More than 1 million women in the UK could be forced out of their jobs this year because their employers are failing to support them as they go through the menopause, researchers have said.
A survey, conducted by Research Without Barriers, of 2,000 women aged 45 to 67 across the UK experiencing menopause symptoms found that this lack of support is having a direct impact on their decisions to leave the workplace. The women said it was the second most devastating impact on their career to date, only just behind having children.
“Women should never be pushed out of the workplace because of their biology. Menopause is a natural part of women’s life course, and shouldn’t mean the end of their career,” said Rachel Carrell, the founder of Koru Kids, which commissioned the research. “As a society, we need to support older women with flexible working and health support so they don’t fall out of the workplace needlessly.”
