Menopause typically happens between ages 45 and 55 (the average in the UK is about 51¹). But many women go through perimenopause years before that because hormonal changes don’t always wait for a convenient moment. Almost 8 in 10 menopausal women are still in work in the UK². So for most women, the menopause journey is a working-life journey. Yet, despite this, many workplaces still act as though it’s someone else’s problem.

And here’s where it becomes a strategic business issue: women over 50 are not only staying in the workforce — they’re the only cohort that’s actively growing. In fact, one in three UK workers is now over 50, and employment among people aged 50–64 has risen to around 71%, its highest level ever. Women in this age group make up 4.6 million workers, a record number³. Over the past three decades, the number of over-50s in employment has climbed faster than any other age group⁴. They are, quite literally, the engine of experience and continuity in modern organisations.

Ignoring menopause means ignoring a third of your workforce and one of the most vital, fastest-growing parts of it.

The Numbers That Should Make Leaders Sit Up

These stats hurt, but they also clear the (brain) fog and help us see what’s at stake. And let’s be clear — these are not fringe stats. These are your senior people, your mid-level leads, your experience and institutional wisdom, all potentially breaking under strain.

- 17% of people with menopausal symptoms say they’ve considered leaving work due to lack of support³.
- 6% actually have left work for that reason³.
- 23% of working women (UK) said they’d considered quitting because of menopause or menstrual symptoms; 14% said they were actively planning to quit⁴.
- One in ten women have already left a job because of menopause symptoms⁵.
- 44% of menopausal women say their ability to work has been affected by symptoms⁶.
- 79% report their workplace has no support network, and 81% have no absence policy for menopause⁶.
- 65% of women in one study said their work performance was impacted by menopausal symptoms, and 18% had taken sick leave⁷.
- One in ten women aged 40–55 have already left a job due to menopause symptoms — and 13% more have considered doing so⁸.
- Menopause is estimated to cost the UK economy 14 million working days lost annually⁸.
- Over half of women say menopause has had negative effects on work — for concentration, stress, patience, and physical capacity⁹.

Add to that another key data point: among workers aged 50–54, 19% left their jobs due to stress, and 17% said they left because they “didn’t feel supported”¹⁰. Combine that with the menopause figures above, and you see a clear pattern — lack of workplace understanding and flexibility is pushing out some of the most experienced professionals in the workforce.

Here’s How Leaders Can Act With Purpose (and Heart)

We can create workplaces where people don’t have to choose between being human and being brilliant. Where saying “I’m struggling today” is met with “How can I help?”, not “Prove it.”

Here’s how to start:
- Make it talkable³ — normalise the conversation. Silence is costly.
- Offer flexibility — small adjustments can make a huge difference in retention.
- Design for comfort — ventilation, uniforms, and space matter more than you think.
- Put it in your policies — formal recognition empowers both leaders and employees.

Great leadership doesn’t just see the data, it cares about the human behind it. Speak to the Fresh Seed team to discuss putting menopause policies and practices in place to support your teams.

References

¹ UK Government. (2024). Menopause in the Workplace Literature Review. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/menopause-in-the-workplace-literature-review
² NHS England. (2024). Menopause in the Workplace Engagement. https://www.engage.england.nhs.uk/safety-and-innovation/menopause-in-the-workplace/
³ UK Government. (2024). Economic Labour Market Status of Individuals Aged 50 and Over. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/economic-labour-market-status-of-individuals-aged-50-and-over-trends-over-time-september-2024
⁴ Rest Less. (2024). UK Employment Levels Among the Over-50s at an All-Time High. https://restless.co.uk/press/uk-employment-levels-amongst-the-over-50s-at-an-all-time-highand-growing-faster-than-all-other-age-groups
⁵ People Management. (2023). One in Ten Women Quit Job Over Menopause Symptoms. https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1754967/one-10-women-quit-job-menopause-symptoms-survey-reveals
⁶ Fawcett Society. (2022). Menopausal Women Let Down by Employers. https://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/news/landmark-study-menopausal-women-let-down-by-employers-and-healthcare-providers
⁷ PMC. (2023). Menopause and Workplace Performance. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10540666/
⁸ CIPD. (2023). Menopause in the Workplace: Employee Experiences. https://www.cipd.org/en/knowledge/reports/menopause-workplace-experiences/
⁹ Simplyhealth. (2023). 3.5 Million Women Have Considered Quitting Their Job Due to Menopause. https://www.simplyhealth.co.uk/news-and-articles/35-million-women-have-considered-quitting-job-due-to-menopause-and-menstrual-health-symptoms
¹⁰ ONS. (2024). Reasons for Workers Aged Over 50 Leaving Employment Since the Start of the Coronavirus Pandemic. https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/reasonsforworkersagedover50yearsleavingemploymentsincethestartofthecoronaviruspandemic/wave2