Supporting Perimenopause and Menopause at Work

For decades, perimenopause and menopause have been treated as private and shameful - rarely acknowledged in life, let alone at work (1).

Today, thankfully, perimenopause and menopause are increasingly recognised as the major life stages that they are, significantly affecting women in life, and at work.

In Australia, almost one in four working women are over the age of 45, and many will spend up to a third of their working lives in some stage of menopause.

• Approximately 80% of women will experience menopausal symptoms (2)
• Up to 20% report severe impacts on daily functioning (2) 
• Up to 30% will consider reducing their hours or leaving work due to menopausal symptoms, often coinciding with the peak of their career (3)

Perimenopause and menopause aren’t just a ‘non work related’ personal health journey – they’re a workforce and leadership issue that directly impacts wellbeing, culture, retention, performance, job demands and gender equity.

Understanding Perimenopause and Menopause

Perimenopause is the transitional period leading up to menopause, characterised by fluctuating hormone levels, particularly oestrogen (2). Menopause itself is defined as the point 12 months after a woman’s last menstrual period. In Australia, the average age of menopause is around 51, however the perimenopausal transition often begins in the early to mid-40s (2).

Symptoms vary greatly but commonly include:

• Hot flushes and night sweats
• Sleep disturbance and fatigue
• Brain fog, memory changes, and difficulty concentrating
• Mood fluctuations, anxiety, or low mood
• Musculoskeletal pain and joint stiffness, and 
• Urogenital symptoms (e.g., dryness, discomfort) (4)

While these are normal physiological changes, their impact on daily life can be significant. At work this can lead to:

• Increased absenteeism or presenteeism
• Reduced engagement and productivity
• Higher turnover intention
• Lower job satisfaction
• Career stagnation or early exit from the workforce (4, 5).

These effects are not inevitable however. Instead, they reflect how well (or poorly) workplaces support this life stage for women. Lack of support translates directly into gendered ageist culture and distrust – harmful not only to affected women, but to the performance, culture and reputation of the organisation itself.

A Growing Workforce Reality

Australia’s workforce is ageing, and women aged 45–64 now represent a substantial proportion of the labour market.

According to Australian Bureau of Statistics, more than 2.9 million women in this age group are employed (6). 

By 2030, this demographic is expected to grow further, particularly in leadership, healthcare, education, and public sector roles.

Globally, similar trends are visible. Menopause affects around 1 billion women worldwide, with workforce participation among midlife women steadily increasing (7). 

How Menopause Affects Work and Health

The physiological, cognitive, and emotional changes that occur during perimenopause and menopause can directly affect how women experience and perform at work.

• Sleep disturbances and fatigue may lead to reduced energy, brain fog, impaired concentration, and reduced resilience (3) 
• Cognitive symptoms, such as difficulty with memory and concentration, are often misinterpreted as performance issues to be managed (8)
• Physical symptoms, such as discomfort in hot or physically demanding environments, may reduce the ability to work (4)
• Mood changes and anxiety, can lead to reduced confidence, increased stress, and reduced perception of psychological safety (8).

These experiences can be compounded by stigma and silence (9). It’s hard to feel professional and put together at work, when your body starts to act unpredictably (1, 10).

Additionally, many women do not feel comfortable disclosing symptoms or requesting adjustments for fear of judgement, further increasing stress and reinforcing gender inequities in the workplace (11).

The Legal and Policy Landscape

In Australia, menopause is not explicitly named in workplace health and safety legislation. However, several legal frameworks create a duty of care for employers to provide a safe and healthy workplace:

• Work Health and Safety Acts and Regulations: Employers must manage risks to workers’ physical and psychological health. Menopause can contribute to both physical and psychosocial hazards, with Safe Work Australia’s Model Code of Practice: Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work, including fatigue, thermal discomfort, and organisational culture as relevant factors (12)
• Anti-discrimination laws protect against discrimination on the basis of sex, age, and disability, all of which can intersect with menopause experiences.

Globally, countries like the UK are advancing workplace menopause policies and guidance, with many organisations integrating menopause into wellbeing strategies and gender equity plans – however there is still no singular ‘menopause’ law, rather protections must be pieced together adhoc via separate acts (13).

Internationally standards are emerging to support perimenopause and menopause inclusive workplaces (perhaps better termed reproductive health inclusive workplaces due to the impact conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS, breast, ovarian and prostate cancer, can have on work and performance).

It's important to remember however, that whilst legal compliance provides the minimum standard, proactive support for women builds healthier, more equitable and more productive workplaces - a significant win for all.

Creating Menopause-Inclusive Workplaces

Evidence shows that workplace factors can significantly influence how women experience menopause at work. Supportive environments can reduce symptom impact, improve retention, and foster trust, whilst unsupportive environments increase symptoms and lead to burnout (8). The United Kingdom is leading the way in perimenopause / menopause inclusive work interventions (at least in the published research)(14), and strategies at work may include:

• Leadership signalling that menopause is normal, and a supported health transition in the workplace is essential. Lack of leadership acceptance towards perimenopause / menopause will only reinforce gendered ageism and harm towards women in the workplace (9)
• Environmental and practical adjustments, such as temperature control, ergonomic support, flexible dress codes, and readily available rest spaces (10, 14)
• Perimenopause / menopause-inclusive policies that offer flexible leave, flexible break times, adjustable workloads or schedules, the ability to work remotely, education, confidential reporting pathways, and environmental adjustments. A word of caution however – policies do not always = practice. Without leadership commitment and intentional design and evaluation, policies risk becoming box ticking exercises (14)
• Education (including additional manager training) on menopause literacy, training to recognise and appropriately respond to psychosocial risk factors, and awareness of privacy and stigma issues, as well as accessible supports in the workplace (14, 15)
• Workplace health coaching, informal peer support and EAP programs, as well as clear referral pathways to menopause informed clinical or allied health services as necessary (16)

Practical steps for individuals can include:

• Understanding available personal health options and supports
• Requesting reasonable adjustments to improve comfort and performance.
• Seeking peer support or advocacy networks
• Engaging with evidence-based information (e.g., from Australasian Menopause Society resources).

It’s important to note however that there needs to be a wider workplace culture shift from ‘personal responsibility’ to improved and move inclusive work, work systems, work culture and work environments (4, 5, 17)

Why This Matters

Workplace change isn’t just about policy. It’s about creating cultures where women feel safe to speak up and seek support without fear of judgment or career penalty.

Importantly, menopause intersects with many other life factors: chronic conditions, mental health, cultural expectations, financial stress, and caregiving roles (5). Consequently one-size-fits-all approach to perimenopause / menopause will not work.

Perimenopause / menopause need to be treated like any other occupational health challenge (15). Workplaces that fail to address menopause risk:

• Losing experienced, highly skilled employees
• Reduced productivity and engagement
• Increased absenteeism and turnover costs, and
• Legal and reputational risk

Workplaces that support women through menopause and empower them to work see:

• Higher retention and leadership diversity
• Improved psychological safety and morale
• Stronger gender equity outcomes, and
• Enhanced brand reputation as an employer of choice.

Menopause support also aligns with broader psychosocial hazard management and ESG goals, positioning organisations to lead rather than react to emerging workforce trends.

Resources and Next Steps

At Kinwork, we view menopause not as a niche health topic, but as part of a bigger workplace wellbeing and equity picture.

Supporting employees through health transitions like menopause contributes to:

• Healthier, more resilient teams
• Reduced psychosocial risk
• More inclusive leadership pipelines
• Organisational cultures that value people and planet

If you’re navigating perimenopause or menopause at work, or supporting others who are, you’re not alone.

Workplace health coaching, combined with policy, environmental design, and health literacy, offer practical, low-cost ways for organisations to lead meaningful change and significantly and beneficially impact the lives of women in their workforce.

References

1. Whiley, L. A., Wright, A., Stutterheim, S. E., & Grandy, G. (2023). “A part of being a woman, really”: Menopause at work as “dirty” femininity. Gender, work, and organization, 30(3), 897-916. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.12946

2. (AMS), A. M. S. (2023). Perimenipause or Menopausal Transition. https://menopause.org.au/hp/information-sheets/perimenopause

3. Zhu, C., Thomas, N., Arunogiri, S., & Gurvich, C. (2022). Systematic review and narrative synthesis of cognition in perimenopause: The role of risk factors and menopausal symptoms. Maturitas, 164, 76-86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2022.06.010

4. Bagness, C., & Holloway, D. (2015). Managing the menopause at work. Practice nursing, 26(11), 538-541. https://doi.org/10.12968/pnur.2015.26.11.538

5. Alzueta, E., Menghini, L., Volpe, L., Baker, F. C., Garnier, A., Sarrel, P. M., & de Zambotti, M. (2024). Navigating menopause at work: a preliminary study about challenges and support systems. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 31(4), 258-265. https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000002333

6. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2025). Labour Force, Australia. Available from: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia/latest-release

7. Bayer, F. A. a. (2025). The Health and Economic Impacts of Menopause. https://impactsofmenopause.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2025/05/FPA-Bayer-Menopause-PDF.pdf

8. Potočnik, K., Steffan, B., & Zheng, S. (2025). Managing menopause transition in the workplace: The double edged sword of flexible work. Journal of occupational and organizational psychology, 98(2), n/a. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.70032

9. Beck, V., Brewis, J., & Davies, A. (2021). Women’s experiences of menopause at work and performance management. Organization (London, England), 28(3), 510-520. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350508419883386

10. Brewis, J., van Amsterdam, N., & Wijntuin, P. (2025). “How did I cope with that for so long every day, all day?” Disruption, misrecognition, and menopause at work. Organization (London, England). https://doi.org/10.1177/13505084241311242

11. Cronin, C., Abbott, J., Asiamah, N., & Smyth, S. (2024). Menopause at work—An organisation‐based case study. Nursing open, 11(1), e2058-n/a. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.2058

12. Safe Work Australia. Model Code of Practice: Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work.

13. Myhill, K., & Sang, K. (2023). Menopause at Work: An Analysis of the Current Law and Proposals for Reform. Industrial law journal (London), 52(1), 214-229. https://doi.org/10.1093/indlaw/dwad003 

14. Howe, D., Duffy, S., O’Shea, M., Hawkey, A., Wardle, J., Gerontakos, S., Steele, L., Gilbert, E., Owen, L., Ciccia, D., Cox, E., Redmond, R., & Armour, M. (2023). Policies, Guidelines, and Practices Supporting Women’s Menstruation, Menstrual Disorders and Menopause at Work: A Critical Global Scoping Review. Healthcare (Basel), 11(22), 2945. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11222945

15. Ryan, S., Charter, R., Ussher, J., Perich, T., Power, R., & Sperring, S. (2025). Navigating Menopause at Work: A Rapid Review and Narrative Synthesis of Psycho-Educational and Behavioral Interventions to Support Menopausal Women in the Workplace. Women's reproductive health, 12(3), 777-795. https://doi.org/10.1080/23293691.2025.2495975

16. Shokri-Ghadikolaei, A., Bakouei, F., Delavar, M. A., Azizi, A., & Sepidarkish, M. (2022). Effects of health coaching on menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal and perimenopausal women. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 29(10), 1189-1195. https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000002050

17. Steffan, B., & Loretto, W. (2024). Menopause, work and mid‐life: Challenging the ideal worker stereotype. Gender, work, and organization. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.13136