Why menopause is employers’ $1.8 billion blind spot—and what leaders can do about it

As companies work to build more inclusive, high-performing workplaces, one major workforce issue is still hiding in plain sight: menopause. Around 1 billion women globally are currently in perimenopause, menopause, or postmenopause, equating to roughly 12% of the world’s population. In the U.S., nearly 50 million women in the workforce are aged 35 and over, which is the demographic most likely to experience menopause-related symptoms. And yet, even though menopause affects half the world’s population, workplace support remains inconsistent, misunderstood, or absent altogether. Why menopause has become a business issue The conversation around menopause has finally started catching up with reality—not because menopause is new, but because the workforce has changed. Women are one of the fastest-growing workforce demographics, and midlife employees now occupy many of the most influential roles across organizations. These are leaders, managers, decision-makers, and experienced professionals at the peak of their careers. Menopause typically occurs between ages 45 and 55, with perimenopause often beginning in the late thirties or early forties—precisely when many women are leading teams, driving strategy, and holding invaluable institutional knowledge. At the same time, Americans are living and working longer. Organizations are investing heavily in leadership pipelines, talent retention, and employee well-being, yet many are overlooking a biological transition that can profoundly affect performance, resilience, and retention during some of the most productive years of a woman’s career. For employers, this creates a costly—and largely preventable—business challenge. Unsupported menopause symptoms contribute to higher healthcare utilization, burnout, disengagement, turnover, and early retirement. In a labor market where retaining experienced talent is critically important, menopause has become an overlooked workforce strategy issue hiding inside a health conversation. The co