接帶到工作場所。

Many companies already offer training programs

許多企業已經有提供教育訓練，

on things like diversity and inclusion,

主題包括多樣性與包容、

anti-harassment,

反騷擾、

conversations on mental health or parental leave.

關於心理健康或育嬰假的討論。

咱們讓討論更年期也成為常態，

Let's normalize conversation on menopause,

inviting people of all genders and all ages

邀請各種性別、年齡的人

to understand what's happening in this natural process of aging,

來了解老化的自然過程，

so people can learn how to be supportive.

讓大家了解如何提供支持。

Next is the physical setup and expectations around work culture.

接著，是實體環境

以及工作文化中的期望。

For example, open-plan offices are a disaster for so many reasons,

比如，

開放式辦公室可說 是個災難，原因有很多：

not being able to control the temperature,

無法控制溫度，

having no doors to close when you're having a hot flush

發生熱潮紅或需要點時間 重新調整時，卻沒有門可以關上。

or need a moment to regroup.

And, of course, you can't change an entire floor plan overnight.

當然，你無法一夕改變 整層樓的設計。

But there probably are some things you can do,

但還是有些你可以做的事，

whether that's desk fans, availability of period products,

比如，桌上型風扇、提供月經用品、

letting someone move their desk from closest to the radiator

允許將離暖氣最近的桌子移遠一點，

or having a few rooms with a few doors that you can close

或保留幾間有門可以關上的房間， 給需要時間重新整理自己的人，

if you need a moment to regroup

are all good ideas.

這些都是好主意。

In situations where women wear uniforms at work,

如果是女性在工作時 需要穿制服的情況，

updating the cut to a thinner fabric,

把制服式樣改用更薄的布料，

making it more breathable or even sweat-wicking

讓制服更透氣或甚至可吸濕排汗，

can make a huge difference to a woman's comfort,

能大大改善女性的舒適度。

as well as having a few extra around,

也可以準備幾件替換制度， 可以在當日更換。

if a quick change is required during the day.

For employees who can work remotely,

至於可以遠端工作的員工，

you can make it easier by giving examples of things to say to a manager

你可以提供例子，

讓女性在症狀失控時 更知道該怎麼跟經理說。

when symptoms are out of control.

For example, "I'm having a really tough day due to my symptoms,

比如，

「因為我的症狀，我今天非常難受，

and it's making it difficult for me to perform at my best in the office."

因此我很難在辦公室 有很好的表現。」

In cases where that's not possible,

如果不能這樣說，

being able to say things like,

可以試著說：

"I need to take a few more frequent breaks today rather than one long break,"

「今天我需要多次幾頻繁的休息，

一次長休息可能不夠。」

or "Hold on a second -- I'm having a hot flush."

或者：「等等——

我熱潮紅發作了。」

I truly believe that more openness about this topic,

我真心相信，對這個主題能更開放

as well as leniency from an office around scheduling or more frequent breaks

或者辦公室能更仁慈地 安排更頻繁的休息，

對於留住女性會有很大的幫助，

will make a huge difference to retaining women

and getting them over that next promotion hurdle.

也能協助她們克服下一個升遷障礙。

And then there's health care,

接著，還有健康照護，

which is perhaps the most important.

這點可能最重要。

In many cases,

許多工作場所提供其員工 部分或完整的健康照護。

a workplace will provide in-part or in-full health care to its employees.

So there's an opportunity to include menopause directly.

所以就有機會可以直接 把更年期也納入。

It can benefit a woman to have access to real information

女性可能很需要

能夠取得關於可取得 哪些治療選項的真實資訊，

about what treatment options are available

and what doctors or specialists she may want to see,

或者可能可以去看哪些醫生或專家，

whether that's gynecologists, endocrinologists,

不論是婦科醫生、內分泌學家、

pelvic floor physios

骨盆底肌治療師， 或者談話治療師。

or talk therapists.

Menopause is a highly complex and individualized situation,

更年期是非常複雜 且很個人化的情況，

and having access to high-quality health care providers

找到高品質的健康照護服務提供者

that can talk you through your treatment options

來為你說明各種治療選項

and help you figure out what you want to do

並協助你決定要怎麼做

is critical.

是很重要的事。

In many cases, insurance does cover this,

在許多情況下，保險都會給付，

or national health systems do have this available,

或者國家的健康制度會有相關資源，

but it can be hard to navigate,

但要找到方向很困難，

and all of the symptoms make finding the right doctor time-consuming

且所有這些症狀會讓找醫生變成

很花時間且會榨乾精力的事。

and energy-draining.

Just as we have health care resources

就如同我們有健康照護資源

for what to expect when you're having a child and how to be a great parent,

告訴我們生孩子時該期待什麼 以及如何成為好父母，

we need better health care resources for what to expect in perimenopause

我們也需要更好的健康照護資源 來說明圍停經期該期待什麼，

and support through the entire transition.

並在整個過度時期提供支持。

Every workplace is different,

每個工作場所都不同，

and not all companies will have the same approach to becoming menopause friendly.

並非所有企業都會採用同樣的方法 表現對更年期的友善。

But at the very least,

但，最少，

increasing awareness and demonstrating some real empathy can be low-cost.

增加意識

和展現真實的同理心，成本都很低。

Just this year, we've heard several corporations make announcements

光是今年，就聽到不少企業

宣佈要推動在最上層的女性領導——

about boosting female leadership at the top -- and that's great.

那很棒。

And it will take a lot of coordinated efforts to get there.

那會需要花很多心思 做協調才能達成。

But what's the first step?

但，第一步是什麼？

Getting serious about menopause.

認真看待更年期。

Thank you.

謝謝。