Health or workforce issue?… what about both?
Menopause is more than a personal health-related stage – for HR leaders, it’s a workforce issue with real costs. Worldwide, menopause-related challenges are estimated to cost about $150 billion in lost productivity each year [1]. In the U.S. alone, researchers found menopause symptoms contribute to roughly $1.8 billion in missed workdays annually [2]. These staggering figures translate into real employee struggles: one UK study found 23% of working women had considered quitting due to menopause or menstrual symptoms [3]. In that survey, 40% said symptoms hurt their on-the-job productivity [3]. Millions of seasoned professionals are quietly battling fatigue, brain fog, hot flashes, and sleep loss, which shows up in output and turnover.
2 thirds of your workforce might be suffering negative effects
The most brutal hits are oftenfrom the most experienced professionals. Women aged 45–54 – about 20% of the U.S. workforce [4] – are typically at the height of their careers, leading teams and mentoring others [4]. Yet menopause symptoms at this life stage can undermine their performance. For example, an Irish hospital study found that 65% of menopausal employees said their symptoms reduced work performance, and 18% even took sick leave for those symptoms [5]. Similarly, a U.S. survey reported that about 13% of women experienced an adverse work outcome from menopause, and 11% had missed workdays in the past year due to symptoms [6]. In the UK, roughly 900,000 women left the workforce in one year because of menopausal issues [1]. These are often your senior managers, specialists, and women in leadership roles – the holders of institutional wisdom [2] [4].
How much is menopause affecting performance and engagement within your team?
The business impact is clear: untreated menopause symptoms drive up absenteeism and turnover. Survey data show that 17% of women quit or considered quitting their jobs because of these issues [4]. This jeopardizes continuity, slows projects, and incurs rehiring costs. Yet the same studies also found huge demand for change: 87% of women want more employer support, with about one-third requesting flexible hours and over a quarter wanting time off for health needs [3]. In other words, employees ask for solutions, and HR leaders can deliver workplace solutions that benefit everyone.
Why building a menopause-inclusive workplace is important?
For HR leaders, the message is clear: addressing menopause is both the right thing to do and an innovative business. Evaluate your current policies and employee well-being strategies now. Does your company have a Menopause workplace policy? Are managers trained on how to support menopausal staff? Consider conducting a survey or focus group to understand needs. Then implement flexible scheduling, invest in awareness programs, and communicate openly. You might also leverage external resources – for example, our webinars on “Menopause in the Workplace” offer practical guidance for designing policies and training programs.
Retain talent, boost productivity and enhance your brand’s reputation
By proactively supporting women through menopause, you help them stay in the workforce, maintaining leadership diversity and productivity. As HR experts and research underscore, menopause-inclusive workplaces see higher job satisfaction and performance [4] [2]. Building a comfortable workplace for all life stages strengthens culture, enhances employee wellbeing, and secures your organization’s success.
References
[1] learnevents.com.
[2] fisherphillips.com.
[3] simplyhealth.co.uk.
[4] cultureamp.com.
[5] pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. [6] newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org.
