Megan Hayward is a business owner and menopause expert. In this piece, she discusses how businesses can tackle the often untouched subject of menopause in the workplace – and why it’s so important to do so in the first place.
Menopause is pushing women out of the workforce – and too few businesses are doing anything about it.
Despite 72.3 per cent of menopausal women being in work, and women aged 45–55 making up a growing share of the workforce, nearly one in three women retire before age 55.
Many cite health issues linked to menopause. Others take extended breaks just when their earning power should be peaking.
It’s what’s been dubbed the menopause tax – and it’s costing women their careers and costing businesses valuable experience and leadership.
When women take time out of the workforce, it has a negative impact on our future security, from a housing, heath, employment and wellbeing perspective.
These breaks, big or small, continue to influence the gender divide, including the pay gap, where we still only earn $0.78 for every dollar a man makes. When we are not working, we are not earning super and at the time of retirement, women have on average 38 per cent less and up to 50 per cent less super than men.
Around 80 per cent of women experience moderate to severe menopause symptoms. For your midlife employees, this transition can bring challenges that require extra or different support – just to get through what is, ultimately, a temporary biological adjustment.
Small businesses can be the change. But first, we need to start the conversation.
But how do you talk about menopause in the workplace?
It’s best practice to let midlife staff lead the conversation around their own menopause experience – but they’ll only feel safe doing so if the topic has already been normalised.
Normalising the conversation from the outset could include sharing information on the menopausal transition during onboarding and offering ongoing staff resources.
Guided workshops or team discussions can build mutual understanding, and a clear, visible menopause policy shows you’re serious about support.
Menopause discussions can be as simple as a 45min ‘Lunch and Learn’ webinar, that covers the very basics, like 1. What is Menopause, 2. What are the range of symptoms that may affect midlife staff, 3. The most common symptoms that women report impacting their work and, 4. What can you do next to get support in and out of the workplace. That is literally enough for staff to start openly sharing experiences without fear of being labelled or judged.
Menopause discussions can start with a simple 45-minute ‘Lunch and Learn’ webinar covering the basics. That’s often enough to encourage staff to share experiences without fear of judgment.
Bringing menopause into your workplace can be as simple as using my mantra: Movement, Mindset, Modify.
- Movement: Start the conversation and run a transformative team workshop.
- Mindset: Challenge stigma and consider reasonable adjustments through a workforce wellbeing lens. Be intentional and inclusive.
- Modify: Review existing policies to explicitly include menopause.
Do businesses have a legal requirement to develop policies around menopause?
While not yet a legal requirement, Recommendation 7 from the Australian Senate Inquiry into Menopause (2024) encourages workplaces to develop menopause policies in consultation with employees.
A standalone policy is a strong signal of awareness and support, but it’s equally important to embed menopause into existing policies to ensure it’s explicitly acknowledged. For small businesses without extensive policies, having a conversation with employees about their needs can be a good starting point.
While these steps might seem small, they can make a big difference – especially when done early. Normalising the conversation, even before it’s urgently needed, creates a culture where women feel seen, supported, and able to stay and thrive.
I know how powerful that could have been. When I first experienced perimenopause symptoms in my 30s, there wasn’t just stigma – there was silence. I had no idea what was happening. I wish my workplaces had policies, mentioned menopause in existing ones, or simply normalised the conversation through guest speakers and meaningful workshops.
Just start. Your midlife employees will notice the effort, feel supported, and become more engaged and loyal because of it.
