Let’s not sweep menopause under the boardroom carpet

I work alongside skilled, ambitious, highly experienced, and creative women at the pinnacle of their careers. In fact, of the 83 leadership positions, 63% are filled by women. Furthermore, half of Medihelp employees are women aged between 40 and 60, nearing perimenopause or menopause, or fully experiencing it.

This phenomenon of women over 50 excelling in the workplace is not unique to Medihelp. According to the World Economic Forum, women of menopausal age represent the fastest-growing segment of the global workforce and are staying employed longer than ever before.

Many of these women serve as role models for younger colleagues. Yet, misunderstood symptoms such as mood swings, brain fog, and low self-esteem can affect their professional reputations. Leading global studies show that menopausal women often reduce their work responsibilities or exit the workforce entirely, especially when there is no support in the workplace. With them, years of experience, expertise, and mentorship leave.

As a woman nearing fifty myself, experiencing symptoms that echo this change in my body and demeanour, the topic of perimenopause and menopause follows me everywhere, even into online research I conduct privately because I worry how it will affect my career.

But even when I witness red faces, exhausted expressions, and even tears in meeting rooms, and know what it is all about, I am unsure how to respond. And I believe many other women do the same with this natural biological transition: we sweep it under the boardroom carpet.

It all changed, however, when a journalist recently sought my opinion on menopause and its impact. The time had come to stop soldiering on silently and say and do something. I embraced the chance to reflect and advocate for a place in the organisation’s inclusivity policy, as well as our employee value proposition.

What we do now

In collaboration with our principal officer, Varsha Vala, and our head of human resources, Sandra Minne (both in their early fifties), we promptly developed our own survey. The response rate was overwhelming! Women expressed a desire for reliable information about perimenopause and menopause, along with access to tailored counselling on these topics.

Respondents also highlighted the importance of medical and holistic support for symptom management, as well as options for special leave and breaks.

I found one respondent’s comment particularly touching. She wrote, “I do believe that especially women are very unkind to one another when it comes to something as natural as menopause. Most women I know make it off as ‘not that bad‘ or we are ‘kidding’ to get ‘attention’ and have no sympathy, even though it might be different to their experience. There must be more understanding in the workplace.”

This poignant feedback underscores the critical need for empathy, understanding, and practical solutions in the workplace to support women through menopause while keeping them an engaged, productive part of the team.

By fostering a supportive environment and openly addressing these issues, we can help ensure that female employees don’t become marginalised or isolated during this natural human transition.