Loretta Dignam
CEO and Founder, The Menopause Hub
Menopause impacts 50% of the population directly. Learn how employers can support menopausal employees and boost workplace productivity with expert training.
All females will experience menopause. That’s around 50% of the global population. The other 50% will be impacted — directly or indirectly.
Peri/menopause disrupts careers
The average age of menopause is 51, and perimenopause (the lead up to the cessation of menstruation) is 45. There are over 40 symptoms, which affect women in three key ways: psychological and emotional, physiological and genitourinary (pelvic area and bladder) symptoms.
Around 80% of women experience symptoms. On average, symptoms last 7–10 years. It’s no wonder that 10% of peri/menopausal women felt compelled to leave work, and almost 4 in 10 considered giving up work. Moreover, 38% have taken time off work, with 18% taking three or more days. Furthermore, 84% told us that their performance was negatively impacted by menopause symptoms.
Top 5 symptoms affecting peri/menopausal women at work
The top symptoms are cognitive issues, such as brain fog, memory loss, lack of focus and concentration (76%); no energy/fatigue (63%); anxiety (52%); feeling overwhelmed (52%); and loss of confidence (48%).
The average age of menopause is
51 and perimenopause (the lead up
to the cessation of menstruation) is 45.
How can employers support peri/menopausal employees?
The key to making menopause mainstream is education and training. We offer courses aimed at five different cohorts; (1) senior leadership, (2) all colleagues, (3) managers/team leads, (4) HR and (5) menopause champions (peer-to-peer support). This is accompanied by the introduction of a menopause policy.
Benefits to employers
The economic cost to employers of reduced productivity, absenteeism and talent loss is significant. Moreover, employers have a duty of care to their employees under health and safety law, which includes assessing and considering the specific requirements of employees affected by menopause symptoms.
Failure to support women affected by menopause symptoms may contravene certain equality laws, such as age, gender and disability discrimination. Therefore, becoming menopause-inclusive makes good business sense and avoids legislative risk.
In recognition of employers that are menopause inclusive, we launched the Menopause Workplace Excellence Awards and an Accreditation programme, both a partnership between Menopause Hub Academy and Great Place to Work.
Source: Research Survey: ‘What women want’ by the Menopause Hub, 2023 among 3,044 peri/menopausal women in Ireland.
