Are there women in powerful decision-making roles in your organization?
Have you ever taken off from work or cut back on hours due to (peri)menopausal symptoms?
If yes, have you mentioned the real cause or discussed your issues at the workplace?
Do you fear that opening up about it will cause you trouble (bias/sympathetic image/ stereotyping), loss of dignity, and embarrassment?
Do you think your organization is open to the ‘menopause conversation’ and offer support?
Menopause impacts women's productivity
These are some findings from multiple studies and surveys from across the globe:
Women representation in senior and top management roles is meager and declines as they move up the ladder. (Source: Mercer, JobsforHer)
At least one-third to a half of the women experiencing menopausal symptoms feel that they impact work life and productivity.
Most women are not comfortable discussing this at work due to multiple reasons: fear of bias, being considered old or unprofessional and not being considered for promotion, lack of empathy, and lack of policies/ support channels (Bank of America).
Another key revelation from the Bank of America study is the existence of a disconnect between employers and female employees regarding menopause.
While 3 out of 4 HR managers perceive that they are open to conversations around menopause, the intention does not seem to have translated into tangible action since less than 5% of women employees feel the same.
Here is a personal account of one of our clients in India, a typical example of this gap in understanding:
"I was a single, workaholic urban woman in my mid-forties when (peri) menopause struck. Then began the hot flushes, chills, insomnia, anxiety, stress-induced panic, medium-grade depression, hyper-vacillating thoughts, violent urges, triggering environments, existential worries....all the time....for years. I had to quit my job as I felt suicidal. Till date, no one believes me. It would have helped if my immediate environment was kind, generous, and compassionate, given the menopause hell that I am in."
Why is menopause not just a personal problem?
Unfortunately, the menopausal transition aligns with the challenging phase in a woman’s career, when she is still in the workforce or transitioning into senior/ management roles. This phase can disrupt the quality of life in physical, emotional and psychological aspects.
Menopausal symptoms may lead to a confidence crisis in successful and energetic women, which is a huge hurdle to productivity. There are also reports of women being laid off for poor performance close to menopause.
The lack of menopause education, care and support can even lead powerful and talented women to call it quits (Source: Bloomberg, Independent, Abbott India).
Globally, the overall economic impact of menopause (productivity and healthcare costs combined) is estimated at a whopping $ 150 billion!
Source: Bloomberg
It is estimated that the productivity loss from lost working hours due to menopause symptoms is over $2.2 billion in the US every year, and women spend 24 years on average in the workforce in the menopausal state (Source: Midday, a digital menopause app).
Here are some insights from the Indian women workforce (2023).
Be the change you want to see
The top reason for the lack of menopause benefits in place, according to employers (in the USA), is that women have not asked for them!
We can imagine the situation in the developing countries of South Asia. Under the shroud of cultural conditioning, it is all the more difficult for women to speak out.
In fact, women of color undergo menopause earlier and experience more intense symptoms.
Therefore, it is not just enough for women to gain knowledge about this natural phase in their lives but also to be vocal if they face debilitating challenges and request time off or flexible work arrangements (just as one would during maternity).
The key to addressing all these interlinked issues is awareness and sensitization- not just for women about their bodies but also for men in the top management.
In the wake of the diversity-equity-inclusion movement, menopause is a great place for companies to focus on.
We enable these crucial conversations towards making your organization menopause-friendly. With our services, you can:
Retain valuable women employees in your organization
Create an inclusive, empathetic environment in the workplace for women in midlife.
Help your employees increase their productivity and have better job satisfaction at this life stage.
This can help bring the much-needed change in mindset, as well as menopause policies, support and benefits at workplaces.
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