Despite millions of employees experiencing menopause each year, stigmas around the topic persist and the majority of women still fear talking about menopausal symptoms at work, revealed a new report.
The study carried out by Bank of America found that majority of women (60%) consider menopause to be stigmatised, with 58% of peri- and post-menopausal women reporting they don’t feel comfortable discussing their menopausal symptoms at work. Most women (80%) consider the topic to be too personal to discuss. Other concerns include fear being perceived as old (32%), embarrassed to talk about their body (28%); not wanting peers to treat them differently (23%); and fear of not being respected by male peers (18%).
The report entitled, Break Through the Stigma: Menopause in the Workplace, revealed that half of peri- and post-menopausal women (51%) report menopause has negatively impacted their work life, with 64% of women wanting menopause-specific benefits. Yet only 14% believe their employers recognize the need for menopause-specific benefits. The under-recognised need for menopause-specific benefits comes as 20% of the workforce is in some phase of menopause transition and the number of post-menopausal women is expected to reach 1.1 billion by 2025 globally, noted the report.
MENOPAUSE STIGMA
“Right now, there are millions of women suffering in silence – trying to simultaneously manage menopause symptoms, stigma and their careers,” said Lorna Sabbia, Head of Retirement & Personal Wealth Solutions at Bank of America. “With this report, we are addressing the issue head-on by bringing awareness to the challenges and identifying actions for employers. Our goal is to help women of all life stages comfortably and confidently bring their best selves to work.”
The report, which surveyed 2,000 female workers and 500 benefit managers on menopause and its impacts in the workplace, uncovered there is room for employers to better support women in this life stage. The report was developed in partnership with the National Menopause Foundation, a foundation committed to providing women with the information and resources they need to thrive during their journey to and through menopause.
DISCONNECT BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND FEMALE EMPLOYEES
While 76% of HR benefit managers say they discuss menopause with their employees, only 3% of peri- and post-employees say they have talked about menopause with HR, revealing a significant disconnect between the two groups. In addition, while 71% of employers have a positive perception of their company’s culture toward menopause, only 32% of women employees share that same perspective.
The number one reason employers say they do not offer menopause-specific benefits is that employees have not asked for them. Among employers who say they offer menopause-specific benefits, top benefits include access to menopause health professionals (40%), menopause policies such as time off or flexible work arrangements (38%), and hormone replacement therapy coverage by health insurance plans (38%). However, less than one in three women are aware of available benefits and only one in 10 use them.
When it comes to addressing the impact of menopause on the workplace, employers see the responsibility equally split between employees (49%) and employers (51%). However, female employees see the responsibility to be more on themselves (70% compared to 30%).
MENOPAUSE-SPECIFIC BENEFITS
Nearly two-thirds (64%) of women want menopause-specific benefits. In fact, when benefits are offered, 58% of women report they have had a positive impact on their work, mostly by allowing them to bring their best selves to work (40%). Female employees are also likely to feel more comfortable talking about menopause in the workplace when they have access to menopause-specific benefits.
Additional support from employers can impact female employees’ overall perception of the workplace. Employees feel more inclined to recommend their employer as a great place to work when menopause-specific benefits are available (83% vs. 69%), revealing an opportunity for employers.
“Menopause is a normal life stage in women’s lives, yet there is still a need and opportunity for workplaces to enhance their menopause policies and benefits,” stated Claire Gill, Founder of National Menopause Foundation. “We hope this research will inspire employers to create cultures that reduce stigma and foster better communication.”
MENOPAUSE IMPACT
Top symptoms peri- and post-menopausal employees report experiencing include impacts to their sleep (45%), mental health/mood (30%), physical health (20%), relationships with family/partner (20%), ability to focus on work (17%), daily activities (15%) and even career progression (9%).
More findings, including actionable steps for employers, are available in the Bank of America Break Through the Stigma: Menopause in the Workplace report here.
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