THE MENOPAUSE PROBLEM
Over 50 million women in their 30-50's are navigating menopause, and the experience is stigmatized, lonely, and challenging at home and work. Yet, the same years often correspond with women taking on challenging projects or advancing into leadership.
Between productivity loss and healthcare costs, menopause’s global economic impact is estimated at over $150 billion annually.
BY THE DIGITS
55 million: Women over the age of 55 in the US labor force by 2024
79%: Women describe working during menopause as challenging
1 in 5: Have considered leaving their job or retiring early due to a lack of support during their menopausal years
18%: Have not pursued a promotion because of menopause symptoms
40%: Women who report taking time off work due to perimenopause or menopause symptoms.
59%: Number that took time off but felt they needed to hide the reason for their time away
BILLION DOLLAR QUESTION
💰💰How can companies address the negative impacts of ignoring menopause?
Here’s what our experts have to say on the topic:
🤰🏽 Workplaces serious about normalizing pregnancy should also be normalizing menopause
🩺 Menopause at work: What companies can learn from a health expert’s own experience
🏥 Companies should address menopause as a medical issue, not just health awareness
🥳 Menopause at work: 2 doctors talk cool-down rooms, menopause parties, and age-related bias
QUOTABLE
“You wouldn’t dream of having a workplace where people weren’t entitled to certain things because they were pregnant, and it’s exactly the same for women with menopause. I firmly believe there should be legislation to make sure every workplace has a menopause policy, just like they have a maternity policy.”
DIG DEEPER
- How menopause friendly (pdf) is your company?
- Companies can take a menopause survey (pdf) to find out where they should focus
- Try it where you work: 10 days’ ”time-out” leave for menopausal employees
- Employees: How to talk to your manager about menopause (should you so choose)
- Explore your symptoms from brain fog to anxiety
- Leaders: How to talk about menopause (pdf) with employees
- How companies are engaging with menopause tools
LISTEN IN
Why is good feedback so hard to get? We need feedback to know how we’re doing at work, and also, well, because we’re human. But most managers are never trained on how to give it well.
🎧 Listen to this week’s episode of Work Reconsidered on:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | Stitcher
YOU GOT THE MEMO
Send any news and comments (and your thoughts on the well established practice of ‘quiet firing’ getting attention these days) to aoakes@qz.com.
This week’s edition of The Memo was brought to you by :
😰 Our Quartz at Work editor, Anna Oakes, who’s been menopausal for years and had to restrain herself during this week’s newsletter.
🎨 October’s artist-in-residence, Quartz’s own Alex Citrin-Safadi, who incorporated her young daughter’s orange scribbles into her piece.
Get the most out of Quartz by becoming a member.