Thriving Through Menopause

Thriving Through Menopause – workplace issues and life changes – the perfect storm

Certain circumstances in life consistently cause peak levels of stress. At the extreme end of bereavement, divorce and long-term illness, through to unemployment, career change, financial worries, moving house, raising children and taking on additional caring responsibilities. But what about when these factors overlap with menopause, with its messy and unpredictable symptoms? Whilst menopause and perimenopause may not cause symptoms in all women, both are likely to affect many in their 40s and 50s, whilst also coinciding with peak career years and significant life changes. These stresses, compounded by physiological change, can make menopause survival in the workplace feel like a major endurance event, whilst to some degree still also a taboo subject.

Thriving Through Menopause – a storm of symptoms

It may begin like dark clouds subtly gathering on the horizon. Easy to dismiss at first as a few days of low mood or lack of sleep. Soon, however, stormy conditions can pick up – hot flashes which leave the skin pricked with redness and sweat and come on with absolutely no warning, robbing you of any composure. At night, drenched bedsheets, restlessness and insomnia build into deep fatigue. The result over time affects function and confidence. The mind gets foggy; the memory lapses, and emotions get out of kilter. Concentration and clarity feel hard to achieve, and when the body joins forces with joint aches, headaches and weight gain, everything feels challenging.

Thriving through menopause – the social setting

A friend recently recalled a school reunion of women, where there was talk of careers, children, partners, divorces, ageing parents and more. There was also talk of menopause, and some evidence of it on show. A few women had very noticeable hot flashes whilst holding conversations with women they had not seen for years, and several others made direct reference to menopause symptoms and how they were coping. In this scenario, there was clearly shared solidarity on many life issues, including menopause.

The upside in this social context is the understanding and empathy that come with a room full of women. There was openness, listening, laughter, ranting where necessary and an atmosphere of support and camaraderie.

Thriving through menopause – the workplace setting

By contrast, the workplace can be unforgiving. A hot flash may feel embarrassing, a mood shift overwhelming, a memory lapse hugely exposing and all of that before the physical effects of formal clothing, harsh or inflexible environments and unsupportive or critical colleagues.

Whilst there are reported examples of high-profile employers such as Lloyds Banking Group, Tesco, Unilever, Premier Inn and Aviva providing high-quality menopause support in the workplace, overall, there is still more to do in terms of genuine strategy and support. In a consumer-driven society, the corporate world is not immune to implementing performative box-ticking policies. As Deborah Garlick (CEO of Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace) puts it,

‘Those employers who put up a poster or make an announcement are sadly mistaken… it takes time and meaningful action to change the culture and lived experience of those working through their menopause and beyond.’

She also acknowledges the importance of ‘Menopause Friendly Accreditation as a good measure of success as it assesses outcomes across policies and practices, awareness and education and workplace support.’

Thriving through menopause – the environment for working women

There are thought to be around 6 million working women aged 40–60.

The facts speak for themselves:

‘Almost a quarter (23%) of working women have considered quitting due to the impact of menopause or menstrual symptoms at work.’

‘Almost nine in 10 working women want their employer to be more supportive when it comes to women’s health.’

These statistics are significant enough to warrant sustained and continued engagement in menopause issues, so that millions of women don’t feel alone in the storm. More can be done to ensure women are better listened to, and supported by improved workplace practice, resources and support forums. As a government advisor and author of the ‘Shattering the Silence about Menopause’ report in 2024, Helen Tomlinson put it,

‘Perimenopause/ menopause need not be a time for women to step back, step down or step out of their career.’

Menopause research – ‘a second glass ceiling’

The UK economy currently bears a huge menopause related cost, with millions of working days lost due to symptoms and thousands of women quitting their jobs or feeling that menopause has harmed their career progression. CIPD figures reveal,

‘Over a quarter of women (27%) aged 40-60, currently in employment, have experienced menopause symptoms – an estimated 1.2 million – say that menopause has had a negative impact on their career progression.’

The Equality Act of 2010 legally requires employers to be menopause-friendly; however, research by the British Standards Institution (BSI) found that 20% of women expected to retire early, citing menopause as the reason, and that only 4% of women were aware of formal menopause support policies in the workplace. The research calls on politicians and business leaders to address these issues to improve the retention of experienced women in the workplace.

‘It characterises the economic and social benefits that could be realised by lifting the Second Glass Ceiling (whereby women leave the workforce early and for reasons other than personal preference).’

Breaking down of the taboo around menstrual health and menopause will continue to bring improvements, along with increased flexible working practices and a continued drive to recruit more women into senior positions.

Given that 72% of women are comfortable raising menopause with a female employer, but far fewer with a male manager, having more female leaders could be central to overcoming a key barrier to women remaining in work in the UK.’

A menopause top 10 – issues raised and what helps

The menopause goal

‘If employers share resources and provide support, putting aside competitive advantage, as they are starting to do, perimenopause/menopause need not be a time for women to step back, step down or step out of their career. Post-menopause is a time to thrive and grow, giving women the best 10, 15, or 25 years of their career.’

Menopause together

The way forward is both practical and policy-driven.

We know that women naturally and reliably place value on friendships and that they support each other through listening and conversation. If men were half as good, perhaps male suicide statistics would be less grim. According to the ONS, 115 people die by suicide in the UK every week, with 75% of those deaths being male.

So, we know that women can empower, advocate for and support other women on both a personal and professional level. To thrive through menopause, we can try to:

Clear the way for conversation – it’s crucial to speak up

Cool the culture – advocate for inclusive policies and know your rights

Power in the pause – consider menopause as an opportunity to pause and possibly career pivot

Survival suggestions – share practical tips for managing moods, brain fog and temperature shifts

Leadership lessons – look for and listen to women in leadership roles

For more tips about how to thrive through the menopause, listen to our podcast episode, Midlife, Menopause & Saying Yes to Yourself, here.