How do the #Menopause and #Workplace interact?

Many women in their early 40s find themselves in the rush hour of their careers—only to suddenly face physical and emotional challenges. Few can discuss this in the workplace; menopause remains a taboo topic. The impact of the #Menopause on women’s professional careers is systematically underestimated.

Andrea Rumler Professor of Business Administration and Marketing at the Berlin School of Economics and Law, has published the first German study on menopause and its effects in the workplace (“MenoSupport”).

“Economically speaking, this topic is highly relevant,’ Rumler says in an interview with Sylke Schumann from HWR Berlin. ‘Today, two-thirds of all German companies are complaining about a shortage of skilled workers. And although women in menopause make up a significant portion of the workforce in many companies, there are hardly any offerings for workplace health promotion for women during this time in Germany. Tailored programs could help these experienced and often well-educated women stay in the company longer and increase employee satisfaction.”

Results of the study:

  • Ten percent of respondents experiencing menopause symptoms wanted to retire earlier due to menopause or had already done so. Among respondents over 55 years old, the figure was even 19.4%.

  • Almost a quarter of respondents with symptoms had already reduced their working hours because of it.

  • Almost a third had already taken sick leave or unpaid leave because of it.

  • More than one in six respondents had changed jobs because of it.

  • Symptoms that affect the workplace included, among others:

    • Reduced concentration
    • Hot flashes
    • Physical and mental exhaustion
    • Sleep disturbances
    • Migraines
    • Increased irritability and susceptibility to stress
    • Depressive moods

  • More than half of the respondents felt left alone with the topic of menopause in the workplace. Most wished for open communication about it.

“With the MenoSupport project, we aim to highlight the relevance of this issue for Germany and, at the same time, specifically support the affected women by developing innovative measures for workplace health promotion for women in menopause and fostering communication about it,” explains Rumler.

Inspiration from the UK: More and more companies there are committing to creating a menopause-friendly work environment.

“€150 billion are lost to the global economy every year because women leave the workforce during menopause. We cannot afford to lose these women,” says Dr. med. Judith Bildau in the herCAREER podcast. “By 2030, a quarter of the global population will be in menopause.”

herVIEW - Natascha Hoffner

Posted by Natascha Hoffner, Founder & CEO of herCAREER, WiWo columnist, LinkedIn TOP Voice 2020, W&V 2019 – 100 Köpfe
published on LinkedIn on 02.10.2024

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