The Australian government’s inquiry into the impacts of menopause and perimenopause has shed light on a crucial issue affecting millions of employees across Australia.
Menopause is not merely a medical transition; it’s a critical workplace gender and age equality issue that can impact physical health, mental wellbeing, and professional performance. Yet, too often, it remains shrouded in stigma and silence.
The inquiry’s findings were clear: we must break this silence and cultivate environments that empower all employees, regardless of their gender or life stage.
The statistics are striking. Around 3 in 4 women experiencing menopause report adverse effects on their work lives, including increased absenteeism, decreased productivity, and early retirement. This is estimated to cost Australian women $17 billion each year in lost earnings and superannuation.
These challenges can lead to a loss of valuable talent for workplaces that fail to provide adequate support. Organisations that foster a culture of understanding, flexibility and, above all, inclusion not only retain their workforce but also enhance overall performance.
An encouraging focus on data, intersectionality and lived experience
The committee’s recommendations align closely with Diversity Council Australia’s (DCA) submission to the inquiry and underscore the need for more data on the diverse experiences of women experiencing menopause and perimenopause.
In particular, we recommended an intersectional approach, addressing the compounded economic impacts on women who are additionally marginalised. This was addressed in the first recommendation calling on the government to commission research to establish a comprehensive evidence base about the impacts of menopause and perimenopause on women in Australia, including the experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse women, First Nations women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and women with disability. Centring the diverse lived experiences of menopausal women is critical in any policy design and implementation process to ensure the complexity of this experience is properly understood.
Additionally, the committee addressed DCA’s call to break the silence surrounding menopause by highlighting the need for comprehensive education and awareness programs. Workplaces must prioritise training that informs employees and management about menopause and its implications. By integrating this topic into diversity and inclusion initiatives, we can dismantle the stigma surrounding it, ensuring that no one feels isolated or unsupported.
To adequately address this stigma, workplaces also need to focus on raising awareness of gender norms and stereotypes, and those relating to age and ageism. This is consistently identified in DCA’s research as posing barriers to women entering the workforce and in career progression.
Understanding the role of reproductive leave
One of the main recommendations handed down by the committee was to consider introducing paid gender-inclusive reproductive leave in the National Employment Standards (NES) and modern awards.
While the call for reproductive leave is an important acknowledgment of the challenges women face during this significant life stage, we must recognise that it does not address the broader systemic issues that affect women’s experiences in the workplace.
DCA’s submission urged caution when developing responses to the experience of women in workplace contexts. Many women have raised concerns that menstrual and menopause leave might negatively impact the hiring, treatment, promotion and/or retention of women. Four in five women believe some workplaces would “not be understanding” if someone took menstrual or menopause leave, and almost three-quarters believe employers or co-workers would use it as an excuse to discriminate against women, according to a 2023 government-funded study conducted by Jean Hailes for Women’s Health.
Several other submissions to the inquiry also cautioned against menopause-specific leave due to the potential risk of greater stigma, and leave posing an additional barrier to workforce participation and employability in mid-age. Specifically, Chief Executive Women’s submission cautioned “against the implementation of standalone ‘menopause leave’ that risks further alienating a woman from her place of work”.
Others, for example, Thea O’Connor from Menopause at Work Asia-Pacific, expressed concerns that “just giving leave means the workplace doesn’t have to change, because you are sending women home to do it in private.”
Work in this space must be informed and framed to support women’s health and productivity and not be used as ammunition to discriminate. To this end, we recommend the government focuses on the first part of this specific recommendation, which underscores the need for further research on the impact and effectiveness of reproductive health leave where it has been implemented in Australia and overseas.
For lasting change, organisations must also commit to rethinking job design and fostering a supportive workplace culture. Grace Molloy of Menopause Friendly Australia told the inquiry that ‘the top three things that women say would be most helpful at work don’t include leave’, adding that workplace flexibility, a supportive manager and flexibility related to temperature and clothing within the workplace were seen as more important.
A holistic approach is needed
The committee also called for changes to Section 65 of the Fair Work Act to ensure women can access flexible working arrangements during menopause. This was in response to multiple submissions recommending adding symptoms of perimenopause, menopause or reproductive health to the list of reasons an employee can request changes to working arrangements under the Act.
To truly support women experiencing menopause, workplaces must implement structural changes that promote flexibility, education and open communication. This means redesigning roles to accommodate the varied needs of employees, whether that includes remote work options, flexible hours, or adjustments to working conditions.
It also means normalising discussions about our flexibility needs in the workplace to empower employees to seek the support they need regardless of their health status. Data from DCA’s 2023-2024 Inclusion@Work Index showed that workers who access flexible working options were almost four times more likely to feel work positively impacted their mental health. On top of this, flex workers were also more likely to be innovative, offer excellent customer service, and work extra hard.
Despite these benefits, a stigma still exists around asking for flexible working options – data from the Inclusion@Work Index also showed that flex workers are more likely to face discrimination and harassment.
Many women experiencing menopause face compounded marginalisation in this respect, given many report that they feel unable to discuss their challenges openly, leading to feelings of isolation and creating a barrier to life changing workplace support. Workplaces must ensure employees experiencing menopause and perimenopause feel safe discussing their needs at work to ensure a truly inclusive work environment where all employees can thrive.
The path forward
The inquiry makes it clear that addressing workplace issues for women experiencing menopause and perimenopause should be a priority. While the committee’s recommendations are encouraging, we must ensure these actions are adequately followed through.
Regardless of the government’s response to these recommendations, workplaces need to heed this call to action and proactively support their employees. We need a cultural shift within organisations that values women’s health and wellbeing, ensuring they can thrive throughout their careers.
Discussions around reproductive leave are a valuable starting point, but a broader commitment to organisational change is needed. We must take a holistic approach that is data led and informed by the lived experiences of women, encompassing job design, flexibility, inclusive leadership, and ending the stigma on menopause and women’s health.
The benefits of a supportive workplace for those experiencing menopause are clear—not just for the individuals involved, but for businesses as a whole. It is time for organisations in Australia to recognise menopause as a critical workplace issue and take proactive steps to support their employees.
Feature image: Lisa Annese.