Welcome to Pause Collective
Menopause at work, managed right.
Our mission
Pause Collective helps organizations retain top talent, boost performance, and reduce absenteeism by addressing menopause in the workplace through strategic, expert-led solutions.
Rooted in both medical insight and business acumen, Pause Collective designs tailored programs that normalize the menopause journey, reduces stigma, and delivers measurable outcomes. Services include workplace assessments, policy reviews, leadership and HR training, and inclusive education sessions—ensuring support isn’t just performative, but embedded into the culture. Built at the intersection of strategy, empathy, and evidence, Pause Collective helps employers create stronger, more inclusive workplaces where people can thrive at every stage of life and make their best contribution in the workplace.
Problem overview
Too many companies are losing top performers in silence.
Menopause can significantly impact focus, confidence, and engagement and contribution—yet most workplaces offer little to no structured support. These biological transitions are still treated as personal issues rather than strategic workforce challenges, despite affecting a growing segment of the employee population. The result? Increased absenteeism, reduced productivity, stalled careers, and costly talent loss and all the contribution that come with talent—especially among experienced, midlife professionals. When left unaddressed, the cost is both human and organizational.
1 in 3
women say menopause negatively affects their work performance
25%
of women experience severe menopausal symptoms
70%
of women are uncomfortable discussing menopause with HR
$3.5B
the estimated annual cost of unmanaged menopause to the Canadian economy
Source: Menopause Foundation of Canada, Workplace Health Studies, 2022–2023. Figures based on Canadian workforce data and national surveys of women aged 40–60.
Our solution
Too many companies are losing top performers in silence.
We deliver tailored, expert-led programs that help you retain talent, improve performance, and reduce absenteeism—by making menopause support a strategic advantage. Our services are evidence-based, workplace-ready, and designed to create lasting impact.
What Should Your Organization Be Asking?
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What workforce trends has the Board or Human Resources Committee of the Board reviewed?
What assurance has management provided that legal, labour relations, health and safety, and human rights risks associated with menopause have been measured and are being appropriately mitigated?
How has the Board satisfied itself that succession planning, performance management and leadership development are not unintentionally disadvantaging experienced women during mid-career?
What business risks, costs or opportunities could result from continuing with the status quo with respect to menopause in our organization?
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What percentage of our workforce is impacted by perimenopause and menopause and how is this impacting our business and customer experience?
How do we know whether employees feel supported to do their best during perimenopause and menopause?
How do we know our leaders have the skills and abilities to support employees who are directly or indirectly impacted by perimenopause and menopause at work?
Could untreated menopause-related workplace barriers be affecting retention, promotion or succession of experienced women and how would we know?
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To what extent are perimenopause and menopause currently affecting our workforce? How do we know?
What do our HR and operational data tell us about absenteeism, disability, productivity, engagement, promotion, turnover and retention across demographic segments?
How well is the legal and labour risk managed associated with potential human rights and grievances associated with discrimination and / or duty to accommodate?
How would employees describe our culture when someone has menopause-related symptoms at work?
How knowledgeable, skilled and confident is the HR team in supporting employees and leaders on this topic?
Which of our policies, benefits, workplace practices and physical work environments may unintentionally create barriers for employees experiencing menopause? What are the business impacts of these barriers?
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What is working well today to create a menopause-supportive workplace, and where are the biggest opportunities to improve?
How is our current state practices with respect to menopause directly or indirectly impacting our business and customer experience?
How has our organization ensured that performance management and succession planning do not adversely impact women experiencing menopause symptoms in the workplace?
If you could change one workplace practice tomorrow to better support employees experiencing menopause, what would it be?
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Menopause directly or indirectly impacts everyone. What has my organization done to date to build knowledge, systems and processes so that everyone can do their best work even as they are impacted by menopause related symptoms?
What additional actions would you recommend to your organization?