Menopause is a completely normal and natural part of ageing but many women continue to go to great lengths to hide their menopausal experience and symptoms from their colleagues.

Why? Largely because of fear – fear of being judged, fear of being seen as incapable or incompetent and fear of reinforcing stereotypes about mid-life women.

For some women, the mental and physical symptoms of menopause – such as hot flushes, headaches, sweating, brain fog, erratic moods and negative emotions – can be so overwhelming and distressing they feel they are left with no other option but to leave the world of work altogether. 

In fact, according to a report from the Fawcett Society, one in 10 women who worked during the menopause has left a job due to their symptoms and a quarter of employees experiencing menopause are likely to retire early because of it. 

The true cost of silencing the menopause
Evidently, the cost of leaving women to suffer in silence is not just borne by the women themselves, their partners and their families, it is borne by employers and the wider society, too. 

Here’s the thing – menopausal women are the fastest-growing demographic in the workplace. According to the Faculty of Occupational Medicine, almost eight out of 10 menopausal women are in work. 

Even with these figures and the growing body of evidence around the benefits of supporting menopausal employees, many organisations continue to weigh up whether the menopause agenda is worth their time and resources. 

In reality, those organisations that choose not to cater to this segment not only run the risk of alienating a critical pool of talent, they also risk falling behind industry competitors who’ve shown their hand of support. 

Needless to say, the menopause will continue to impact talent retention, skills gaps and diversity for those organisations that do not respond well.

How to overcome the menopause taboo
If organisations are to overcome the long-standing taboo around menopause, it’s essential they work to normalise conversations around it. 

Those experiencing menopause should feel safe to disclose issues and ask for support without fear of repercussions. Whilst those supporting colleagues going through the menopause – irrelevant of age or gender – should feel confident, equipped to offer their support and able to navigate colleagues through their experience from an organisational perspective.

Ensuring employees feel psychologically safe is particularly important because every individual’s experience of menopause is unique and it would be impossible to fully accommodate an employee if they do not feel comfortable to share their individual needs.

Why is the role of the manager so important?
Managers have a big influence over an individual’s workplace experience –  new research has found that almost 70% of people feel their manager has more of an impact on their mental health than their therapist or doctor. 

This weight of influence makes it essential for organisations to invest in training managers – particularly those who have no experience of the menopause, men and women who have experienced the menopause without symptoms (whilst some women suffer debilitating symptoms, others may experience the menopause with no symptoms at all).

As well as training that focuses on building confidence on the topic of menopause and improving communication skills, organisations should also ensure managers understand the menopause policies and benefits available to employees so they can correctly inform their colleagues.

Normalising the menopause is key to accessing support
Research has shown that women in the UK take the more time off during the menopause compared to any other country in the world. Clearly, there is work to be done. 

Let’s be clear, breaking the taboo around the menopause will not happen overnight. Menopause discrimination is strongly linked to the societal inequalities that have always existed in our societies and there is no quick fix solution here.

However, responsible employers have the power to make a real difference by normalising conversations about menopause and ensuring employees get access to the support and training they need. If you’re questioning when the right time is to foster a menopause friendly workplace, know that the time is now.