Why menopause support only works when employees feel permitted to use it

Too often, conversations about support for menopausal women at work focus on the presence of policies rather than making sure they are effective. The assumption is that once support exists, the job is done. In reality, the responsibility of employers goes far beyond creating information. It’s about how resources are communicated, framed and embedded in workplace culture.

The challenge starts with recognising that there is no such thing as a typical menopause journey. Some women will experience symptoms that have a significant impact on their work and wellbeing. Others may not recognise or identify any menopause-related changes. And for some, pivotal career choices will be taken without them fully understanding the extent to which menopause symptoms might have affected their decision-making at the time.

My recent research – based on interviews with 30 professional and executive women who experienced career changes coinciding with the menopause transition – explored the different ways this transition can affect a woman’s working life, grouped into four main journey patterns: early awareness, delayed recognition, encountering ageism, and midlife redirection.

Whilst each of these groups capture distinct manifestations of when and how careers are shaped in this stage of life, it is clear that when women don’t have access to the right information, in the right way, at the right time, they are at a higher risk of experiencing unexpected role disruption, change or a ‘career shock’. That’s because not all information is equal and how it is communicated strongly influences whether people recognise signs of change – to their bodies and in themselves – and if they engage with workplace support, seek help or adjustments.

Addressing the permission gap

Information alone doesn’t change behaviour. People interpret and act on it through psychological and social cues. So no matter how comprehensive an organisations’ guidance, training and support is, if employees perceive it as something for those who are struggling, for example, they may be reluctant to use it. Unless there is a culture where discussing the menopause openly or making reasonable adjustments to working environments is normalised, employees may worry that raising concerns or seeking help will change how they are perceived.

To create this environment, leaders need to talk openly about the menopause as part of the broader conversation around health and wellbeing. Managers need to be equipped to have supportive, practical discussions. Workplace adjustments should be framed as a natural response to changing needs throughout a person’s career not as a sign of weakness or failure.

This doesn’t mean creating more policies, but building environments where people feel comfortable to access and benefit from the support that already exists. Unless organisations focus more attention on understanding how the menopause can influence employees’ decisions and interpretation of opportunities and setbacks, they risk talent walking out the door unnecessarily.

The responsibility of employers therefore is to package and communicate information in a way that gives people permission to use it.