Menopause at Work: Moving Beyond Myths, Stigma, and “Yoga-at-Your-Desk” Solutions

Most or all older women are likely to experience negative impacts of menopause via discriminatory treatment at work.

That’s the conclusion of the UK Government’s Menopause in the Workplace Literature Review — and even though that phrasing shocked me at first, I suspect many employees going through menopause would read it and think, “Yes, that tracks.”

When Assumptions Become Discrimination

The UK review found that many workplaces discriminate against older women based on biased assumptions that they all experience the same debilitating symptoms of menopause.

Think about that: rather than being asked what support they need, employees are often treated as though they’re suddenly less capable, less stable, or less resilient simply because of their age and gender.

And while that research came from the UK, the legal risk is very real here in Canada.

Canadian human rights law recognizes that adverse treatment based on presumed characteristics — like presumed menopause symptoms — can ground a discrimination claim.

In fact, the BC Human Rights Tribunal has already recognized a potential link between menopause and the protected grounds of sex, age, and disability.

When Menopause “Support” Misses the Mark

The Menopause Foundation of Canada reports that workplace training and awareness are among the most requested forms of support. But how that training is delivered matters.

One study cited in the UK review described how managers suggested that back-office employees try yoga to address menopause symptoms.

Let’s pause on that.

Yoga. At your desk.

For many employees — juggling workloads, caregiving, and the exhaustion that can come with menopause — that suggestion wasn’t just unrealistic. It was patronizing. It reflected the managers’ own preferences, not empathy or understanding.

Creating Real Change: Listening, Privacy, and Participation

There are already many great suggestions for creating a menopause-inclusive workplace available from the Menopause Foundation of Canada and other similar organizations online. But if you're looking for targeted strategies in your workplace, you may face some resistance to gathering employee input. Many employees fear stigma, career impacts, or retaliation for speaking openly about their experiences.

That’s where a participatory gender audit (PGA) can help.

A PGA allows organizations to collect anonymized, multi-source feedback on how menopause (and other gendered health experiences) may be affecting employees — without forcing anyone to self-identify. It offers data-driven insights into where policy, culture, and practice need to evolve.

If you’d like to explore how a PGA can help you take the pulse on menopause’s impact in your workplace, please contact me to learn more.

Inclusion Means Everyone

Finally, when we talk about menopause inclusion, we need to mean everyone who experiences it.

Many excellent resources still refer exclusively to “women,” sometimes adding a small footnote acknowledging that trans men and non-binary employees may also experience menopause.

Let’s move beyond the footnotes. Hormone therapy, gender-affirming care, and surgical history can all shape how someone experiences menopause — and recognizing that diversity is essential to building workplaces grounded in health equity and respect.