“Women in their 40s and 50s are highly valuable in the workplace. They are at the peak of their careers and have a wealth of knowledge, experience, and talent to provide and share. It is vital, therefore, that they are supported through the menopause to enable them to be the very best versions of themselves,” says Debra Clark head of wellbeing at Everywhen Employee Benefits.
Don’t lose highly valued employees through lack of menopause support
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The huge value of gen-X women
Debra Clark’s comments come not just from industry experience but are backed by facts: for example, Office for National Statistics figures show that average employee earnings peak for those in their 40s and 50s.1 And winners of the Nobel Prize are normally closer to 55 by the time they collect their award. 2
Keeping women, in particular, in the workplace is also vital for diversity, and it has been statistically proven that there is a significant correlation between a more diverse leadership team and the company’s financial performance.3 And companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams are 25% more likely to have above-average profitability than companies in the fourth quartile.3 So keeping women in their 40s and 50s at work is clearly likely to be of great benefit to the business as well as the employee.
Debra Clark comments: “Women of any age bring diversity and unique qualities to a workplace but women in their 40s and 50s bring a particular enrichment for diversity of thought and emotional intelligence that drives the success of a business.”
Lack of menopause support for employees
However, many women are lacking the support required from them to thrive in the workplace through the menopause. Figures show that 10% of women who worked during the menopause have left a job due to their symptoms4 and 87% of working women want their employer to be more supportive when it comes to women’s health.
Specialist support
There are specialist providers who offer support specifically for menopause through digital platforms, one-to-one consultations, and menopause courses. Some providers give access to a menopause-trained healthcare professional who can discuss symptoms and options and, if appropriate, prescribe HRT. Test kits are now readily available to give women an idea of where they are in the menopause transition. These all enable employers to offer very targeted support to keep women in the workplace.
Support that may already be in place
More general support is available through virtual GPs, PMI, cash plans and EAPs. This may include physio for aches and pains, nutrition support, and mental health support. Some EAPs have a separate service specifically for people going through the menopause. Menopause-support phone lines can be included in PMI, normally as an add-on option. These are all options that may already be offered in many workplaces and should help to support women throughout the life stages.
Cost should not be a barrier
There are various ways for the employer to put menopause support in place. It may be a standalone option, part of a wider plan, or something that can be made available for the employees to purchase themselves. So cost should not be a barrier to providing support.
In-company support
If companies want to put in place more holistic and cultural support they could consider menopause pledges and menopause friendly accreditation. Companies can also think about training menopause champions or coaches from within their business to support both those directly affected and the line managers supporting them. This sort of way of providing support will help with engagement and with making women feel valued in the workplace. Employers may consider setting up a peer group or colleague community, such as a menopause café so employees support each other and do not feel so alone. Signposting to reputable sources of information can also assist and this does not cost anything at all.
Debra Clark concludes: “Menopause is not a performance issue—it’s a hormonal one. When businesses acknowledge this and implement supportive policies, everyone benefits. Retaining experienced women not only preserves institutional knowledge but also sustains the diversity that drives innovation and profitability.”
1. Average earnings by age and region - House of Commons Library
2. At what age do you hit the peak of your career?
3. How diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) matter | McKinsey