According to recent data women now make up 37% of the global workforce,¹ and women of menopausal age are the fastest-growing demographic.² In 2021, it was estimated that women filled 31% of senior management roles globally³ which certainly sounds like progress, but the reality is that it took until January 2023, for the number of Fortune 500 companies led by women to go over 10%.⁴  

So why is there still such a gap when it comes to female leadership? While there are a large number of issues which contribute to gender inequality in the workplace, including unequal pay and inflexible working hours after having children,⁵ we’re going to focus on one that is fast rising up business agendas – menopause.

Some facts...

Did you know that 25% of women going through menopause experience severe symptoms?⁶ And given that both perimenopause and menopause generally occur when a female worker is at the peak of her career, this is surely a contributing factor to the lack of female leadership. According to a recent UK survey…

These statistics highlight, quite dramatically, the personal struggle that almost all women of menopausal or perimenopausal age go through, and the glass ceiling that women – particularly those with a lack of menopause support – face. But they also demonstrate something else… menopause is a business issue.

With the resignation, or reduced hours, of so many women at the peak of their careers, businesses face the loss of crucial skills, experience and talent, and are left to pay the substantial cost of replacing important role models. And with the number of women working well into their 40s and 50s, and beyond, only increasing, this is a matter for multinationals to take seriously if they want to support and retain their female employees.

...menopause is a business issue.

Before we look into how multinationals can support their female employees at this stage in their lives, let’s look at some perimenopause and menopause facts.

With such personal symptoms, and the ignorance, silence and stigma that has historically surrounded them, it’s no surprise that many women haven’t felt comfortable speaking up about menopause at work. And for a long time, it s been largely overlooked by employers too.

But now, with a generation of women starting to open up about their experiences, and further increases in the focus on health and wellbeing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems that menopause is finally being recognised as a significant factor in many women’s working lives.

All of this means that menopause support is no longer a ‘nice to have’ – it’s essential if employers want to keep their valued and experienced female employees, especially at a time when businesses are encouraging the over 50s back to work to help with employee shortages. This is just one of the many reasons that demand for these services will only continue to grow.

...menopause support is no longer a ‘nice to have’

So, is there a shift taking place?

In a recent blog post, Kathy Abernethy, Director Menopause Services at Peppy, says that in the past five years, 63% of employers have seen an increased demand for menopause support from their people,¹⁰ with many companies now realising that this is something that must be prioritised.

It’s not a done deal by any means: some countries are making progress more quickly than others, and there’s still work to be done, with 36% of employers feeling that they are behind the curve,¹⁰ but it’s promising to see menopause finally making its way onto the corporate agenda.

Women experiencing menopause, and perimenopause of course, need support for their symptoms, whether these are physical, mental, or very often, both. However, a wider understanding of this stage of life is needed in general. Menopause tends to last for around seven years but can go on for as long as 14 years.¹¹

This is a lengthy period in a woman’s life, at a time when they might be dealing with a number of other family-related matters such as caring for children and / or parents, or facing other important life events, all while trying to succeed at work. It’s also important to remember that menopause doesn’t just impact the woman experiencing it – it can impact families, partners, friends, colleagues, and the business they work for.

...a wider understanding of this stage of life is needed in general.

So, menopause support can’t simply focus on tackling the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause – education and understanding are crucial to this conversation. While mental health support is the most common benefit offered to employees experiencing menopause, others include healthy lifestyle advice, information on company/benefit portals, training for line managers and senior leadership, support groups, and training targeted at male colleagues.¹⁰

The key is providing flexible and personalised support to each individual, and treating menopause like other conditions that require specialist care.¹⁰

Following the success of the pilot, Santander rolled out Peppy Menopause support for all its UK employees, with more than 500 having signed up to use it by mid-way through 2021.¹⁶ And the positive results seem to be long-lasting, with 72% of employees remaining active users of the support 90 days after registration, and 59% engaged in the programme after 180 days.¹⁵

Providing this support has definitely helped. 81% of Santander UK employees say they experience less bothersome mental and/or physical menopause symptoms and 88% feel more comfortable discussing this with their line manager.¹⁵

1.       Launch a survey. Don’t try to guess what your employees might need to feel supported at this time – ask them! Launching a survey is a great way to gauge how your employees feel, and what they need in terms of support and information going forward. And don’t just ask your female employees. It’s important to include all colleagues in the process and understand what everyone needs to make your workplace menopause-friendly, and to help your people when they’re not at work too. 

2.       Educate and encourage discussion. Awareness and education are key to both general understanding and to make talking about menopause less taboo in your workplace. Educate your employees about menopause and encourage conversation so that your female employees feel more comfortable opening up about their experiences, if they want to.

3.       Write a menopause policy. If you don’t already have one, a menopause policy is a great place to start. Having your company’s menopause support explained in one place can help those experiencing menopause and perimenopause to know where they stand, and where they can go for help. It’s also really important to make sure your policy is easy to find, so make sure it’s clearly signposted on your intranet. You can also become an accredited ‘Menopause Friendly’ employer.¹⁷

4.       Check your medical policies. It’s also important to check any exclusions on your medical policies – menopause is often not covered and/or is considered a chronic condition. Multinationals writing their employee benefits risks into a captive might be able to remove these exclusions and ensure that their people are receiving the best support possible.

5.       Be flexible. As we know, menopause and perimenopause can result in a whole host of symptoms, including difficulty sleeping. Offering flexible or hybrid working can help women who might need to work outside of the traditional 9-5, or work from home while they are experiencing these symptoms.

6.       Make menopause a year-round priority. It’s important that menopause support becomes a part of your company culture and isn’t just a tick box exercise – shout about the support you’re providing all year round and not just on menopause awareness weeks or International Women’s Day.

^{[1] The World Bank https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.TOTL.FE.ZS (Sourced February 2023)
[2] Deborah Garlick, Menopause in the Workplace https://menopauseintheworkplace.co.uk/menopause-at-work/menopause-and-work-its-important/ (Sourced February 2023)
[3] Anon, Natural HR https://www.naturalhr.com/2021/03/23/10-reasons-why-the-world-needs-more-women-in-leadership-roles/ (Sourced February 2023)
[4] Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune https://fortune.com/2023/01/12/fortune-500-companies-ceos-women-10-percent/#:~:text=This%20month%2C%20for%20the%20first,over%20the%20long%2Dawaited%20threshold (Sourced February 2023)
[5] Lauren Taylor, Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/davina-mccall-symptoms-nhs-cipd-b1938361.html (Sourced February 2023)
[6] Kalyeena Makortoff, The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/may/19/financial-sector-takes-part-in-survey-about-impact-of-menopause (Sourced February 2023)
[7] Anon, NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/ (Sourced February 2023)
[8] Anon, John Hopkins Medicine https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/introduction-to-menopause (Sourced February 2023)
[9] Anon, NHS Inform https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health/later-years-around-50-years-and-over/menopause-and-post-menopause-health/menopause-and-your-mental-wellbeing (Sourced February 2023)
[10] Kathy Abernethy, HR Zone https://www.hrzone.com/community/blogs/kathy-abernethy/increased-demand-for-menopause-support (Sourced February 2023)
[11] Anon, NIA https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-menopause#:~:text=The%20menopausal%20transition%20most%20often,begins%2C%20and%20race%20and%20ethnicity (Sourced February 2023)
[12] Deborah Garlick, Menopause in the Workplace https://menopauseintheworkplace.co.uk/case-studies/santander-helping-colleagues-thrive-in-the-workplace/ (Sourced February 2023)
[13] Allie Nawrat, Unleash https://www.unleash.ai/wellbeing/5-companies-going-above-and-beyond-to-support-employees-through-menopause/ (Sourced February 2023)
[14] Anon, Peppy Health https://peppy.health/ (Sourced February 2023)
[15] Anon, Peppy Health https://8397591.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/8397591/UK%20Website%20Content%20-%20Case%20Studies/Case%20Studies%20UK%20x%20Santander%20-%20October%202022.pdf (Sourced February 2023)
[16] Louise Farrand, Employee Benefits https://employeebenefits.co.uk/santander-uk-supports-people-through-menopause/ (Sourced February 2023)
[17] Anon, Menopause Friendly https://menopausefriendly.co.uk/ (Sourced February 2023)}

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