Menopause remains a taboo topic in many workplaces, leading to millions of people suffering in silence. However, supporting employees through this major life transition (& thse manageing and being managed by them) is rapidly becoming a business imperative.
Here’s what leaders need to know:
The menopause workforce influx is here.
Currently, about 1 in 4 women in the global workforce is perimenopausal or postmenopausal. That number is expected to rise to 1 in 3 by 2025 as populations age.
Symptoms may impact performance if people are not aware of what menopause really is, nor how to successfully navigate this typically normal life stage. Due to hormonal changes, most people who go through menopause may experience symptoms ranging from hot flashes to insomnia, anxiety, brain fog, and fatigue. These can severely hamper productivity and wellbeing as a result of loss of confidence, self esteem and sense of value.
I know.
I left my job as a senior exec in financial services in my early 40’s thinking I had early onset dementia. Imagine my surprise, to discover, I had likely gone from having my son at 37, straight into a premature menopause?
It’s costing businesses.
Researchers estimate menopause transition costs UK companies over £10 billion / 14 million working days annually from absenteeism, turnover, and loss of output. Effective awareness training, impactful support and a solid evaluation of menopause at each stage of the colleague journey reduces costs.
Stigma silences employees.
Cultural taboos and lack of awareness prevent employees from speaking up and accessing support. Many suffer silently, fearing judgement. I left my job, rather than being seen as weak or vulnerable, especially in a male dominated environment.
Proactive policies make a difference.
Organisations like ASOS, Lloyds Bank, Deutsche Bank, and Amazon have added training, flexible work options, and health resources to support menopausal staff. But this is not a once and done activity. It is about making menopause mainstream and ensuring policies and guidance documents are easily accessible and woven into the fabric of a business.
I recently asked attendees at a Benefits Conference whether they had a menopause policy, many hands were raised. I then asked if they could tell me what it covered. Literally no one put their hands up. Policies – or guidance documents – are great, but must be built into occupational health, people, wellbeing, DE&I and and manager training and awareness.
Leaders play a key role.
Setting the tone from the top normalises the conversation, creates psychological safety, and enables a supportive culture.
Providing menopause education, resources and accommodations benefits both employees and the bottom line. As modern workforces age, smart organisations are taking steps to retain talent by fostering understanding and adapting to meet this emerging need.
With the right knowledge, policies and leadership support, businesses can create inclusive cultures where employees feel safe to thrive through the menopausal transition and beyond. The opportunity to retain institutional knowledge and enhance wellbeing is simply too valuable to ignore.
The time to act is now.