More than a third of women with the menopause have admitted that they have experienced some kind of negative impact in the workplace, according to new research by Astellas Pharma UK.
Its Menopause experience and attitudes study spanned several countries and included 13,800 respondents. It was developed in partnership with external experts to examine and track societal attitudes, personal experiences, and the stigma surrounding the menopause and perimenopause across multiple regions.
The findings highlighted that the negative impact ranges from reduced productivity (17%), to fear of telling colleagues (14%), while only a fifth (24%) feel comfortable talking to their line manager about it.
Nearly one in every dozen women with lived experience of the menopause said they have been discriminated against in their careers because of the condition.
Meanwhile, one in 20 said they have lost out on pay rises or promotion, and a similar proportion have had to leave their careers due to having menopause symptoms.
Discrimination against women experiencing the menopause also takes place across the globe. A total of 5% of women in the US and Canada have experienced discrimination in the workplace, rising to 7% in Germany, 8% in Australia, 9% in Brazil and 12% in Mexico.
In the US, 3% of women feel they have missed out on a salary increase or promotion because of the menopause, compared to 6% in Brazil and Australia, and 7% in Mexico.
Katsuyoshi Sugita, chief people officer at Astellas, said: “The impact of societal and workplace stigma around menopause should not be ignored and can be detrimental to the wellbeing of people experiencing menopause.
“And this isn’t just a personal issue; it’s a significant barrier to productivity, talent retention and overall workplace wellbeing. Organisations have a responsibility to change the narrative around menopause and build environments where people feel supported and empowered to talk about their experiences.”
