Menopause Matters!
Women’s health often remains an overlooked equity issue in the workplace. ANU researchers Dr. Sally Eales and Assoc. Prof. Bernard Baffour are calling for greater menopause awareness in the workplace.
Today’s post shares their reflections from the ‘Menopause Matters’ symposium held at ANU earlier this year and how we can continue this conversation for change.
Menopause Matters
Menopause affects half the population, yet it remains one of the most overlooked equity issues in our workplaces. While we have made progress in addressing many equality and inclusion matters, menopause remains stigmatised and largely ignored.
The stigma surrounding menopause is longstanding. I can recall older women in my family going through a mysterious process they referred to in hushed tones as 'the change' - and having no concept of what they meant. While this may reflect cultural attitudes of the time, menopause is still, even now in the 21st century, often treated as a taboo subject, shrouded in stigma and silence.
It is therefore worth taking a moment to understand just how remarkable menopause is from a biological viewpoint. Humans are among very few mammals who live long enough to experience menopause, which occurs in only a handful of species including killer whales, pilot whales, narwhals, and beluga whales. These species, like humans, live in multigenerational kin-structured groups where older females play critical roles in supporting younger generations. This evolutionary context shows us that menopause is not a medical problem to be solved, but a natural process through which older females' knowledge, experience, and support can provide crucial benefits to their families and communities.
With this context in mind, the timing of menopause becomes even more significant for women's careers. Typically occurring between ages 45 and 55, menopause often coincides with the peak of professional achievement - the years when experience, expertise, and leadership converge - yet this is precisely when many women find themselves stepping back from promotion or leaving the workforce entirely, due to the challenge of managing their symptoms. These symptoms are often complex and can include, for instance, hot flushes, sleep disruption, brain fog, mood fluctuations, and a range of physical symptoms that make daily work lives problematic
The departure of experienced professionals at the height of their careers drains organisations of valuable expertise. This significant loss affects everyone yet remains largely unquantified and unacknowledged.
The Menopause Matters Symposium
To address this overlooked issue, the ANU Centre for Social Policy Research (POLIS) recently hosted the Menopause Matters Symposium. The event funded by the Gender Institute brought together academics, clinicians, advocates and policy makers to illuminate the critical need for menopause awareness in professional environments.
Professor Christine Phillips explored symptoms, diagnosis, and misdiagnosis, and how many women experience dismissal of their symptoms within healthcare systems. This means that they may be left to navigate menopause without adequate information, treatment, or validation of their experiences.
Chiaka Barry, Shadow Minister for Women, gave insights on how menopause intersects with other challenges. Cultural backgrounds, language barriers, immigration status, and access to healthcare all shape how women experience this transition. Migrant women, for instance, may face additional challenges navigating menopause in a new cultural context while dealing with systemic barriers to appropriate support.
Dr Monique Hayes and Dr Rosa O'Kane from the Canberra Menopause Centre, and Theona Gevorgian from ANU's Safety and Wellbeing outlined what is needed to support women experiencing menopause including:
Recognition that menopause is a legitimate workplace consideration
The need for managers equipped with skills, knowledge and empathy
Flexibility in work arrangements when needed
Access to accurate health information and resources
Partnerships with external healthcare providers
A workplace culture where women feel safe discussing their needs
Lastly, audience members shared their experiences of hot flushes, brain fog, and other physical symptoms, noting they often felt uncomfortable discussing these challenges with managers. Some attendees also talked about menopausal depression and anxiety, highlighting the profound mental health implications that often accompany physical symptoms yet remain less visible but equally as difficult to disclose.
Breaking the Silence
The most significant barrier to progress is silence with menopause. It remains something that is mostly endured privately rather than discussed openly. As our workforce ages and more women continue their professional careers beyond their reproductive lives, the importance of menopause support will only grow. Several UK universities including Durham, London Southbank and Manchester have already implemented menopause policies, demonstrating that menopause can and should be treated as an equity issue.
The overwhelmingly positive response to the Menopause Matters Symposium affirmed a genuine need to continue these conversations. While one event cannot solve systemic issues, it does represent an important starting point. The expertise shared by our speakers, panel and audience members provided a foundation for what workplace menopause support might look like at ANU and beyond and suggests how such support may be authored and delivered moving forwards. If you would like to be involved in this work, please feel free to contact the authors on the emails below.
If you're navigating menopause-related workplace challenges or seeking more information, ANU staff can contact injurymanagement@anu.edu.au. Resources and presentation slides from the symposium are also available, and the Canberra Menopause Centre provides holistic, evidence-based advice and support.
Moderator: Dr. Cadhla O’Sullivan