Menopause is a natural biological transition marking the end of a woman’s reproductive years. By 2030, an estimated 1.2 billion women worldwide will be menopausal or postmenopausal. Despite its prevalence, menopause remains stigmatized, often leaving women feeling unsupported in both personal and professional settings.
 

According to Aimed Alliance and HR.com's 2024 workplace survey, 80% of HR professionals recognize that menopause and perimenopause symptoms impact women's careers. The consequences can be significant, with 85% citing a loss of self-confidence and 68% noting reduced productivity, ultimately affecting women's workplace performance and participation.

Many women in their late 40s and early 50s are at the peak of their careers, and a lack of awareness and support can exacerbate health inequities, forcing many to navigate this phase without adequate resources. As a result, women are deprived of opportunities for career progression, and their workplace can subsequently lose the benefit of their skill and expertise.

This survey investigates these complex issues by examining:
 

• stigma associated with discussing these matters at work and the role stigma plays in perpetuating inequity;
• health services offered to support women and men experiencing age-related issues; and
• best practices adopted by organizations proactive in supporting employees’ health and reducing menopause and aging stigma in the workplace.

Key Findings

• Although most HR professionals are aware of perimenopause/ menopause stages and effects, women in midlife still tend to grapple with numerous career repercussions related to these issues.
• Few organizations are actively trying to reduce stigmas surrounding menopause and midlife health.
• Menopause treatment and support are offered by only two-fifths of organizations providing employee health insurance.
• Organizations can provide a variety of perimenopause/menopause-friendly accommodations and take proactive steps to reduce health stigmas in the workplace.

How Well Do HR Professionals Understand Menopause?

Our survey of HR professionals revealed that while 56% believe perimenopause or menopause symptoms begin between 45 and 55, 39% recognize they can start as early as 35. The career impact? Significant. A striking 83% agree that midlife health issues uniquely affect women’s career progression.

Menopause often overlaps with key career growth years, yet many organizations that support age-related conditions like heart disease and diabetes overlook its career-stalling effects. It's time for a change.

Menopause-Related Career Challenges Faced by Midlife Women

Perimenopause and menopause bring symptoms that can impact a woman’s quality of life and career. Eight in 10 HR professionals agree they affect job performance, productivity, and even organizational financials. The top reported impacts include loss of self-confidence (85%), presenteeism and reduced productivity (68%), and disengagement (67%).

As a result, many women opt for less demanding roles (55%), take more leave (55%), or forgo leadership opportunities (48%).

Stigma and Silence: Navigating Menopause in Professional Settings

Organizations are underperforming in fostering a healthy workplace and reducing stigma. Only 41% say their organizations actively create a positive work environment, and just 22% believe efforts are made to reduce stigma for all employees. Gendered dynamics worsen the issue—stigma around discussing menopause leaves employees hesitant to seek benefits information despite available treatments.

Three in five (60%) respondents report that women in their organizations are not comfortable raising concerns about coverage for age-related health issues like perimenopause and menopause.

Workplace Offerings for Employees’ Midlife Health Needs

Encouragingly, 96% of respondents say their organization provides employee health insurance covering breast cancer screening (87%), specialist care (74%), reproductive health services (62%), and sexual health services (46%). Nine in 10 HR professionals acknowledge that women in midlife have different healthcare needs than men (87%) and younger female employees aged 18 to 39 (93%). Yet, only two-fifths (40%) offer menopause treatments and support—leaving a crucial gap in care.
We asked respondents which men's health services their organizations include in the employee health benefits package. Encouragingly, 68% reported that prostate cancer screening is included in their health benefits package. Around two-fifths of respondents said their organizations offer sexual health services (40%) and reproductive health services (37%), with a slightly lower proportion providing mental health services specifically tailored to men (32%).

Best Practices in Developing Menopause-Friendly Workplaces

We asked women’s health champion organizations about their menopause-friendly workplace accommodations. The most common include time off for medical appointments (88%) and restroom access (86%), followed by EAPs (80%), flexible hours (64%), and remote work (58%).

However, fewer offer specialized support like cooling devices (56%), comfortable workspaces (48%), or individual coaching/therapy (23%). While basic accommodations are widely available, specialized support remains lacking, highlighting a gap in fully addressing menopause-related workplace needs.

For valuable insights into the midlife health challenges of women and workplace support strategies, download the full report today!


 
Error: No such template "/CustomCode/topleader/category"!