More than a quarter of women are considering leaving their job due to menopause symptoms, while 7% have already quit, according to research.
However employers believe they are providing the right support and have appropriate policies in place for those going through menopause.
A survey of 2,000 UK working women aged 40-65 commissioned by Benenden Health found almost half (47%) had to change the way they work to cope with menopause symptoms.
This included reducing hours (18%), cutting responsibilities (12%), or turning down promotions and training opportunities (6%).
Many were also struggling to perform day-to-day tasks with almost one in three (31%) saying their productivity had reduced, three in ten (30%) needed more breaks, while on average women were losing 5.5 working days a year to menopause-related illness alone.
As a result, 28% were considering leaving their jobs due to this.
The most common symptoms causing disruption at work were brain fog and memory issues (46%), hot flushes (46%) and fatigue (43%), with many also citing anxiety, mood changes and joint pain.
Employer misunderstanding
Furthermore, a parallel survey of 500 HR decision makers appeared to show a disconnect with many employers appearing confident they were providing support in this area.
It found that 92% believed their organisations were meeting the needs of staff going through menopause, and three-quarters (72%) said they already had a formal policy or initiative in place.
Yet the reality for women told a different story:
- 40% said they were unaware of any policies in their workplace,
- only a third (33%) of organisations provided menopause training for managers,
- and fewer than half offered practical measures such as paid leave (41%) or workplace adjustments (45%).
The report also indicated the stigma surrounding menopause remained an issue as 63% of women said it was still awkward to discuss at work and just 45% felt comfortable raising symptoms with their manager.
Common fears included being judged (17%), not understood (16%), or that they will be treated differently (12%)
‘Make impossible choices’
Dr Amy Pressland, head of talent and performance at Benenden Health, said: “Too many women are being forced to make impossible choices between their health and their careers.
“Our research reveals a gap between employers’ perceptions of support and the reality women face every day during this life stage.
“Businesses and organisations have a responsibility to help to close the gap. Menopause should never be a reason for someone to step back from work they love, or for an organisation to lose talent.
“Instead, we would encourage HR teams to embed clear menopause support policies, enable open conversations and implement a range of practical support options, so they can create environments where women can thrive at every stage of life.”
Dr Cheryl Lythgoe, nurse consultant at Benenden Health, added: “Menopause affects women differently and can bring a wide range of physical, mental and emotional symptoms that are hard to manage while working. Yet many still feel uncomfortable discussing it in the workplace, meaning essential support is often missed.”
