Menopause Is (Finally) Re-Shaping the Workplace. Here’s How

Kim Hart worked at Microsoft for more than 20 years when she began experiencing intense symptoms of menopause. 

“I had debilitating brain fog and anxiety, and I wasn’t sleeping,” says Hart, who held many senior roles in talent management and strategic planning at Microsoft and is now President and Chief Wellness Officer at MiDOViA, a company focused on helping organizations and people manage menopause at work. “Words were hard. Multitasking was hard.”

That period of Hart’s career was a struggle. While she was able to manage her menopause—thanks to the pandemic’s work-from-home situation and her manager’s flexibility—Hart says it took a toll on her ability to perform at a high level. She lacked confidence and didn’t feel like herself.

Hart’s experience isn’t unique. American women work longer, both in hours and career length, than in the past as they delay retirement for many reasons (1). However, many women now juggle school drop-offs, aging parents, and peak career demands.

The cherry on top, of course, is menopause. Symptoms like fatigue, hot flashes, mood swings, and insomnia are often misunderstood, making workplace support difficult to secure. These challenges can drain energy and shake the confidence of even the most capable individuals.

Menopause Support

Why More Women Are on HRT for The Long Haul

Would You Hire a Menopause Midwife?

Why the New Focus on Menopause at Work?

As part of preventative healthcare research firm Biote’s 2022 Women in the Workplace Survey, researchers asked 1,010 women aged 50 to 65 who work both full- and part-time about the impact of menopause on their careers (2). Nearly 90 percent of the survey participants reported not discussing their symptoms with their employers due to fear of being seen as weak. Additionally, 40 percent stated that menopause impacted their work weekly.

A quick search on Reddit further backs these stats up. One thread on the r/Menopause subreddit is rampant with comments related to hormone replacement therapy, navigating workplace dynamics with men and younger generations, managing job changes, and coping with flashes—both hot flashes and cold flashes—at work.

For Hart, the discussion around menopause and the workplace has intensified over the past year, particularly as concrete data on menopause and work supports anecdotal evidence.

A 2023 Mayo Clinic study found menopause costs American companies an estimated $1.8 billion, factoring in both lost work time and employees forced to quit due to symptoms (3).

Now businesses are exploring new ways to support their employees. 

Monica Christmas, M.D., an OB-GYN at the University of Chicago Medicine and newly named associate medical director at The Menopause Society, has her own experiences managing menopause at work: “While going through perimenopause, I struggled with performing C-sections, as the warmer operating room made my hot flashes worse and caused dizziness.” This actually led her to shift her focus to gynecology.

Menopause Hormone Therapy

8 Signs You Might Need Menopause Hormone Therapy

The Pill or HRT: Which Is Better for Perimenopause Symptoms?

What Does a Menopause-Friendly Workplace Look Like?

Of course, not every work environment is as fixed as an operating room or has as many safety protocols. Recognizing this, The Menopause Society has built a four-part program called Making Menopause Work to guide employers on supporting employees in menopause, says Christmas. This initiative provides employers with resources like fact sheets, planning guides, and talking points to help them understand the importance of supporting employees going through menopause. It also offers managers, business owners, and organizations actionable advice for various industries on creating menopause-friendly workplaces.

Permitting a flexible remote work policy helps women remain productive at home when dealing with overwhelming symptoms or multiple doctor’s appointments. Similarly, flexible working hours allow for more freedom throughout the day, such as earlier or later start times. Temperature-controlled spaces and relaxed dress codes help manage hot flashes. In workplaces with designated shift periods, policies that loosen bathroom break rules provide peace of mind when bleeding may be unpredictable. 

In Hart’s experience, addressing these needs doesn’t require specifically mentioning menopause. Just being able to say, “I’m having some health issues, or I noticed I’m having problems meeting deadlines or concentrating; I know it’s happening, and I’m working on it,” says Hart, is a big step in getting the accommodations you need to succeed and perform at work. 

Slow But Critical Progress

Yvette Lee, Knowledge Advisor at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), emphasizes that education is essential for developing menopause-related workplace policies. In the organization’s 2024 Employee Benefits Survey, just 17 percent of more than 4,500 surveyed employers offer menopause-related counseling and education. Lee has observed more companies bringing in doctors and menopause specialists to educate employees on the varied effects of menopause (4).

“It’s a teachable moment,” says Lee. “People are saying, ‘Hey, I need to figure out ways to manage this better.’” A menopause-friendly approach varies between people and across industries, with front-line workers facing different challenges than office workers. Hart says although companies are in the beginning stages, she’s optimistic about the overall progress. 

“Once you talk to others going through it, you realize you don’t have to suffer,” Hart says. “Be specific about your symptoms and really understand what you need to be successful at work. It was the norm to be raised by women who brushed it off as something you just have to go through. But understanding the symptoms can help mitigate them.” 

April Haberman, cofounder and CEO at MiDOViA says leadership plays a crucial role in fostering change. “When senior leaders step up, barriers break down, trust builds over time, and the narrative changes.”