How often does menopause come up in your human resources or senior management meetings? Never? Rarely? In the U.S. it’s likely one of those. In the U.K., perhaps “maybe,” as several U.K. employers are leading the charge to make menopause at work a mainstream discussion. When you don’t address the needs of women on the menopause journey as an employer, there’s lost productivity; a loss of highly-skilled workers who leave the workforce, pass up a promotion, or retire early; and increased, avoidable healthcare utilization and costs. The time is now to pay attention to menopause and create supportive programs and work environments to further advance gender equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.
Menopause and gender inequity
Gender inequity is still an issue in the workplace, despite policies and procedures to combat it.
After 67 years, the number of women running a Fortune 500 company hit an all-time record. For the first time, two Black women made the list. Despite the historic milestone, women still only make up 8.1% of the list.
It’s a big moment but far from gender equity.
Women continue to have more demands than ever, and COVID-19 has further exacerbated what was already a fraught situation. And those demands don’t go away when they reach an age when many are beginning to hit career peaks.
In some ways, the demands only get worse because menopause is an invisible problem facing midlife female employees, and employers ignore it.
In stark contrast to fertility and pregnancy benefits which have evolved over the years, menopause is a natural stage of a woman’s life that is rarely even on the radar. Benefits are few to none, especially in the U.S., where menopause is still a taboo subject in the workplace.
Now is the time to act and follow the lead of other countries like the U.K., Australia, and Scotland, where companies are developing menopause policies, building awareness of this normal life transition, and creating supportive and flexible work environments to accommodate an invaluable segment of the workforce.
Why menopausal women are leaving their jobs
A Working Mother Media and Pfizer study of nearly 1500 working women found almost half of all working women ages 45-65 described menopause symptom management in their work-life as extremely or somewhat difficult.
Twelve percent of women in the U.S. declined a more demanding job because of menopause symptoms.
That hurts diversity in the C-suite and other senior management roles.
There’s been so much progress toward gender equity in the workplace, but more needs to be done. Employers can’t afford to lose key women in an organization at the peak of their careers.
Andrea Berchowitz takes a stand some may consider controversial. She directly blames menopause as an unrecognized factor why few women hold leadership roles compared to their male counterparts. She’s co-founder of Vira Health; a company focused on extending healthy life expectancy for women, starting with menopause.
In her TED Talk, she points out that the average age of a CEO is mid-50s, smack dab in the middle of menopause.
A life-changing time in a woman’s life that she can’t ignore, and neither should her employer.
Case study: Financial Services Industry Impact
The U.K. financial services sector evaluated the impact of menopause on its industry. This industry already faces skills gaps and competition for talent, so losing women at the peak of their careers has a financial impact. They need to retain employees.
The survey respondents included 2,400 U.K. women. Overall:
- 46% of respondents did not disclose symptoms because they worried about being perceived negatively.
- 41% feared their employer would question their abilities.
- Almost half said it made them less likely to progress in their role, and the same number of respondents did not want to apply for a promotion.
- Only 22% of women and trans men in the menopause transition told their employer. Social stigma was the biggest obstacle. It wasn’t an issue of privacy. Senior leaders were less likely to talk about menopause at work over fear it would impact their role.
- 25% said they were more likely to retire early.
This case study proves there’s an impact of ignoring menopause in the workplace. These respondents are from a country where menopause is discussed more widely than in the U.S.
Now is the time to talk about menopause at work.
U.K. companies are beginning to talk about menopause
If there’s one country that stands out as menopause-friendly, it’s the U.K. Still, there’s a lot of work to be done there.
Private employers are leading the charge, and the U.K. government is involved.
Almost 1 million U.K. women left their job due to menopause symptoms.
The House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee launched a “Menopause in the Workplace Inquiry,” which examines legislation and workplace practices that prompt women to leave their job.
Women are even taking their employers to court for unjust dismissal and sex discrimination.
Private and government agencies are creating menopause policies that build awareness of the issue and develop supportive programs and work environments.
Independent agencies certify “menopause-friendly workplaces,” and the European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS) published recommendations for menopause in the workplace.
The Financial Services Sector in the U.K. found simple changes can have an impact. These include changes to workplace practices and greater awareness. Both can break down the social and workplace stigma associated with menopause.
Breaking the menopause stigma at work with awareness
An awareness campaign is the first step toward creating a menopause-friendly workplace and removing the barriers to discussion.
It’s two-fold: awareness about menopause among senior leadership and all colleagues and awareness among women to recognize they’re experiencing menopause symptoms.
While it’s a natural part of the female life cycle, there’s a lack of knowledge and understanding among women and across the healthcare ecosystem.
Women often don’t recognize the symptoms of menopause, and clinicians may attribute them to other conditions, “getting older,” or stress.
2 out of 3 perimenopausal women felt unprepared or blindsided by it in a GenM survey. One out of two women didn’t know what was happening to them.
As Berchowitz points out, menopause is not in pop culture, in the news, or taught in school.
1. Educate women, senior leadership, and male colleagues about menopause symptoms.
It starts with the basics. Educate your managers and employees about menopause just like you would sexual harassment, diversity, and inclusion or health conditions like hypertension or breast cancer (both conditions, by the way, for which the risk increases as women enter menopause).
While scientifically, menopause refers to the point at which a woman has not had a period for 12 consecutive months, the transition into and out of menopause lasts years, often up to a decade or more.
While most people know about hot flashes, as they impact 75% of women, there are dozens of other ways menopause can affect a woman. Yet, more than half of women (51%) in the GenM survey could only name 3 of the oft-quoted “48 symptoms.”
It’s important to understand ALL the symptoms as every menopause journey is unique. There’s not a one-size-fits-all experience or treatment approach.
Stages of menopause
Menopause can last up to a decade or more because there are three stages. Surprisingly, nearly half of women (49%) surveyed in the GenM report couldn’t name any phases of menopause, even when prompted.
So, let’s get to the facts. There’s perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. Understanding the signs and symptoms of each stage can help a woman manage this time in her life cycle.
Nearly half (46%) didn’t even know about perimenopause. It’s the time leading up to a woman’s period ending. Symptoms can typically start when a woman is in her mid to late 40’s and last several years before her period stops at an average age of 51. For some, menopause begins before the age of 40 (premature menopause) or before the age of 45 (early menopause). And for women with a condition like cancer, depending on the treatment regimen, menopause can be of very abrupt onset and occur at a very early age.
Post-menopause is the time after a woman’s period stops. The symptoms gradually decrease, but it can take years.
Recognizing the stages and symptoms is important so women can get the support they need, and managers can realize how it may impact an individual’s work performance.
2. Show support for menopause from the top down
Next, build awareness by having senior management start the conversation. Encourage leadership to talk about their menopause experience to motivate other women to discuss their journey openly.
It also helps women feel less invisible, something 55% of women said they felt at work during menopause in a Generation Menopause Invisibility Report survey.
Hold webinars and training like the ones already happening in the workplace.
The U.K. bank, Santander, created a “Let’s talk about Menopause” site within their online Well-being Hub. It includes resources and the company’s Menopause Guidelines.
They also have advocates who are trained and passionate about the issue. They run awareness campaigns within the company and also support women who may be struggling.
Structured support resources and programs prove beneficial because it brings the issue to the forefront, and women often don’t know where to find support. In a PT survey, they turned to their friends and doctor for help, and most had no idea about the growing array of healthcare companies that support menopause.
It can be reassuring and therapeutic to discuss it in those circles in an environment designed to be psychologically safe. Because friends and family members either went through it or are going through it too.
3. Foster a flexible work environment.
Once there are awareness and support programs in place – expand on them with a supportive and flexible work environment.
Berchowitz calls open-plan offices a “disaster” in her TED talk on menopause and gender inequity.
Simple tweaks to the workplace for those who return to the office she suggests include desk fans, moving desks away from radiators, having rooms with doors, temperature and ventilation changes, private areas in the office, and thinner, sweat-wicking material for those whose job involves wearing a uniform.
In a Benenden Health survey, nearly a third said flex hours would be valuable.
Changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic – more people working from home permanently, caregiver benefits, paid family leave, hybrid work-home options, more flexible work schedules, a greater focus on the long-standing, disproportionate impact of caregiving on women/gender pay inequity/health disparities/mental health – and the challenges of the “Great Resignation” with regard to recruitment and retention of talent as well the higher expectations employees have of employers combine to make now the perfect time to take action to address the unmet needs of women going through the menopause journey.
4. Create a culturally sensitive menopause policy.
Next, conduct training and create a menopause policy to start the conversation with all employees. Learn from employers around the world who are helping women cope.
Some menopause policies build awareness for the symptoms by listing common symptoms, like the policy from Nottinghamshire Police.
They only list a few symptoms, not just the standard hot flashes, but they list some non-sexy symptoms like vaginal dryness and reduced sex drive.
Talking about all symptoms in a policy like this helps women feel more comfortable, reduces the stigma, and normalizes the conversation around menopause.
Every menopause journey is unique
When creating a policy, employers should understand every menopause journey is unique. Women experience a variety of symptoms.
One’s overall health, well-being, culture, ethnicity, and race can impact a woman’s employment, life, and menopause experience. Employers should address this intersectionality of issues.
In the U.K. financial services study, a Black woman said she didn’t feel like she could ever “drop the ball” over concern she’d lose her job if she did.
An Asian woman said she wore many hats, and the expectations and pressure from her family and employer made it exhausting.
For disabled women, some said it was difficult to distinguish between menopause symptoms and those related to their disability.
LGBTQ+ women had a completely different experience with menopause than their heterosexual counterparts.
While some women are speaking out, it’s not universal. There are several other workplace factors at play. Including menopause with other fundamental workplace policies is essential to creating a safe environment for women to speak up.
5. Design a benefits package and well-being resources that address menopause holistically.
Employers have created workplace policies, accommodations, and benefits to support the maternity journey – maternal/paternal leave, private rooms for nursing, coverage of certain infertility assessments and treatments, and care management programs focused specifically on pregnancy and the postpartum period. Once a woman moves beyond the ability to reproduce, her support should not just fall off a cliff.
With a myriad of symptoms possible during menopause, a woman may need various healthcare services and support, far beyond what a general practitioner or gynecologist can offer or has the education and expertise to provide.
She may need mental health support, acupuncture, or nutrition services. Some insurance plans and employer benefits packages don’t cover this type of assistance or only cover a few visits to these providers. That may be hard enough when you consider menopause symptoms can last up to a decade or more.
Creating a well-designed benefits package should consider all the ways a woman may receive support and treatment for menopause, from affinity groups to care management programs and more.
Employers are already focusing on holistic well-being during the development of benefits packages. Menopause should be part of that conversation.
Clifford Chance UK Managing Partner, Michael Bates, said:
To deliver on the firm's inclusion strategy of 'change the rules, change the culture and change the lived experience', we must make targeted interventions to ensure that equality of experience becomes the reality at Clifford Chance. With over half of our colleagues inevitably experiencing menopause at some point in their lives, and many others dealing with the challenges of fertility, and parenthood whilst at work- it is vital that we open the conversation around these stages and deliver additional support to meet our goal of being an inclusive workplace for all.
It is a gender and age equity issue, and just like issues like racism and sex discrimination are discussed by employers, menopause should also be part of the conversation.
So, how do you start building menopause-friendly workplace environments and policies? Awareness.
Why employers need to act
It’s not just a U.K. or U.S. problem, but a global issue.
It’s estimated one billion women will be in menopause transition by 2025.
Women around the world are struggling with menopause, often in silence.
Now is the time to act.
What are you doing as an employer about menopause at work?
vira | Vira Health
The female CEOs on this year’s Fortune 500 just broke three all-time records | Fortune
The link between menopause and gender inequity at work | TED Global Idea Search 2021 with Andrea Berchowitz
Menopause in the Workplace: Impact on Women in Financial Services | Standard Chartered and Financial Services Skills Commission
Menopause and the workplace | UK Parliament
Rees M, Bitzer J, Cano A, van Trotsenburg M, Weiss R, Lambrinoudaki I. Global consensus recommendations on menopause in the workplace: A European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS) position statement. Maturitas. 2021 Volume 151, P 55-62. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2021.06.006
Making the invisible, visible | GenM
The GenM Invisibility Report | GenM
Menopause stories | Wellbeing of Women
Quarter of women with serious menopause symptoms have left jobs, study finds | People Management
Notts Police were the first force to introduce a menopause policy | Menopause in the Workplace by Henpicked
What Do Ob/Gyns In Training Learn About Menoapuse? Not Nearly Enough, Study Suggests | Johns Hopkins Medicine
Clifford Chance strengthens support for colleagues during menopause and life transitions with launch of Peppy in the UK | Clifford Chance
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