Menopause-related retention issues are caused by a lack of support.

According to a recent study, more than one million women are looking for jobs that provide menopause-support.

The Fertifa survey, which is a provider of menopause and fertility workplace support in the UK, sheds some light on how employers fail to meet women’s needs during menopause.

The survey, which collected more than 3,000 responses revealed that 13% women actively seek jobs that offer better support during menopause, while 27% women who do not have access to such support either quit their job or seriously considered it.

Charlotte Cassis is an obstetrician-gynecologist and contributed to the study. She said, “We can’t afford to ignore it.” The fact that 70% of respondents reported that their symptoms negatively affected their work shows the urgency for change.

The survey shows how menopause affects performance. 67% of respondents reported a negative effect on their work.

Eighty-two percent of respondents reported cognitive symptoms such as brain fog or difficulty concentrating. Eighty-nine percent of respondents also reported physical symptoms including migraines and hot flushes.

Unplanned leave is often required to treat these symptoms. 17% of women report that they have taken unplanned leave in order to manage their condition.

Nearly one-third (29%) of women said that they were afraid of being stigmatized for seeking the help they needed. And 61% of them admitted they didn’t feel comfortable talking about menopause to their line managers or HR departments.

One respondent said: “I was afraid of being discriminated against by my manager if I asked for assistance.” Another stated: “The shame around menopause has made me fear getting older.”

The study also shows the benefits of accessing workplace menopause care. Over half of women who had access to flexible work arrangements or specialist care reported that this improved their overall well-being, reduced stress and improved performance.

Eileen Burbidge said, “This survey underscores how positive an impact companies can have, and just how much more work needs to be done.” We hope that quantifying the possible consequences will encourage more employers to act.

Gidon Lieberman is the medical director of Fertifa. He said that menopause patients shouldn’t feel they can’t talk to their employers about taking time off due to menopause issues. Menopause needs to be discussed openly to allow people to receive the support they need.

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