Why we shouldn’t be losing out to menopause in the workforce
Imagine losing a million women from the workforce every year - not because they lack talent, but because their workplaces lack support.
Menopause represents a key stage in a women’s reproductive lifecycle, after which she is no longer able to conceive and her menstrual cycles stop.
This transition, along with the preceding phase known as perimenopause, often brings a variety of symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety and depression, sleep disturbances, mood swings, and brain fog.
These changes can significantly affect daily life for many individuals.
The NHS Confederation says that the symptoms mean some women are often unable to work.
This loss can be translated into a direct economic impact of approximately £1.5 billion per annum.
Why should employers focus on menopause?
In the UK alone, more than 12 million women and gender-diverse individuals in the workforce are navigating this stage of life.
Despite this, workplace policies to support those experiencing menopausal symptoms are often lacking.
A 2019 survey highlighted that 90% of women going through perimenopause or menopause felt their symptoms negatively impacted their work performance.
Many of these employees did not feel comfortable discussing their challenges with their managers.
It is for these reasons that forward-thinking employers can create a more inclusive and supportive environment by providing their employees with better resources and systems.
This in turn should help employers avoid facing substantial costs when it comes to replacing and losing experienced, valuable talent, and allow employees to continue to succeed in their careers.
Steps to becoming a menopause-friendly company
1. Foster a supportive environment and promote awareness through education
Breaking the stigma around reproductive health is crucial.
Educate employees and provide managers with the tools to communicate openly and without judgment, creating a safe space for discussions.
Hosting workshops, training sessions, sharing valuable insights or group discussions with trusted reproductive health experts, can bridge this knowledge gap, promote awareness and enable all employees to support one another better.
2. Respect individual experiences and make workplace adjustments
Menopause affects everyone differently.
While some may experience minimal symptoms, others might find it overwhelming.
Employers should try to adopt a flexible approach, respecting individual needs and tailoring support to each situation.
Consider implementing a menopause-specific policy to help employees manage their symptoms effectively, as well as introducing flexible working hours, or setting up quiet rooms with adjustable temperatures.
3. Provide comprehensive health benefits
Access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare services remains limited for many in the UK.
By offering benefits such as at-home diagnostic testing, on-going care, access to counselling and nutrition services, employers can demonstrate a commitment to their employees' well-being and foster a healthier, more productive workforce.
For a more comprehensive overview of what steps employers can take to support their employees going through the menopause, read Hertility's guide.
Significant cost to companies
In 2023 nearly one million women left their jobs due to menopausal symptoms and insufficient workplace support.
This loss of experienced talent poses a significant cost to companies in terms of both expertise and productivity.
And further research by the NHS Confederation estimates that severe perimenopause and menopause symptoms results in £191 million in lost productivity per year.
In partnership with Hertility
Hertility is a reproductive health company shaping the future of the workplace. We’re working with forward-thinking companies to proactively support employees across every life stage with end to end care spanning fertility, LGBTQ+ family-forming & menopause. The workplace wasn’t designed with everyone in mind, we’re here to change that. We empower employers to attract, support and retain a diverse, thriving and innovative workforce with expert-led education, comprehensive health screening and policy review Hertility is setting a new standard of care and support in the workplace by empowering organisations to become accredited as Reproductively Responsible™ employers.
