Organisations committed to advancing gender equity and increasing the representation of women in leadership understand the importance of supporting employees across the lifetime of their careers. But too often, one critical life stage is ignored: menopause.

Most people experience perimenopause and menopause around the ages of 45 to 55, which often coincides with when they are most likely to move into upper leadership positions.¹ When workplaces do not adequately support employees experiencing menopause, attrition rates can increase.² Employees who stay may experience a loss of productivity due to the wide range of symptoms that can occur, at a cost to both themselves and their organisations, which flexible workplace practices and more inclusive workplace policies can help alleviate.³

Why menopause support should be part of your overall DEI strategy

Misunderstandings, unfunny jokes, and overall stigma mean many people may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed discussing a “taboo” subject, especially at work.⁴ Menopause emerges at the intersection of age and gender, two aspects of identity that can cause women to face increased workplace discrimination and stereotyping.⁵ Indeed, women already face more severe age-based discrimination than men, a concept known as gendered ageism.⁶

Due to the stigmatisation of menopause and its alignment with aging, many employees are hesitant to ask for support and may face resistance to such requests. And research has found they may leave an organisation altogether — if they are not unfairly pushed out first.⁷ This domino effect can lead to a loss of valuable, experienced talent — especially as older women continue to make up a growing segment of the workforce — and send a negative message to all employees.

Understand how your company can craft its own policies to address menopause in the workplace by learning from Standard Chartered, a bank headquartered in the UK that has successfully incorporated approaches to support employees going through this life phase into its DEI strategy.

Standard Chartered: De-stigmatising menopause in the workplace

In October 2023, Standard Chartered announced that it was expanding coverage for treatment of menopause-related symptoms within its health benefits package to all colleagues and their partners. This development, which was well received by colleagues and external stakeholders, is just one of several initiatives that the bank has introduced to educate colleagues about menopause and support employees experiencing this transition.

The bank’s work raising awareness started after it conducted a large-scale survey on menopause in the UK financial services industry in 2021 in partnership with the Financial Services Skills Commission (FSCC) and the Fawcett Society, an independent association working with the UK financial sector. The results were startling and found that “women were less likely to want to progress into more senior roles, with as many as a quarter (25 per cent) of those experiencing menopause ‘much more’ or ‘somewhat more’ likely to leave work before retirement.”⁸

Although the research focused on financial services, Tanuj Kapilashrami, Chief Strategy & Talent Officer, was vocal about how menopause is a relevant and important topic for all industries globally and how there can be positive gains for organisations, industries, and economies if proactively addressed. Indeed, although menopausal employees are a fast-growing demographic in the workplace, they’re often faced with a lack of awareness of the issues they’re grappling with — which can have a huge impact on career progression and talent retention if there are no support mechanisms in place.

Affirming commitment and taking action

Menopause is considered a dimension of diversity by the Standard Chartered Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) team (under the lenses of both generations and gender) and is also an area of focus within the Wellbeing team. Both teams are under the umbrella of Employee Advocacy, which is part of HR. While there is no formal sponsor for the menopause initiative, Kapilashrami has championed the agenda since the bank partnered with the Fawcett Society and FSSC on the initial survey.

As a signatory of the Wellbeing of Women’s Menopause Workplace Pledge, the bank formed the Menopause Working Group in 2022 to formalise its commitment to create an environment where women are free to discuss their experiences and feel supported. The group is chaired by Rebekah Heaven, Global Head – Future of Work & Advocacy Strategy, and is a cross-functional team. Members bring cultural lenses from across the bank’s diverse footprint and sit in teams such as Corporate Real Estate Services, Wellbeing, Legal, and Benefits, working closely with the DEI team. Members of the group are volunteers who are involved because of their passion and interest in raising awareness and ensuring the bank supports all people who are experiencing menopause or affected by someone experiencing menopause.

In February 2023, the FSSC held a follow-up session in London with Standard Chartered and other financial services companies. The Menopause Working Group was intentional in inviting men as well as women to attend, mindful that menopause in the workplace doesn’t just affect women. In particular, Heaven invited senior leaders who are men to attend and asked them to bring along colleagues to build their awareness. The session was very well received, with one colleague sharing that this was the most helpful session he had attended in over ten years at Standard Chartered as he had learnt so much on a topic he previously knew nothing about. Other men also reached out to ask how they could start a group for male allies. As a result, the Menopause Working Group created an allyship group with the Europe D&I Council and held a successful male ally workshop with an external speaker. The bank’s UK CEO Saif Malik began informally sponsoring this work, which established him as an important and visible male ally.

Internal culture change and impact

Standard Chartered is committed to improving the day-to-day experiences of colleagues managing menopause so they can bring their best selves to work. The Menopause Working Group continually examines ways in which it can better equip line managers to assist their teams and help foster a truly supportive and inclusive workplace for all. For example:

• A Menopause Conversation Guide was developed by the DEI team and championed by the Menopause Working Group to equip managers with tools and resources to have courageous conversations.
• An internal podcast was developed on menopause.
• Ongoing education and awareness events are hosted globally with the Menopause Working Group identifying and recommending external speakers.

In addition, each member of the Menopause Working Group acts as a menopause champion and helps to raise awareness of the initiative among other colleagues in their market or region. Interestingly, some markets that the Menopause Working Group thought would be resistant to talking about the topic — including India, Africa, and the UAE — have been some of the most receptive to the initiative. Male colleagues at all levels and regions throughout the organisation, as well, have been strong allies and extremely supportive — recognising the fact that menopause should matter to every one of us.

Another indicator of success is the different topics that are now being discussed more openly. Since many employees have become used to talking about menopause, it is not uncommon now to hear conversations about other aspects of women’s health, including fertility and polycystic ovaries.

One of the biggest impacts the initiative has had is the retention of top talent, specifically women in senior positions who either didn’t connect their symptoms to menopause or who weren’t comfortable sharing them with colleagues. Raising awareness of this issue has not only allowed Standard Chartered to retain talent, but also to build a reputation as an employer that cares about the wellbeing of every colleague. Addressing menopause in the workplace has become part of the employee value proposition for the company.

Global menopause benefits

A menopause provision has been added to Standard Chartered’s benefits globally, available to all employees regardless of their geographical location. This is important not only so that all employees are ensured equal treatment, but also because in places such as the UAE and Africa menopause is very expensive to treat medically. The global benefits were rolled out in 2023 and were added onto policies as they came up for renewal.

Other initiatives to support colleagues include:

• Period products in all office washrooms.
• Separate sessions by gender in India so that everyone feels comfortable participating.
• Ability to request a fan for an office desk.
• Opportunities to use sick leave, special leave, and compassionate leave, as needed, for menopause symptoms.

Significantly, since Standard Chartered is a completely hybrid workplace with no mandated days when employees must be in the office, employees can work from home as needed — be it to manage their own symptoms or offer support to a family member.

Next steps and challenges

The Menopause Working Group has plans for continuing its work, including:

• Continuing to host events. World Menopause Day, recognised annually on 18 October, garners a lot of attention, yet ongoing awareness is also important to sustain momentum.
• Focusing on the intersectional aspects of how menopause affects people from both a cultural and medical perspective.
• Exploring ways different groups within the bank can help provide more personalised support such as the opportunity to speak with a trained person.
• Raising awareness about other hormonal cycles aside from menopause, such as menstruation and fertility.

One challenge the Menopause Working Group faces is how it can encourage ongoing engagement with all these topics, especially among younger women across the organisation and those working in the US, where there is stigma around discussing menopause. Without making this a mandated program, the Menopause Working Group wants to be sure it is raising awareness with everybody.

Another challenge is creating a more formal measurement of how benefits are utilised. When they are first rolled out and accessed, there is a flurry of excitement. However, in respecting confidentiality, it can be hard to determine how widespread the adoption of resources is.

Continue to make progress

Cultivating a culture of compassion and normalising conversations around menopause are essential in facilitating employees’ journeys through this life stage, particularly within societal contexts where such discussions remain taboo. Companies are making progress: just over half of financial services firms in the UK now demonstrate senior leadership support in addressing issues surrounding menopause in the workplace.⁹ Menopause is not just a women’s issue. Menopause transition is an important topic that matters to everyone.

Getting started: Building a successful menopause strategy

Normalise the conversation

• Enlist allies, including men, to support organisational efforts to start conversations and reduce stigma around menopause.
• Attend or offer to host events related to menopause both internally and externally to raise awareness and further the discussion.
• Provide educational material on your company’s intranet or post in company breakrooms or other visible locations.

Integrate menopause into other programs

• Include other stakeholders early in the process who will be key in crafting a successful and thoughtful menopause strategy.
  • Menopause should be an important consideration in your organisation’s DEI policy.
  • People and culture teams should be enlisted to help craft employee benefits related to menopause.
  • Employee Resource Groups can be enlisted to help plan events and educate employees.
• Offer counselling services or consultations with experts through your Employee Assistance Program.

Don’t forget frontline employees

• Employees working onsite should be included in conversations about the support they may need. Some common requests include:
  • Expanded sick leave and flexible working arrangements.
    • Consider giving employees several smaller breaks instead of offering one large one.
  • Fans, cooling rooms, and/or private rooms.
  • Easy access to restrooms.
  • Cold water, towels, and tissues to help with perspiration.
  • Uniforms, if required, made of technical or breathable fabric.

By integrating thoughtful measures around menopause, organisations can support employees and help build a stronger pipeline to senior leadership by retaining women through this life stage.

Endnotes

1. Patterson, J. (2020, February 24). It’s time to start talking about menopause at work. Harvard Business Review.

2. Burden, L. (2021, June 18). Women are leaving the workforce for a little-talked-about reason. Bloomberg.

3. Tinebra, M. (2024, April 12). How to build a menopause-inclusive workplace. Forbes.

4. Reitz, M., Bolton, M., & Emslie, K. (2020, February 4). Is menopause a taboo in your organization? Harvard Business Review.

5. Manzi, C., Sorgente, A., Reverberi, E., Tagliabue, S., & Gorli, M. (2021). Double jeopardy – Analyzing the combined effect of age and gender stereotype threat on older workers. Frontiers in Psychology, 11.

6. Duffett, J. (2023). Inclusion at every stage: Addressing gendered ageism: Topic overview. Catalyst.

7. Kale, S. (2021, August 17). ‘My bosses were happy to destroy me’ – the women forced out of work by menopause. Guardian.

8. Menopause in the workplace: Progress and priorities. (April 2023). Standard Chartered and Financial Services Skills Commission.

9. Menopause in the workplace: Progress and priorities. (April 2023). Standard Chartered and Financial Services Skills Commission.

The post Menopause support in the workplace is smart business appeared first on Catalyst.

Breaking with Tradition is diving into a topic that’s been long overlooked but is now coming to the forefront of workplace conversations: menopause. Welcome to season 1, episode 6.

According to Catalyst’s recent report, nearly three-quarters (72%) of employees have hidden their menopause symptoms at work. Additionally, 36% perceive a stigma against talking about menopause in the workplace. With celebrities like Naomi Watts and Michelle Obama also speaking out, menopause is no longer overlooked in the culture at large—so why should it be in the workplace?

Join Catalyst’s Victoria Kuketz as she speaks with Janet Ko, President and Co-Founder, The Menopause Foundation of Canada to bust some myths about menopause and flip the workplace taboo on its head. Learn why it’s an essential issue for companies to address and how the stigma impacts women’s earning potential and career trajectories.

Take the first step to join the movement. Learn how your organization can get involved and create a more inclusive work environment for everyone.

Host and guest

Victoria Kuketz, Director, Corporate Engagement, Canada, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Janet Ko is President and Co-Founder of The Menopause Foundation of Canada, a national non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to breaking the silence and the stigma of menopause. Together with co-founder Trish Barbato and a medical advisory board of the country’s top menopause specialists, she launched the Menopause Foundation of Canada to lead a national conversation on menopause and to advocate for concrete action to improve women’s health.

Janet has held numerous leadership roles including Senior Vice President, Communications in the global life sciences and senior care sectors. She is dedicated to helping women thrive through their menopausal years and is a passionate speaker and menopause advocate. Janet is honoured to be one of the top 25 Women of Influence Award recipients for 2023.

LinkedIn

In this episode

• 1:35 | Tell us about yourself! Janet tells us about her health journey and what led her to co-founding the Menopause Foundation of Canada.
• 3:52 | Workplace taboos: from mental health to menopause. Why does something that impacts millions of employees remain so stigmatized?
• 6:34 | Let’s bust some myths! Menopause looks different for everyone—and a large knowledge gap exists.
• 10:12 | Women spend half their lives in menopause. How can women be more proactive about their health at this time?
• 14:59 | Menopause stigma costs the economy $3.5 billion. Janet breaks down the staggering economic and career impact for women.
• 17:43 | How to get started. Take the first step to supporting women impacted by menopause in your workplace.
• 20:59 | BONUS: Creating new traditions. Janet flips our last question on its head.

Favorite moments

• 4:21 | Janet: [Menopause] has been a taboo subject not just in workplaces, but everywhere. I think one of the significant reasons driving that is the reality of ageism that disproportionately has a negative impact on women. Women, as we get older, there’s this view that we’re in a stage of decline. That doesn’t happen to men necessarily.
• 5:15 | Janet: As organizations focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, looking at how they can retain top talent, supporting women to break through the glass ceiling… You cannot consider those factors without looking at supporting women at this stage of life in the prime of their career.
• 8:07 | Janet: A myth that I would love to break is that menopause is about period changes, hot flashes, and the end of your reproductive life. While that is true, focusing on just those things really does women this tremendous disservice. And it keeps us all in the dark about what menopause truly is, which is this profound hormonal shift that happens in midlife that can impact every organ in your body, because we have estrogen receptors all over the body.
• 9:28 | Janet: I’m hoping that we can change the narrative in our conversation, from menopause being something that you don’t look forward to, to shifting it to something that’s very positive, an important milestone where we recognize and honor women for stepping into the peak of their lives, where they have the most wisdom, experience, and contributions to make.
• 11:37 | Janet: It’s about time that we empower ourselves with knowledge, which I think is happening thanks to generation X. Gen X women will be the last women to be in the dark about menopause. And we know that the Millennials and the generations after us, their expectations of an experience at work, their openness and willingness to share is quite different from previous generations. So, we are going to definitely see a change, as we know it’s happening right now, because menopause is a hot topic and it’s turned into a movement.
• 14:18 | Janet: It is women who are demanding better care, women who are demanding a change in the conversation and the narrative. And because of our very large numbers, 10 million over the age of 40 in Canada, quarter of the workforce, we are seeing employers really step up to support women in the prime of their lives.
• 16:15 | Janet: You have to recognize that menopause intersects with that critical career stage between the ages of 45 and 55, where women are assuming greater leadership roles. And if you do not understand the changes that are happening to you, and you’re struggling with symptoms… You can have years of struggling and not being at your best… Employers cannot afford to lose their expertise, their wisdom, their leadership, their knowledge.
• 18:16 | Janet: One of the first things that employers can do, which isn’t a heavy lift, is to break the conversation, change your culture and your communications, really focusing on normalizing this topic.
• 20:13 | Janet: Reasonable accommodations, looking at your policies, all of those things can make a big, big difference… Women are really just looking for some openness in the workplace, some respect for what they’re experiencing, greater flexibility, and choice as they go through this.
• 22:18 | Janet: I truly believe that menopause is a disruptor in a woman’s life. You know, it’s a great moment for you to take a breath, to prioritize yourself, to reflect on who you are and who you want to be. Women end up doing amazing things in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and beyond… We just have to make sure that our health is there to allow us to achieve that.

Mentioned on the Pod

• Menopause Foundation of Canada: Menopause – What Everyone Should Know
• Menopause Foundation of Canada: Menopause Inclusive Workplace Playbook
• Menopause Foundation of Canada: Menopause Works Here campaign

Research you can use

• Stop the stigma: Addressing menopause in the workplace
• Menopause support helps attract and retain top talent
• Why Pay Attention to Women’s Health – What ERGs Can Do
• Supporting Mental Health in the Workplace (Supporter Only)

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The post Episode 106: From Taboo to Topical: Menopause in the Workplace appeared first on Catalyst.

• 84% of survey respondents called for more menopause support in the workplace.
• More than one-third said that their symptoms negatively affected their work.
• Stigma persists; 72% have hidden their menopause symptoms at work.

New York, Oct. 9, 2024 — Women globally are calling for more menopause support in the workplace and they are willing to take their talent elsewhere without it. According to a new survey from Catalyst, the global nonprofit promoting gender equity and workplace inclusion, 84% of respondents agreed that more menopause support is needed in the workplace and one in 10 said they have declined a job opportunity because of a lack of menopause support.

The survey of almost 2,900 full-time employees who are either currently in menopause or recently finished experiencing it from eight countries—including Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States—examined how continued stigma affects women at the height of their careers and contributes to a talent attraction, retention, and support issue. The survey also revealed the more menopause stigma there is at work, the more employees say that menopause symptoms impact their work performance.

“Women globally are calling for more menopause support in the workplace,” said Jennifer McCollum, President and CEO of Catalyst. “Menopause is one of the most common issues impacting women across the entire pipeline, from the front line to the C-suite. Employers should seize this opportunity to break the stigma and silence by providing menopause support in the workplace. To create truly inclusive work cultures, organizations must meet employees where they are—with meaningful resources, conversations, and support.”

Menopause is a workplace issue still facing stigma.

Despite greater emphasis on fostering conversations around once-taboo subjects, such as mental health and burnout, many workplaces have not done the same with menopause. Although 91% of respondents have experienced at least one moderate to extremely severe menopause symptom, 72% have hidden their symptoms at work at least once. One-third of employees (34%) have not told anyone at work about their symptoms. When asked why, seven in 10 said menopause is a personal issue, while others said talking about menopause was embarrassing (11%), could cause others to perceive them negatively (7%), or have a negative impact on their career (5%).

Yet, it is a workplace issue; over one-third (37%) of respondents said that their symptoms negatively affect their work performance.

“There’s a ripple effect that impacts women’s career advancement and the leadership pipeline,” McCollum added. “Menopause usually coincides with women’s progression into senior roles. Stigma, combined with a lack of awareness and support, contribute to women’s attrition, which then further exacerbates the available pool of talent as we look higher up the corporate ladder. Supporting menopause in the workplace can help women show up, stay in, and thrive at work—and that is good for business.”

Employer menopause support is critical.

Menopause costs organizations an estimated $1.8 billion per year in the US alone due to menopause-related productivity losses. Closing the gender gap in labor force participation in senior and middle management positions could increase global economic output by 7%, or $7 trillion.

Employers have an opportunity to support women at a critical stage in both their lives and careers. In doing so, they will attract, support, and retain highly skilled senior talent and reap the benefits of increased business performance.

According to the survey, the most in-demand menopause benefits include:

• Time off and flexible work arrangements: 60% of employees want policies that offer time off and flexible working arrangements. Currently, only 25% of organizations offer these.
• Adjustments to the working environment: 50% of employees want changes like cooling rooms or ergonomic considerations, but only 21% of companies provide them.
• Medical insurance: 48% of employees expect coverage for menopause-related treatments and therapies, yet just 22% of employers offer this benefit.
• Access to menopause health professionals: While 46% of employees are asking for this, only 22% of organizations have responded with concrete offerings.
• Education and awareness at work: 42% of employees seek broader workforce education on menopause, but a mere 19% of employers provide such training.

Steps for a menopause-inclusive workplace.

Proactively implementing menopause policies and benefits can create a more inclusive and supportive culture. In industries where competition for talent is fierce, addressing stigma and providing menopause support could be a game changer, enhancing a company’s brand and attracting high-caliber candidates who value well-being initiatives.

There are five key actions organizations can take to support, retain, and attract women experiencing menopause in the workplace:

• Implement practical and meaningful workplace menopause benefits. Start by conducting a comprehensive audit and gathering employee feedback.
• Educate employees and managers about menopause and menopause stigma’s negative effect. Tap employee resource groups to combat stigma and listen to employees about what women experiencing menopause across intersecting identities need and their experiences within your company.
• Foster an inclusive and open workplace culture that normalizes conversation about menopause and reduces stigma. Train managers to engage in active listening, open communication, and empathy and equip them with an awareness and understanding of menopause, so employees can openly discuss.
• Examine retention data and exit surveys for patterns that suggest employees of menopausal age are leaving or not advancing in your organization. Use data to inform your retention strategy to keep top talent through the menopause life stage.
• Advertise menopause-supportive policies and benefits in job postings, particularly for senior leadership positions, to help attract a gender-diverse pool of applicants.

Catalyst will be rolling out additional findings from the survey throughout October, World Menopause Awareness Month. A panel of experts will explore how to build a menopause-inclusive organizational culture during a webinar on Oct. 30. The event is free and open to the public.

Methodology

Catalyst surveyed 2,892 full-time employees across Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden in a variety of industries. Top representation came from the business and professional services, education, finance, banking and insurance, government and military, healthcare and medical, manufacturing, and retail sectors. The sample was of mostly cisgender women with some representation of other genders. Almost half of the respondents were between the ages of 40-50 years, and the rest were between the ages of 51-79 years. Participants were asked a series of questions about their experiences with menopause at work and researchers conducted statistical analysis to understand the prevalence of these experiences.

Catalyst acknowledges and supports the full range of gender diversity and expression and recognizes that not all women experience menopause, and that transmasculine and nonbinary people may also experience menopause and deserve the support of their organization. Additionally, we recognize that even among cisgender women embodied experiences like menopause are complex, multi-faceted, and can diverge considerably.

Catalyst is a global nonprofit supported by many of the world’s most powerful CEOs and leading companies to help build workplaces that work for women. Founded in 1962, Catalyst drives change with preeminent thought leadership, actionable solutions, and a galvanized community of multinational corporations to accelerate and advance women into leadership—because progress for women is progress for everyone.

Contacts

Mariana Vanin
Director, Global Communications
Catalyst
mvanin@catalyst.org

Ted Bravakis
Canada Communications Consultant to Catalyst
tbravakis@bravacomm.com

Frances Knox
EMEA Communications Consultant to Catalyst
frances@frankly-pr.co.uk

Stephanie Wolf
US Communications Consultant to Catalyst
stephanie@stephaniewolfpr.com

The post Women Call for More Menopause Support in the Workplace in New Global Survey appeared first on Catalyst.