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Menopause support varies by industry: How does yours compare?

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ESP
  • Gendered ageism
  • Inclusive workplaces
  • Multigenerational workplace
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*Catalyst offers research-backed inclusive workplace solutions

Executive summary

Menopause is gaining increased attention in the workplace. Our survey of 1,731 full-time employees from eight countries who are experiencing or have experienced the menopause transition demonstrates how their encounters with stigma and support vary widely across industries.1

Manufacturing, finance, and education emerged as industries with the most opportunity to make progress.

  • Employees working in manufacturing reported the highest levels of menopause stigma and hiding symptoms from others at work. This may be why manufacturing was the industry with the most employees who quit a job and declined job opportunities because of lack of menopause support. Notably, employees shared very specific desires about the type of menopause support they want, preferring support that allows them to address their menopause symptoms without having to reveal their menopause status to others. HR leaders in this industry must carefully consider what types of menopause support to offer and how they will roll out these programs to meet employee needs. Further, they will need to strike a delicate balance between de-stigmatizing menopause and employees’ desires to keep their menopause status private.
  • Although employees in the finance, banking, and insurance industry had the most access to menopause support compared to respondents in other industries, they also had higher rates of turnover intentions because of lack of support for menopause. These industries were a close second to manufacturing when it came to employees quitting a job and declining job opportunities because of a lack of menopause support. Additionally, finance, banking, and insurance had the most employees not telling anyone at work about their menopause symptoms. These trends suggest that while finance, banking, and insurance lead the way in offering menopause support, valuable senior talent will still leave if it is not sufficient.
  • The education sector offered the least amount of menopause support. HR leaders in this space need to find ways to support employees experiencing menopause even as they deal with tightened budgets and roles that are typically based on a rigid schedule.

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