Workplaces urged to support employees in menopause

Women experiencing menopause are one of Australia's fastest-growing workforce demographics, but they say shame, stigma and a lack of support is driving them to early retirement.

The impacts of menopause on a woman's career can be profound, with a 2021 study finding 83 per cent of people surveyed said their work had been negatively affected by the hormonal change.

Nearly 60 per cent said managing work during their menopausal transition was "challenging" while almost half struggled with a loss of confidence at work.

More than 40 per cent of women considered retiring or taking a break from work when their menopausal symptoms were severe.

Similarly, a report by the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia found women unable to work during menopause were retiring about five years early, forgoing thousands in lost retirement savings.

Kathryn Carter worked in a fast-paced corporate environment for years before experiencing early peri-menopause at the age of 39.

Perimenopause is a transitional period before menopause when levels of oestrogen begin to decrease, bringing with it a range of symptoms.

"I had been incredibly privileged to have so much workplace support related to my fertility and pregnancy," she told AAP.

"Yet when I was then experiencing perimenopause, I was really taken aback by how limited the options were and how much stigma there was around the topic."

Ms Carter has since founded MyPause Health which supports women through TGA-approved supplements that can help manage symptoms of different menopause stages.

It's a similar story for Megan Hayward, who was made redundant twice and left another role after six months due to compounding and untreated symptoms of perimenopause.

"It was an incredibly dark time in my life and extremely confusing and my work environment was in mostly male-dominated construction," she said.

She has since started working as a menopause trainer and coach to help women stay employed as they navigate the huge hormonal transition.

"Losing skilled women costs organisations knowledge, productivity and resilience and comes at a personal cost to women too: lost confidence, stalled careers, financial stress and the emotional toll of feeling unsupported and dismissed during a natural life transition," she said.

Brain fog, hot flushes, fatigue and sleep disturbances can all be symptoms of menopause and can impact women at work.

"An indirect consequence of menopause is that if you are forgetful or not as sharp as you once were or not able to perform, it might be noticed by your employer but it will undoubtedly be noticed by yourself," Ms Carter said.

In NSW, four major menopause hubs in different health districts have supported more than 6,600 women.

The hubs provide women with access to multidisciplinary clinical teams to address complex health needs associated with menopause, such as increased risk of heart, bone and mental health problems as well as diabetes.

"One in four women will experience severe symptoms associated with menopause," NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said.

"These services are critical to ensuring they can access the care they need, improving their quality of life."

Ahead of World Menopause Day on October 18, Ms Carter says workplaces need to have open conversations to shift culture and become "meno-friendly".

"World Menopause Day provides the opportunity to open a conversation around what type of support is available, we want employers to reflect on the women in their workforce and how they are being supported," she said.