\u201cWe have seen this one-size-fits-all approach, this idea that men and women are going to interact with their plan equally, and that\u2019s just not true.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Read: Symcor hosting menopause awareness session, supporting employees with benefits, resources<\/a>\n<\/p>\n A well-designed plan can ensure women get the care they need at the moment they need it, she noted, rather than facing friction and \u201chaving to fight at every moment to get that care.\u201d\n<\/p>\n The menopause transition is a prime opportunity for benefits plans to make a difference, said Hatherly. Perimenopause and menopause typically occur at a time when women are reaching the height of their careers. Unmanaged symptoms often translate to lost productivity, days of work and earnings and even lead to women leaving the workplace. \u201cThis is where mid-career retention is won or lost.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Setting up a plan navigation toolkit can help women find the benefits they might need, such as a health-care spending account or wellness account to cover alternative treatments for their symptoms.\n<\/p>\n Benefits can also help women \u201cconnect the dots\u201d earlier about emerging health issues, said Hatherly. She gave an example of a woman in her 30s who\u2019s experiencing exhaustion, slow weight gain and an irregular menstrual cycle. \u201cSomething like insulin resistance and the development of polycystic ovarian syndrome is often not caught early on. What we want to do is have a plan that has access to [paramedical] practitioners . . . that are able to make this route from symptom to solution shorter.\u201d\n<\/p>\n