The taboo of menopause at work: only 5% of companies help those who suffer from it

BarcelonaMenopause is still a taboo subject in the workplace, although most women who go through this phase suffer its symptoms every day while still going to work. This was emphasized this Tuesday by researcher and professor at the Eada Business School, Aline Masuda, who analyzed this phenomenon in the study. Menopause at work. The report is based on a survey of 575 working women aged between 45 and 58, of whom 93.5% present at least one symptom linked to menopause, while 60.4% reported seven or more. Muscular pain (74%)

Despite the fact that women in this age group mostly live with these ailments, the report observes that only 5% of companies have adopted any type of specific measure to help this group. They are talking to their supervisors about the symptoms they experience and 22% feel directly uncomfortable with these conversations.

Despite this physical and emotional impact, the report highlights that 71% of women remain highly engaged in their work and that 82% have never missed a day of work due to menopausal symptoms. In other words, this significant strain is not always reflected in workers' performance. But Masuda also noted that enduring this suffering doesn't come without a price, and more than half of those surveyed considered leaving their jobs in the last six months for this reason. This effect is even more noticeable among those who suffer severe symptoms during menopause. "If we continue working with all this, imagine what would happen if we at least had some support," the Eada researcher asked.

Concern over ageism

The study also addresses another issue that concerns women in this age group: more than 60% believe that the older they are, the less valued they are professionally. "This disconnection reinforces a feeling of loneliness and isolation, especially when experiencing intense symptoms without recognition or support from their environment," argues this analysis. In this sense, the academic insists on the importance of creating a positive mindset around this topic: "Just as it is important to talk about work-life balance, this is also a personal issue that influences work performance."

Masuda warns of the risks of losing talent with much-needed knowledge and experience in corporations and recommends companies implement measures to alleviate this situation. For example, giving them the option of teleworking more (although, according to the study, this option can also lead to longer work days), organizing information workshops on menopause, improving work environment conditions such as ventilation, implementing emotional support programs, creating spaces for recovering from heartbreak, or offering...