of the global population will experience menopause as a natural life-course transition.
Evidence & Resources
Perimenopause, menopause and work
A life transition can become a workplace issue when symptoms meet unsupportive work.
Perimenopause and menopause are experienced differently. Symptoms can include hot flushes, sleep disruption, migraine, anxiety, low mood, cognitive changes, bleeding changes and fatigue, but not every woman experiences the same pattern or severity.
Health, healthcare and work are connected.
Global evidence snapshot
Scale, context and equity matter.
is the age range in which natural menopause typically occurs.
WHO identifies major gaps in menopause research, care and policy, including workplace outcomes.
What the evidence says
Start with what is established.
01
The health evidence
WHO describes menopause as a major life-course transition, typically occurring between ages 45 and 55.
02
The wider context
WHO identifies evidence, care and policy gaps and recognises links with absenteeism, workforce exit and earnings decline.
03
What matters
The UK Government review reports heterogeneous evidence and cautions against treating uncertain estimates as settled fact.
Working-life lens
The impact can appear in more than absence.
01
Capacity and participation
Sleep loss, temperature, concentration, unpredictable bleeding and mental wellbeing may interact with job demands.
02
Systems and access
Stigma and age or gender stereotypes can increase reluctance to seek support.
03
Trust and disclosure
Work impact may be episodic and can overlap with caring responsibilities or other health conditions.
From evidence to practice
Support begins with a respectful, individual response.
01
Listen first
Use individual conversations rather than a one-size-fits-all menopause response.
02
Design practical support
Consider temperature, uniforms, breaks, work location, schedule control and workload.
03
Protect dignity
Train managers to listen, protect confidentiality and avoid medicalising normal workplace discussions.
Women Working Well’s research purpose
What Women Working Well is seeking to understand.
Women Working Well exists to investigate the questions that remain unseen or unanswered: what is missing from the evidence, whose experiences are under-represented, and how women’s health, healthcare, working life and life beyond work connect. These topic-specific priorities help shape the Global Women and Work Study.
01
What is missing
High-quality evidence about specific workplace interventions remains limited.
02
Who is under-represented
Research needs more diverse occupations, cultures and employment arrangements.
03
What research should connect
Perimenopause is often poorly separated from menopause in datasets.
Sources and further reading
Global evidence and authoritative guidance.
These sources support the key statements on this page. Statistics are contextual, time-bound and should be read with their source definitions. Evidence from one country, occupation or health condition should not automatically be generalised to all women.
World Health Organization — Menopause →UK Government — Menopause in the workplace literature review →
Important: This page provides general evidence and workplace information. It is not medical, legal or employment advice and does not replace individual clinical care or professional advice.
Keep exploring
See the connected evidence picture.
Return to the Evidence & Resources Hub or explore the Global Women and Work Study.
Evidence & Resources →