Understanding Menopause at Work
Clear, inclusive education to help your team support midlife health with confidence.
About menopause
Menopause is defined as the day 12 months after a woman’s last period and is a natural transition that typically affects people between the ages of 40 and 60 and includes three phases: perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause. 186 symptoms such as hot flushes, brain fog, sleep issues, mood changes and so many more can begin years before menopause and impact focus, confidence, and performance at work.
Despite this, most workplaces offer little education or support. The result is often silence, stigma, and missed opportunities to retain and empower experienced talent.
Pause Collective helps close that gap with clear, inclusive education—paired with practical tools and strategic support. We’re not just about raising awareness; we’re focused on driving real change through tailored programs, policy guidance, and leadership training that turn knowledge into action.
Data Points
(Sources: Menopause Foundation of Canada, 2024 HER Report)
1M+
Canadians are currently in some stage of menopause or perimenopause.
48%
of women say they are too embarrassed to ask for help with symptoms.
11%
Canadians are currently in some stage of menopause or perimenopause.
Women in rural areas
are more likely to report intense, disruptive symptoms and have fewer support options.
>50%
Menopause affects over half the workforce — yet is still excluded from most wellness strategies.
Zero
Canadians are currently in some stage of menopause or perimenopause.
40%
Nearly 40% of women say they’ve never discussed menopause with a healthcare provider
The business case is clear:
menopause-inclusive workplaces see gains in retention, engagement, and wellbeing.
Recommended resources
CANADA
Menopause Foundation of Canada
National non-profit advocating for better menopause support in healthcare, government, and workplaces.
menopausefoundationcanada.ca
CANADA
Canadian Menopause Society
Multidisciplinary clinicians advancing women’s postmenopausal health through education and knowledge transfer.
canadianmenopausesociety.org
CANADA
SOGC — Menopause and U
Canada’s OB-GYN specialists leading women’s health advancement through collaborative professional practice.
menopauseandu.ca
UNITED STATES
The Menopause Society
US-based non-profit empowering clinicians with tools to improve women’s health through the menopause transition.
menopause.org
Great books
THE MENOPAUSE MANIFESTO
Own your health with facts and feminism
CITADEL PRESS · 2021
The Menopause Manifesto
Dr. Jen Gunter dismantles menopause myths with science and fierce advocacy for women’s health.
Jen Gunter
THE NEW MENOPAUSE
Navigating hormonal change with purpose and facts
RODALE BOOKS · 2024
The New Menopause
Dr. Mary Claire Haver reframes hormonal change as a navigable transition with clarity and agency.
Mary Claire Haver
THE MENOPAUSE BRAIN
New science empowers women to navigate change
AVERY · 2024
The Menopause Brain
Dr. Lisa Mosconi uses cutting-edge neuroscience to explain how menopause reshapes the brain.
Lisa Mosconi
Websites
IFS · 2025
The menopause penalty
Institute for Fiscal Studies working paper quantifying the career and earnings costs women face at menopause.
ifs.org.uk
MENOPAUSE · 2021
Menopause and the workplace: consensus recommendations
Faubion et al. — evidence-based workplace recommendations from The Menopause Society.
doi.org/10.1097/GME....1868
MENOPAUSE · 2022
Impact of menopause symptoms on women in the workplace
Faubion, Enders & Hedges — peer-reviewed study linking symptom burden to work performance and absenteeism.
doi.org/10.1097/GME....1949
FAWCETT SOCIETY · 2022
Menopause and the workplace
UK gender equality charity report revealing how unmanaged menopause symptoms drive women out of work.
fawcettsociety.org.uk
MFC · 2023
Menopause and work in Canada
National Canadian study on how menopause affects women’s careers, productivity, and workplace participation.
menopausefoundationcanada.ca
BC WOMEN’S · 2023
HER-BC: Health and economic research on midlife women in BC
BC Women’s Health Foundation report on the health and economic impact of menopause on mid-life women in British Columbia.
bcwomensfoundation.org