Changing the Menopause Conversation at Work
Find out about the HR trend of supporting women employees in the menopause demographic
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Menopause is having a moment in many workplaces. One of the biggest HR trends to emerge in 2023 is how employers are normalizing menopause and supporting women by having open conversation, offering benefits, and providing healthcare access. This is part of greater diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), wellness, employee engagement, and retention strategies. It is also a solution to a problem that employers have finally noticed.
After all, about 25% of the U.S. working population may be experiencing menopause symptoms at any given time, according to CNN. Women going through menopause may experience symptoms like hot flashes, headaches, heart palpitations, and insomnia. While some women find the end of menstruation to be a relief, others feel depressed. Some have mood swings, and the physical and emotional changes can disturb quality of life for women.
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Lack of Menopause Support Costs Companies
In 2023, the Mayo Clinic released the results of a comprehensive study of 4,440 women ages 45 to 60, who were currently employed. The researchers identified a link between menopause symptoms and poor work outcomes in the United States. They found that menopause resulted in an estimated $1.8 billion in lost work time per year and $26.6 billion annually when medical expenses are added.
As a result, menopause is having a moment. Just like menstruation before it, menopause was taboo. Women rarely spoke about it, and many of them had no idea what to expect as what was once known as the "change of life" fell upon them. The shift toward having more open conversations about deeply personal topics, an aging workforce that is necessary because of dipping birth rates and changing demographics, and a focus on wellness at work is putting menopause on the map.
Menopause Benefits on the Rise
Employers are considering relevant benefits, asking women what they need, and educating everyone about supporting co-workers through milestones like menopause and beyond. In August 2023, The New York Times reported on the growing number of companies providing menopause benefits to employees. EBay, Nvidia, Wiley, and Capgemini are among companies offering some sort of menopause benefits. Maven released a telehealth app that connects women with specialists, therapists, and other women who may be having similar experiences, and 150 companies had signed up for it, according to the Times.
Discover some of the common menopause benefits and practices:
- Flexible schedules that allow women to manage symptoms and reduce stress
- Encourage self-care and have managers model the behavior
- Menopause education and conversation to help men and women in the workplace to support those experiencing this transition and remove stigma
- Healthcare access to doctors, therapists, and experts, who can help women manage symptoms they may be experiencing
- Mental health and wellness initiatives to manage the range of emotions women encountering menopause may experience
- Eradicate ageism in the workplace to create a more inclusive workplace
Still, nearly 80% of respondents to an HR Exchange Network poll on LinkedIn said they were doing nothing to support the menopause demographic at work. There is still some reluctance. Some people are uncomfortable with the topic. But change does not happen overnight, say experts. The United States is at a turning point in which virtually no topic is off limits and employers are demonstrating they care about workers by supporting them through various challenges in life. Family leave, fertility treatments, breast feeding, and more have become more popular benefits in recent years.
What's Next for Menopause Support
As people delay retirement and more mature women continue to work, employers will provide more menopause support. The trend is growing, and benefits include everything from specialized healthcare to access to support groups. While some people might still feel awkward about talking about menopause and other milestones in the health of women, the younger generation is opening up conversations to all sorts of taboo subjects. Soon, menopause will be normalized like other topics and providing support will become easier.
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