WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESS Newswire / February 28, 2025 / New survey findings released today reveal significant gaps between awareness of menopause-related workplace challenges and organizational support for affected employees. The report, "Understanding the Health Issues of Women in Midlife," examines how employers understand and address the difficulties faced by employees in midlife, including women experiencing perimenopause and menopause.
HR.com's HR Research Institute conducted a survey of 308 HR professionals in partnership with Aimed Alliance. Major findings from the survey include:
Women experiencing menopause face substantial career repercussions, with 85 percent of respondents citing loss of self-confidence, followed by reduced productivity (68 percent), and decreased workplace engagement (67 percent).
Four out of five HR professionals (80 percent) recognize that menopause affects the careers of women in mid-life.
Most organizations offer basic accommodations like time off for medical appointments (88 percent) and consistent access to a restroom (86 percent), but specialized support remains limited.
Only 40 percent of organizations that provide employee health insurance offer menopause treatments and support in their employee health benefits packages.
Encouragingly, 68 percent of participants reported that prostate cancer screenings for men in midlife are included in their health benefits package.
Three-fifths (61 percent) of respondents report that women feel uncomfortable raising concerns about coverage for menopause-related treatments with their employer.
"Despite the significant workforce impacts of menopause symptoms, our research shows a concerning deficiency in organizational support," said Ashira Vantrees, Director of Legal Strategy and Advocacy at Aimed Alliance. "Only 40 percent of survey respondents' organizations specifically include menopause treatments in their benefits packages. The remaining 60 percent of organizations must do more to support women in midlife."
The HR Research Institute laid out numerous recommendations, including:
Foster a supportive culture for discussing midlife health, including menopause, without stigma.
Proactively inform employees that accommodations are available to help manage perimenopause and menopause symptoms.
Ensure employees have access to healthcare specialists who treat perimenopause and menopause symptoms.
Provide health insurance coverage of hormonal and non-hormonal perimenopause and menopause treatments.
The complete report with detailed findings and recommendations is available here.
About HR.com and the HR Research Institute
The HR Research Institute (HRRI) helps you keep your finger on the pulse of HR! Powered by HR.com, the world's largest HR community, the HRRI identifies key trends and best practices to help more than 2 million HR professionals and their organizations make strategic decisions with informed and insightful research findings. HR.com's free membership offers many benefits, including access to over 250 exclusive primary research, state-of-the-industry reports, and infographics. To learn more, visit hr.com/hrresearchinstitute.
About Aimed Alliance
Aimed Alliance is a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit health policy organization that protects and enhances the rights of health care consumers and providers. For more information, visit aimedalliance.org.
Media Contact
Ashira Vantrees, Esq.
policy@aimedalliance.org
SOURCE: Aimed Alliance
