World Menopause Day is celebrated annually on October 18, so Otago Polytechnic people capability partner Vicie Hodge decided it was the right time to raise awareness.
She set out on a mission to remove the stigma around talking about menopause in the workplace and inform on how to manage symptoms.
Yesterday, they held a seminar for those interested in learning more about the condition.
Thirty-one percent of staff at the polytechnic who identify as female were between the ages of 45-65, the age when menopausal symptoms normally occur, Ms Hodge said.
Some people found the 35 recognised symptoms of menopause difficult to manage.
"It’s not talked about enough at work, so we figured we could get a group of people together to talk about things the workplace can help with," she said.
Australasian Menopause Society member and Dunedin doctor Anna Gilmour, as well as internal polytechnic experts from wellbeing, sport, nursing and the culinary arts, spoke about how sleep, exercise and diet impacts menopausal symptoms.
They also answered questions from the audience.
The polytechnic was hoping to hold further events in the future.
