The Importance Of Menopause Awareness In The Workplace

According to a recent government report, menopause-aged women are the fastest-growing workforce demographic. What’s alarming is nearly 20 percent of women with menopause in the U.S. have quit or consider leaving a job due to their symptoms

Current research urges employers to support their valued female employees as they transition through menopause by taking menopause into account as a work, health, and safety issue.

In this article, I’ll be covering menopause in the workplace and how it impacts the working environment.

One of the most underserved health and wellness issues that almost every woman will experience in her lifetime is menopause. It is a natural progression in a woman’s life that typically happens between the ages of 40 and 65. Some women can even experience early menopause in their mid-to-late 30s.

The start of menopause will vary for each woman, as will the duration, the specific symptoms, and even whether she experiences weight gain or weight loss. Since these are natural variations that will differ depending on each individual's state of metabolic health, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to help with menopause symptoms either.

Most women and men only think of menopause as it relates to hot flashes and weight gain. While these are two prevalent symptoms of menopause, there are believed to be up to 60 different symptoms that a woman can experience over the 4–10 years that menopause can last. Some symptoms are mild, while others can be extremely debilitating. In my own practice, I’ve seen 45 menopause-related symptoms

What everyone involved needs to know is that menopause symptoms can be minimized, reversed, and even prevented with proper education, coaching, support, and resources—not only for the woman going through menopause but also for her employer, peers, and co-workers.

Employers should recognize that most women are thriving and at the peak of their careers during this stage of their lives. Without adequate education, support, resources, and solutions in place, many women quit their jobs or are reluctantly let go. Employers end up losing dedicated and valued employees and have to spend extra time, money, and resources finding and training someone new.

According to “Biote, a leading hormone optimization company based in Texas,  1 out of 4 women felt that their menopause” “symptoms negatively impacted their career development or work-related opportunities.”

Another study found that “52% of menopausal women believe their employers know nothing or very little about menopause, while 88% say they wish their workplaces were more equipped to accommodate their menopause issues.”

“It's clear, based on various studies from around the world, that menopause in the workplace is causing a loss of valued female talent due to a lack of support, resources, and understanding in the workplace.

And it’s important for men to be a part of the menopause conversation because we can help eliminate the stigma and taboo around menopause by understanding and becoming part of the support system, and the solution. 

This is even further emphasized by the same Biote study, where 32% of men said they have never even discussed menopause.

Menopause is a natural part of life for most women in the global workforce and workplace. Additionally, it coincides with when women are most likely qualified for promotions and senior leadership roles. Both women and men must recognize and eliminate the negative stigmas and taboos associated with menopause and the aging process to prevent losing highly qualified talent and potential leaders.”

Not to mention the support, empathy, and understanding that can help women navigate this inevitable part of their lives.

As I’ve said before menopause is not just a women’s health issue, in fact at work it can even fall under diversity - equity and inclusion.

Watch the video where I share more about Menopause In The Workplace HERE