What does menopause stigma look like at work?

Menopause affects pretty much half of the population at some point in their life, but it’s still something we don’t talk about openly. When we do, it’s usually hushed conversations about hot flushes, or an embarrassed apology about brain fog.

Normalising conversations around menopause doesn’t just mean talking about the symptoms. It also requires a recognition of how the symptoms and experiences affect all aspects of life, from sex and relationships to sleep and work. Despite this, 60% of people feel that cultural taboos still make it hard to talk openly about women’s health. 

Of a survey of 1,500 people by M.E.L research and The Menopause Charity, menopause was the best-known women’s health condition. But, the bar is low, with only 49% of women said they were well-informed about menopause and its effects – with the figure dropping to 22% for men. This is, in part, because stigma around menopause and perimenopause is pervasive, stopping us from talking in-depth about something that pretty much happens to, or affects by proxy, all of us.

What does menopause stigma look like?

Lauren Chiren, founder of Women of a Certain Stage, was a successful senior finance executive when she started forgetting words, losing her train of thought and doubting herself. She was convinced it was early dementia. She left her job. It turned out to be menopause.

Now, she has worked with more than 400 employers across 36 countries, delivering menopause training to dismantle stigma and ensure workplaces are supporting women. Among the many things she has discovered is that menopause stigma isn’t always obvious.

“Usually it's what we might call the unconscious thoughts, or bias, that someone has around another person's behaviour changes – hot flushes, unusual low mood, anxiety out of nowhere, or someone who would normally speak up in a meeting suddenly going quiet and looking like a shadow of their former self,” says Chiren.

“Sometimes it is the joke about someone having a ‘senior moment’, the eye roll when a woman opens a window, or somebody being described as emotional, difficult or no longer able to cope when actually they are struggling with symptoms.”

Occasionally, it’s more obvious. In a poll of more than 2,000 people, 69% said they had experienced discrimination at work due to menopause.

“I often hear from women who have been overlooked for promotion, taken out of important meetings, or felt they needed to hide what they were experiencing because they worried it would change how colleagues perceived their capability,” says Chiren.

“That is the piece we really need to understand, because menopause does not suddenly make somebody less talented, skilled, experienced or valuable. I have spoken to incredibly capable women who have started questioning themselves because brain fog, disrupted sleep, anxiety or other symptoms have affected how they feel or perform on a particular day.”

Impact of menopause stigma

“If the culture around them is one where menopause is laughed at, dismissed or simply never talked about, they are far less likely to ask for support,” says Chiren. “No one, myself included, wants to be seen as weak or vulnerable. The subtle stigma can be just as damaging as the obvious discrimination.”

One in ten women who worked during the menopause have left a job due to their symptoms. In a recent study published in the journal Women’s Health, a team of researchers examined 130 anonymous Reddit posts to understand how menopause shapes careers. Women described fatigue, mood swings, migraines, brain fog and anxiety that made it hard to work. Many criticised themselves and worried about performance reviews. Despite this, 80% of women say their employer hasn’t shared information, trained staff or put in place a menopause absence policy.

But even if workplaces do have policies, stigma prevents people from actually using them. From December, workers in Spain with conditions linked to the menopause will be able to access specific paid medical leave. It’s progress – although it is unclear exactly which ‘secondary’ conditions are included, and women will need a medical assessment to find out if they are eligible – but only if people use it.

Read more: Could menstrual leave reinforce inequalities at work?

And, having a policy in an intranet nobody looks at isn’t going to drive cultural change. “The reality is that most employers are driven by their bottom line and their stated stakeholder commitments,” says Chiren. “Putting on a webinar once a year around World Menopause Day is easy, and many people see this as a tick-box exercise. I'd much rather an organisation did something than nothing, yet a one-off webinar is clearly not going to make a cultural difference.”

So what do employers need to do to overcome menopause stigma?

“Some of the most effective changes are simple and often cost very little,” says Chiren. “Start by making it OK to have conversations about menopause, whether privately with trusted colleagues or menopause champions, or in menopause social groups. Making it acceptable to talk about menopause, with messaging built into recruitment, onboarding and the everyday life of a colleague right through to exit, makes a big difference.”

It is also important for employers to understand and monitor the impact of menopause in the workplace by looking at relevant data and metrics, such as employee retention and the number of people leaving the organisation. HR teams and managers must also have the education, training, resources and confidence to have informed, supportive conversations with employees. Practical environmental changes can help too, like toilets with washbasins in, breathable uniforms for staff, desk fans, better ventilation, quiet spaces or flexible hours.

“Most importantly – ask what people need, never assume,” says Chiren. “The aim should never be to treat menopausal women as a problem that needs managing. It is to remove unnecessary barriers so experienced, talented people can continue to contribute and thrive at work.”

We’re an independent digital magazine, and your support helps us keep doing what we do. If you enjoy our work, please consider buying us a coffee here.