Menopause is something many experience, yet support in the workplace is limited. Employers have an opportunity to change that.
Our new guide, “Using health benefits to support menopause in the workplace,” provides a comprehensive look at how menopause impacts individuals, workplaces and the economy as well as what can be done to address it.
Here’s a sneak peek at a few of the guide’s highlights. In particular, it explores:
- The cost of overlooking the impact of menopause on workplaces, the economy and gender equity
- How menopause shows up at work
- Workplace and benefit solutions for employers
- Guidance for employees on how to advocate for themselves and access proven treatments through their group benefit plan
We wrote this guide to help employees and employers navigate menopause at work. Our goal is to give employers practical tools to create a workplace where women can excel at every stage of life.
Why menopause support in the workplace matters
Overlooking menopause is costly on all fronts—not only to an organization’s bottom line, but also the global economic stage and gender equity.
Here’s why:
- Impact on our workplaces: When employees going through menopause don’t have the support they need, it can be costly for business due to factors like reduced productivity, increased absenteeism and high turnover.
- Impact on the economy: When many women cut back their hours or leave their roles, overall productivity declines. Multiply that across sectors, and we begin to see the impact weigh on the economy, both nationally and globally, including an estimated $3.5 billion in annual economic losses in Canada and $150 billion in global productivity.
- Impact on gender equity: As many as 1 in 10 women are leaving the workforce earlier due to unmanaged symptoms. As a result, we can expect to see an increase in gender pay and pension gaps, slower progress towards workplace equality and a decrease in leadership team diversity.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The barriers to menopause treatment
If you’re new to this topic, you may be wondering, why don’t employees get treatment for their menopause symptoms? Unfortunately, finding care isn’t always a simple process. Some of the barriers to treatment that women face include:
- Lack of awareness: Health education and everyday conversations often leave out menopause, which leaves many unsure of what it is or how to get treatment.
- Financial challenges: Not everyone has access to health benefits that cover the cost of menopause treatments.
- Finding care: While 66% of women in perimenopause seek medical care, a treatment delay is reported by 53% of perimenopausal women.
How employers benefit from supporting menopause
Supporting employees through menopause can:
- Retain skilled, experienced talent
- Strengthen workplace culture
- Improve productivity and reduce absenteeism
- Demonstrate a genuine commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
Practical steps employers can take today
There are ways employers can support employees experiencing menopause. Here are a few ways employers can make an immediate difference:
- Review and enhance group benefits to cover proven menopause treatments
- Offer flexible work options and paid sick time
- Provide resources and host awareness events
- Train managers to recognize and support menopause in the workplace
The guide explains these tactics in more detail.
Want to know how your organization can better support employees through menopause?
Discover how employers can retain talent and provide support to employees going through the stages of menopause in our guide, “Using health benefits to support menopause in the workplace.” You can download the guide now.
