It felt like a breath of fresh air when Naomi Watts publicly shared her journey of unexpected early menopause. “This makes no sense,” she said. “We’re half the population. Everybody’s going to go into menopause… why shouldn’t we be talking about it?”

It was an important step in opening up a conversation, but if a group of rich and famous celebrities are experiencing shame, stigma and a fear of being unhireable as a result of menopause, what hope is there for ordinary working women?

A recent survey study of 2,000 women found that nearly half of women (48%) experiencing menopause believe they’re seen as less productive and emotionally stable at work. Additionally, 42% reported their menopausal symptoms have impacted their ambition at work and 49% say their job performance has been affected.

And it seems women are suffering alone. A shocking 76% said they have no work accommodations for menopause. Looming over the quiet way in which women at work are experiencing menopause is a heavy sense of taboo, shame and silence. It’s called the menopause stigma.

Another new report on menopause in the workplace by HR consultancy Hoomph found that 15% of women have considered quitting their jobs due to menopausal symptoms at work, particularly in stressful sectors like tech and healthcare, and an alarming 70% of menopausal women surveyed feel unsupported by their employers during this critical life phase.

There’s no denying that menopause plays a crucial role in how women show up at work, and there’s still a lot of work to be done for it to be normalised in the workplace. 

“Women over 50 are the fastest growing demographic in the workforce, and 51% of the population will experience menopause,” Helen Tomlinson, the first government-appointed menopause employment champion, tells Stylist.

Symptoms of menopause vary from one woman to the next, and they can change over time. Menopause can trigger symptoms that manifest physically, including hot flushes, irregular periods, fatigue or headaches; psychologically, including mood swings, depression or electric shock sensations; and even cognitively, including brain fog, memory issues or difficulty concentrating.

“If menopausal symptoms aren’t supported in the workplace, people can feel that they can’t continue to work and have no choice but to step back from their role. Lack of support can make the experience isolating and debilitating,” Tomlinson says.

Menopause is neither niche nor rare – everyone is either going through it, will go through it or knows someone who will. So why is menopause still so unsupported at work to the extent that women are leaving the workforce because of it?

CIPD’s 2023 Health And Wellbeing At Work report found that a majority of organisations do not foster a supportive workplace climate where employees are able to talk about menopause transition. But menopause stigma goes beyond a lack of support – it can negatively impact women’s careers.

Karen Farquharson used to work as an office manager at a hydraulics company in Peterhead, building up her career in the same company for nearly 28 years, until her employer discriminated against her due to her menopause symptoms, and she was forced to resign, ending in an employment tribunal for unfair dismissal.

“I had severe brain fog, weight gain, fatigue, anxiety, heavy bleeding, mood swings, crying episodes and would get easily overwhelmed. So when I bled badly, rather than travel 37 miles to work, I would work from home. The owner of the business, however, did not like this and thought I was bunking off,” she said.

“On a particularly bad day with bleeding and pain, I came into the office and he made a sarcastic comment that I had made it into work. The straw that broke the camel’s back was when he shouted: ‘Menopause, menopause, everybody gets the f****in’ menopause – you just have to get on with it.’ He upset me so much I had to leave the situation and get legal advice.” Karen’s tribunal ruled in her favour.

Stories like Karen’s aren’t uncommon, but they don’t need to be – there’s a lot employers, leaders and workplaces can do to break the menopause stigma and make the work environment more inclusive for women experiencing it. “Employers often think that simply launching a menopause policy is all it takes when what is really needed is a cultural change,” said Tomlinson.

She shares actionable ways that employers can better support colleagues experiencing perimenopause and menopause, based on four key pillars: education, allyship, lived experience and leadership.

Expand education around menopause

Provide training for your staff, especially managers and leadership, on menopausal symptoms, terminology, myth busting, types of support and adjustments on offer. Mandating workplace training can be useful to track attendance and the impact on the business.

Support any adjustments your colleagues need

Discuss with your direct reports or colleagues what would help them feel comfortable during menopause. Don’t make assumptions about what someone wants for their own symptoms and remember that symptoms change over time.

Provide period care

Offer free and accessible period products in the office loos, not just for perimenopausal people but for anyone who menstruates, which can really help reduce embarrassment and discomfort in case of any unexpected bleeding.

Create safe spaces

Build online networks, virtual cafe sessions or in-person informal sessions for women (plus any partners and allies), to come together and discuss their experiences of menopause. Appoint menopause champions who can also provide one-to-one support and advocate with your organisation’s leadership team.

Leaders, step up

Get your organisation’s senior leadership actively involved in the conversation by working closely with them on support initiatives and inviting them to share their own experiences. This can normalise talking about menopause at work.

Images: Adobe