Menopause and Working Life: The Real Cost of a Quiet Transformation

For many years, menopause was barely spoken about in professional life. Even today, for millions of people, it remains surrounded by stigma, misunderstanding, discomfort, and silence.

But we now know very clearly that menopause is not simply a personal health issue. It is directly connected to employee experience, leadership, wellbeing, productivity, inclusion, and workplace culture.

As I started researching this topic for my own company and reviewing the data more closely, I realised how significant this issue really is — and how urgently organisations need to pay attention.

A Reality That Can No Longer Be Ignored

Today in the UK, there are:

• approximately 4.6 million economically active women aged 50–64

• and around 5.4 million women aged 35–49 participating in the workforce.

The average age of menopause in both the UK and Turkey is around 51.

This means millions of women are experiencing menopause during some of the most active and demanding years of their careers.

Sources: Office for National Statistics (2024), NHS (2022, 2024)]

So the question is no longer:

“Does menopause affect working life?”

The real question is:

“How well do organisations and leaders understand and support this transition?”

We now know that many women consider leaving work during this period — and some do. Depending on workplace culture and communication, many women still do not feel comfortable discussing menopause with managers or colleagues. Some worry about how they will be perceived. Others feel embarrassed, misunderstood, or believe it is simply “not something to talk about” at work.

One of the most important — and often overlooked — realities is this:

Companies risk losing some of their most experienced, capable, and valuable employees simply because they struggle to navigate this stage of life in unsupported environments.

And sometimes organisations spend enormous amounts of time managing internal communication breakdowns, disengagement, or declining morale without recognising that menopause may be one of the underlying factors.

The Impact of Menopause at Work: Far Beyond Physical Symptoms

Research consistently shows that menopause is not only about physical symptoms.

Women commonly report experiencing:

• sleep problems

• mental fatigue

• difficulty concentrating

• anxiety

• hot flushes

• emotional overload

• loss of confidence

• brain fog

• emotional fluctuations

• 
  

According to the Health and Employment After Fifty (HEAF) study:

• 91.7% of women reported vasomotor symptoms

• 68.2% experienced sleep problems

• 63.6% reported psychological symptoms

• 49.1% experienced urinary symptoms

• 
  

Importantly, 27% of women said they experienced moderate or severe difficulty coping with work during menopause.

Source: D’Angelo et al. (2022)

One of the Biggest Impacts: Invisible Loss of Confidence

One of the most striking findings across the research is the impact menopause can have on professional confidence.

Women frequently describe:

• fear of making mistakes

• withdrawing from visibility

• self-doubt

• performance anxiety

• stepping back from leadership presence

• 
  

According to research by the Financial Services Skills Commission:

• 53% of employees experiencing menopause said they did not feel confident at work

• 40% said they no longer enjoyed work as much as before

  
  

Source: Beck & Financial Services Skills Commission (2021)

Many women continue appearing strong externally while internally carrying significant exhaustion, cognitive load, and emotional pressure.

And most of the time, they try to manage it silently.

Awareness Is Changing — and Companies Are Beginning to Respond

The encouraging news is that many organisations have started taking action.

More companies are now introducing:

• menopause awareness training

• menopause policies and procedures

• leadership education

• workplace wellbeing initiatives

• employee support systems

  
  

What is particularly interesting is that companies involving younger employees and male colleagues in menopause awareness programmes often report positive cultural shifts very quickly.

Communication improves.

Empathy increases.

Team dynamics become healthier.

Employee engagement strengthens.

This is especially important because menopause awareness is not only beneficial for women experiencing menopause directly.

Educating men also matters — not only as managers or colleagues, but as partners, husbands, fathers, sons, and friends. Greater understanding helps improve relationships both inside and outside the workplace.

Similarly, younger employees develop stronger empathy and awareness towards older colleagues and different life stages, helping create more human-centred and inclusive workplace cultures.

And although menopause is expected at a certain stage of life, many women also experience early menopause. Organisations with strong awareness and supportive cultures often become significantly better at prioritising employee wellbeing overall.

A Silent Organisational Problem

Research also shows that menopause affects not only wellbeing, but long-term engagement and career sustainability.

Some studies found that women:

• consider reducing working hours

• withdraw from promotion opportunities

• avoid taking on additional responsibilities

• or even consider leaving work completely

For example:

• 64% of women experiencing severe symptoms considered reducing working hours

• 47% considered leaving the workforce entirely

Source: Cronin et al. (2024)

Another study found:

• 47% of women experiencing menopause said they were less likely to apply for promotions

Source: Beck & Financial Services Skills Commission (2021)

These numbers represent not only a personal challenge, but also a major organisational risk.

Because this is no longer only about wellbeing.

It becomes a matter of:

• talent retention

• leadership sustainability

• preserving experience and expertise

• productivity

• employee engagement

• organisational culture

The Economic Cost: £1.5 Billion

A 2024 economic analysis prepared for the NHS Confederation quantified the national impact of menopause on the UK economy.

According to the report:

• around 60,000 women are currently out of employment due to menopause or perimenopause

• the estimated annual economic impact is approximately £1.5 billion

Additionally:

• absenteeism costs are estimated at £191 million

• presenteeism costs — employees physically present but unable to work at full capacity — are estimated at £22.4 million

Source: Gorham & Langham (2024)

These figures make one thing very clear:

Menopause is no longer simply a “personal issue.”

It is an important workplace, leadership, and business issue.

Are Women Adequately Supported at Work?

Research suggests there is still a significant gap.

One large-scale study found that only:

• 19% of women were aware of menopause support available in their workplace

Source: Beck et al. (2020)

Even more importantly:

Many women still hesitate to ask for support.

Why?

Because concerns around:

• age discrimination

• appearing “weak”

• damaging professional credibility

• being questioned in leadership roles

remain very common.

As a result, many women try to hide their symptoms.

Some avoid meetings.

Some reduce visibility.

Some quietly withdraw.

What Do Women Actually Need?

Research consistently shows that women value:

• open communication

• strong menopause policies and procedures

• organisation-wide awareness

• HR and leadership support

• support systems for women experiencing menopause

• stigma-free workplaces

• psychologically safe environments

• informed and empathetic leadership

• flexible working models

• feeling understood

• being able to speak without judgement

Because this is not simply about managing symptoms.

It is about being able to continue showing up fully, sustainably, and confidently.

Why This Matters for Companies

The strongest companies of the future will not only manage performance.

They will understand people.

Menopause support directly influences:

• employee retention

• motivation across teams

• leadership continuity

• employee experience

• psychological safety

• organisational culture

And ultimately, this conversation is about something much bigger than menopause itself.

It is about creating workplaces where people are allowed to be human.

Final Thoughts

For me, the most important part of this conversation is this:

Many women are still trying to go through this period alone.

But menopause should not be something women feel forced to hide.

It is entirely possible to build more conscious, inclusive, supportive, and human-centred workplace cultures.

And when organisations do this well, the benefits extend far beyond menopause itself.

Strong policies, supportive leadership, open communication, and inclusive workplace cultures strengthen organisations as a whole.

This should never be treated as a shameful topic inside companies.

When approached correctly, it improves communication, empathy, trust, and connection across the entire organisation.

Sources

• Office for National Statistics (2024)

• NHS (2022, 2024)

• D’Angelo et al. (2022) — Impact of Menopausal Symptoms on Work

• Beck et al. (2020) — The Remains of the Taboo

• Beck & Financial Services Skills Commission (2021)

• Bryson et al. (2022)

• Cronin et al. (2024)

• Gorham & Langham (2024) — NHS Confederation Report

• Hardy et al. (2018, 2019)

• Dennis & Hobson (2023)