“The unpredictability of menopausal symptoms leaves me feeling exhausted most days,” shares Cori Lawson-Roberts, Manulife AVP of Disability and Group Life, about her journey with menopause.
“The memory fog and physical discomfort sometimes make it difficult to maintain my usual level of focus at work.”
The average age of menopause is 52, but for some women, the symptoms of perimenopause (the transitional period leading to menopause) can begin in their mid-40s or earlier. Some symptoms may include hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings, and sleep disruptions.
According to the World Economic Forum, 59% of women aged 45 to 55 experiencing menopausal symptoms report a negative impact on their work, and data from the Canadian Menopause Foundation reveals that 10% of women in Canada will stop working because of uncontrolled menopause symptoms.
Hormone replacement therapy (also known as menopausal hormone therapy) can help with menopausal symptoms, but a relatively small percentage of women between the ages of 45 and 65 are accessing these treatments. According to Manulife aggregate data, only 13.1% of women claimants between the ages of 45 and 65 made a claim for hormone replacement therapy in 2023.
While not everyone going through menopause will have symptoms that need treatment, or benefit from hormonal therapy specifically, the lower levels of claims may partially be due to previous controversy surrounding hormone replacement therapy. A study in the early 2000s suggested that hormones were a less safe option for treating menopausal symptoms, which led to significant decreases in prescriptions for hormones in this age group. Additional analyses and later studies have since shown that hormone replacement therapy can be effective and safe but is often still underused today.
However, Manulife’s data shows usage is increasing. From 2020 to 2023, the use of hormone replacement therapy increased by 20.7% among women between 45 and 65, suggesting the treatment is increasingly being understood as an important approach to managing menopausal symptoms.
"Continued education and heightened awareness among healthcare professionals are pivotal in driving a shift in prescribing patterns for hormone replacement therapy,” explains Dr. Zubina Mawji, primary care physician and certified menopause practitioner at Cleveland Clinic Canada, Manulife’s Medical Director. “This is ultimately ensuring that women receive the most effective and tailored care for their menopausal symptoms."
Menopausal symptoms can be challenging for women to manage in the workplace.
According to a survey of women between 40 and 60 in the United Kingdom, 17% contemplated leaving the workforce because of insufficient support for their menopausal symptoms, and 6% have left their careers.
“Before menopause, I took pride in having near-instant recall for facts and figures,” Cori says. “Now, I find myself relying on note taking as my memory isn’t what I expect it to be, particularly on those days following a night of interrupted sleep.”
By understanding challenges related to menopause, employers can create more supportive environments for the women in their workforce.
Recommendations for employers to better support women experiencing menopause
Here are some ways employers can better support women in the workplace who are experiencing menopause.
1. Normalize conversations about menopause
Promote open and honest conversations about menopause to remove stigma and create a supportive environment. Encourage leaders to talk openly about menopause to normalize the topic and share both the challenges and positive aspects of the experience.
2. Provide flexibility
Allow for autonomy and flexibility in work schedules. Include frequent breaks to accommodate the management of menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes.
Also, allow time for medical appointments related to menopause management, demonstrating understanding and support for employees' health needs.
Where possible, empower employees to have a say on the temperature and ventilation control in offices and buildings.
3. Provide comprehensive drug coverage as part of your employee benefits plan
Comprehensive drug coverage is a crucial aspect of any workplace benefits plan. Most prescription drug benefits include coverage for hormone replacement medications as well as for other medications and treatment that can address menopausal symptoms, and this is a standard offering in Manulife Group Benefits plans with extended health care coverage.
4. Training and education for managers
Provide training for managers to support employees experiencing menopause with compassion, understanding, and access to health resources as needed. Encourage managers to take the time to learn about menopause and its symptoms to better equip them to provide support and empathy.
5. Cultivate a culture of caring
Contribute to a culture of caring by demonstrating support for employees experiencing menopause, which can have a positive effect on employee feedback, retention, and overall productivity.
Sources
Manulife aggregate claims data, 2024
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21841-menopause , 2021
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/04/growth-summit-23-how-does-menopause-affect-women-in-workplace/ , 2023
https://academic.oup.com/occmed/advance-article/doi/10.1093/occmed/kqad137/7656814 , 2024
https://www.cipd.org/globalassets/media/knowledge/knowledge-hub/reports/2023-pdfs/2023-menopause-report-8456.pdf , 2023
