Even though menopause is a universal experience for women, one-third (32 per cent) of working women in Canada say their menopause symptoms negatively impacted their performance at work.
Menopause costs employers $237 million annually in lost productivity and costs women $3.3 billion in lost income due to a reduction in hours, pay or leaving the workforce, according to the Menopause Foundation of Canada.
To that end, having a menopause policy in the workplace creates a psychologically safe space for employees to engage in a discussion and talk about their needs, according to Deborah Ovsenny, VP of HR operations at Metrolinx.