Women over the age of 40 represent a quarter of the Canadian working population, with those between the ages of 45 and 55 the fastest growing cohort of working women.

Those ages coincide with the time period when women are most likely to begin perimenopause and menopause, making it incumbent on employers to create menopause-inclusive workplaces, said Janet Ko, president and co-founder of the Menopause Foundation of Canada, during a session supported by Astellas during Benefits Canada’s 2024 Future of Work Summit.

A 2023 report by the foundation found unmanaged menopause symptoms cost the economy $3.5 billion annually in lost productivity and workdays. “Something that’s also happening at this stage is that women, in their peak earning years, are losing income to the tune of $3.3 billion annually,” she said. “They’re reducing their hours, taking a lesser role or leaving the workforce altogether.” 

Read: Dalhousie University providing menopause-inclusive workplace through support group, manager training

One potent example of menopause’s impact in the workplace is in health care. When the Menopause Foundation worked with the B.C. Nurses Union on a research project, it found female nurses going through menopause were “self-accommodating by moving away from bedside work, which required them to work very long hours and that was a struggle when they were managing some of their symptoms,” said Ko.

She suggested employers provide education and awareness sessions or create employee resource groups to boost knowledge and reduce the stigma around menopause, as well as offering support and accommodations for employees going through that stage of life.

Another report by the foundation found half of Canadian women felt unprepared for menopause and women’s knowledge of the range of menopause symptoms was low. Health-care providers often lack the training to provide appropriate treatment, said Ko, and many women say their symptoms were diminished and ignored by physicians.

Read: A closer look at menopause-inclusive workplaces

“If we can close the knowledge gap, if the workplace can be an avenue to provide women with information and support, we are going to change that trajectory [of women leaving the workforce].” 

She recommended plan sponsors add menopause hormone therapy to their drug plan formulary and look into new treatment options approved by Health Canada. Women at this stage of life also often benefit from physiotherapists, nutritionists, acupuncture and cognitive behavioural therapy or other mental-health practitioners, she added.

Within the workplace, offering flexible working hours and work-from-home arrangements can also make a meaningful difference, noted Ko, as well as ensuring people have easy access to a washroom and cold drinking water.

Read more coverage of the 2024 Future of Work Summit.