Women call for more support as Menopause still a taboo topic at work

Women globally are calling for more menopause support in the workplace and they are willing to take their talent elsewhere without it. A new survey from Catalyst, a global non-profit promoting gender equity and workplace inclusion, reveals that the menopause remains a taboo subject in many UK workplaces and over eight in ten employees (84%) are calling for more menopause support (85% globally).

The survey of 2,892 full-time employees who are either currently in menopause or recently finished experiencing it across eight countries — including 650 respondents in the UK — finds that more than one in three UK employees (39%) say there’s a stigma surrounding the topic at work (36% globally), forcing over three-quarters (77%) to hide their symptoms (72% globally).

The issue is so severe that nearly one in four UK employees (18%) have left a job due to lack of support (12% globally), with 16% planning to quit for the same reason (13% globally). Meanwhile, 13% have already turned down job offers at companies without menopause support (12% globally).

Nearly all UK respondents (98%) report experiencing moderate to severe menopause symptoms (97% globally), such as sleep disruption, physical exhaustion and hot flushes; with 40% saying their symptoms negatively affect their work performance (37% globally) – a situation worsened in companies where stigma is high.

“Women globally are calling for more menopause support in the workplace,” said Jennifer McCollum, president and CEO of Catalyst. “Menopause is one of the most common issues impacting women across the entire pipeline, from the front line to the C-suite. Employers should seize this opportunity to break the stigma and silence by providing menopause support in the workplace. To create truly inclusive work cultures, Organisations must meet employees where they are—with meaningful resources, conversations, and support.”

Lucy Kallin, Executive Director EMEA at Catalyst, said: “UK women are telling us that menopause is negatively impacting their work but too many are quietly struggling through it, not feeling able to speak up. Imagine being in a busy hospital or kitchen, feeling overwhelmed and uncomfortable, yet finding it almost impossible to talk about what you’re going through. And for those working shifts, the irregular hours can make symptoms like sleep disruption and insomnia even harder to cope with. For office-based women, it’s no easier. Air-conditioned offices can feel freezing one minute, then a hot flush strikes, and suddenly you’re sitting there in discomfort, but don’t feel you can bring it up.”