The topic of menopause-friendly workplaces has officially entered the center of office chit-chat, spurred on by the news that CVS Health has become the first U.S. company to receive accreditation as a “menopause-friendly” workplace. It’s no secret that this stage of life comes with a long list of symptoms and challenges for women, yet most workplaces offer little to no training on fostering an inclusive environment.
That’s why the Menopause Friendly Accreditation from MiDOViA, a program launched in the UK to improve office culture for women in midlife, has begun offering workplace training, resources and accreditation for businesses that want to make their employees more comfortable during this life stage. The program launched in 2021 in the UK, and in 2024 in the U.S., and has called on companies to act to become members of the menopause-friendly network to learn how to implement effective changes to support women while at work.
According to the program’s website, applications for The Menopause Friendly Accreditation U.S. will open in 2025 and have a process in which businesses can apply. After applying, “the Independent Panel of experts will review your application and provide detailed feedback whatever the outcome,” the website states.
Given the makeup of the U.S. workforce, the need for menopause-friendly workplaces is greater than ever. Menopause typically affects women ages 45 to 54, which makes up 20% of the female workforce in the U.S. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics published in February 2022, 47% of the U.S. workforce at the time was female, meaning nearly 9.5% of the entire U.S. workforce is in menopause.
How Do Employers Make Workplaces Menopause-Friendly?
“Workplaces may not be actively making it harder (for women), but they are not making it easier,” says Dr. Sameena Rahman, a board-certified OB-GYN, sex-med gynecologist, menopause specialist and founder of the Center for Gynecology and Cosmetics. “They are not adjusting their policies for women to maximize their productivity.”
Rahman also adds that with the menopausal movement happening across the globe, “I think more workplaces are acknowledging menopausal women’s concerns, but I still have a number of women suffering from cognitive distress, anxiety and vasomotor symptoms, as well as musculoskeletal symptoms and fatigue.”
These symptoms contribute to the $1.8 billion in missed workdays each year.
So what can employers do to create a more inclusive environment? “The first step is creating an open culture,” explains Dr. Karen Adams, an OB-GYN and director of the Stanford Program in Menopause & Healthy Aging. “Employers can sponsor talks about menopause, offer information to employees through handouts or email communications about wellness, or create opportunities for shared discussion in small groups or one-on-one among employees.”
These efforts help to create an environment where employees dealing with menopause feel seen and acknowledged.
Adams also suggests an internal survey. “It’s a great idea to get a sense of employee’s knowledge, experiences and needs around menopause,” she adds.
Rahman also shares that employers can also allow: hybrid models of work when women may have extreme pain or erratic bleeding, feminine sanitation products availability, flexibility with uniforms, and being able to have rooms that are temperature-controlled or access to colder areas.
There is still work to do when it comes to accommodating women going through menopause in the workplace, but this is a positive start. If your current workplace is not making strides to enhance office culture, ask to speak with Human Resources to suggest implementing menopause-friendly training and resources.