Despite the widespread demand and need for employer-sponsored menopause solutions, it’s still exceedingly rare in the marketplace. According to recent studies, 99% or of menopausal women experience symptoms that impact their work performance—25% say it’s severe.
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re interested in the topic because of your own challenges with menopause, as an HR leader or manager seeking a solution for your employees—or both. Either way, statistically, you are not alone (not even close!) and you have the power to make a positive change. We can help you work through the process—and provide tools like this draft email to send to your HR team or leadership.
The conversation starts with knowing your organization, especially leaders keen on demonstrating an investment in their employees while maintaining a healthy bottom line, want to hear from you. Here are some tips and ideas:
Prepare yourself with information and lead with evidence.
Relevant, well-supported data are critical in business decisions. Thankfully, they aren’t impossible to come by and available through public health resources. Sharing statistics helps build credibility which, in turn, makes it easier for your company’s influencers to translate into results. Make the case that menopause support is essential to a healthy and productive workforce. Here’s a start:- Symptoms affect work: Surveys found that around 65% of women felt their day-to-day work was negatively affected by menopause.1
- Menopause is a significant cause of absenteeism: 20-25% of women report taking sick leave due to menopause symptoms. Of those, nearly a third miss a week or more annually.2 According to a 2023 Mayo Clinic study, the cost of this is estimated at $1.8 billion.
- Stigma and silence: Two-thirds of women report feeling uncomfortable discussing their symptoms with their employer or colleagues, and one-third actively hide their symptoms at work.3
- Career impact: Due to untreated and/or severe symptoms, some women feel the need to reduce their hours, step down from leadership roles, or leave the workforce entirely. In fact, 1 in 5 women consider leaving work due to menopause.4
Focus on building social support as well.
Pair your message to HR with an offer to help. This includes offering assistance in organizing and initiatives like Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). ERGs are both good for employees and good for business. An affinity group around menopause can invite discussion, ease the stigma around menopause and aging, and can identify and prioritize challenges and solutions.Offer to work with others in the organization to build a sense of community, share information, learn together, research solutions, network, and serve as a feedback loop to HR and business leaders. Many benefit providers offer “communities” or templates you can use to spread the word.
