Menopause, 76% of women still find it taboo to talk about it at work - LA

76% of Italians face their symptoms without talking about them.Absenteeism, stigma, unprepared companies: so taboos become invisible costs for the state

We hardly ever talk at work.Menopause remains a taboo that many women face alone for fear of being judged.And the price is high: a new study – born from the cooperation of the parliamentary intergroup on menopause, the Onda ETS Foundation, Manupausa and IULM University – shows a significant impact on the careers of Italian women, with hidden costs for the country.Nicoletta Orthmann and Manuela Peretti, medical director of the Onda ETS Foundation, founder of the Manupausa project and member of the Interparliamentary Group on Menopause, tell us what is happening and how to change course.

Menopause: 76% of women suffer in silence

The Menopause and Work survey, conducted on 1,576 Italians, shows that 76 percent of women suffer in silence at the workplace, and the annual economic costs associated with absences due to "menopause" disorders amount to 112 million euros.Surprising figures.

"Silent suffering - Perretti explains - arises above all from the fear of underperformance or of being considered less suitable for one's role. Many women, even if the symptoms are of significant severity, choose not to talk about it for fear of appearing fragile. In my community this is strongly shown: in a post dedicated to menopause, many cannot work internationally. Stigma and lack of information keep women silent and at around 50 years of age, physicalWhen menopause arrives, alternative work opportunities are few: another reason to prevent seeking support.

We don't talk about it at work

The study highlights that 37.7% of women have not discussed menopause with anyone at work and 42.3% consider it a private matter.The root of this reservation, for Nicoletta Orthman, is the fear of being considered less qualified for his position.

"In our country it is very difficult for the issue to be well known about body modification, among lies, stigmatization and shame. The most difficult thing is to bring discussions to work situations, where women fear that they will be judged as not useful and reliable, not the work of their position. talking about it and employers."

Little rest affects performance

Another study highlights that 54.5% of women say that menopause symptoms affect their work performance, with fatigue and disturbed sleep among the main complaints.These symptoms interfere with the quality of daily work even for women in positions of responsibility.

"Symptoms and disorders related to menopause that have emerged from research can be divided into three groups," explains Ortman - physical, emotional and cognitive. The dominant ones for each group are characterized by the so-called tiredness and fatigue, respectively, sleep and mood disorders and difficulty concentrating. "Strain" also affects work performance, self-esteem and communication.

Comparing the two subgroups of the sample, female employees and independent professionals, we observe that the impact of symptoms is greater in work conditions characterized by less flexibility and higher relationship load".

An "invisible price"

But what would be the ideal way to reduce this economic and social impact?Beyond the direct cost of absenteeism, how important is it for a company to create an environment that allows employees to better manage menopause and prevent further financial costs?What company policy can have an impact? Peretti explains this: "Reducing invisible costs means first of all creating a culture of menopause, because awareness and information are the starting point for changing behavior. In the work context, this means three essential levers: raising awareness so that the topic can be talked about and overcoming shame; education so that managers and sensitivity know how to manage and listen to the human resources space of personal support and guidance;

Telecommuting: The Solution?

Flexible working hours, the possibility of telecommuting and special attention to the psychological well-being of employees are important aspects.Italian companies are not always ready to implement these policies.

The experience of countries where attention and debate on this topic has increased can be stimulating;for example, in Great Britain, the Menopause Friendly Certification initiative encourages the development of a corporate culture that normalizes, educates and promotes inclusion, as well as implements a special company policy aimed specifically at supporting women during menopause," the expert suggests.

Masculinity magnet religion

Despite the progress, menopause is still not talked about.What can be done to overcome this cultural barrier?In Italy, as in other countries, menopause is still seen as a secret, almost shameful.What can society, institutions and businesses do to balance the debate and encourage cultural change on this issue?

"The problem stems from the fact that many women - continues the founder of the Manupause project - consider menopause as a "personal" issue, and it also arose from our research. In fact, it is a social, economic and public problem. To overcome the cultural barrier, menopause needs to be skillfully talked about. New self-care can be opened by supporting women in this transition period and evaluating everything they can in terms of experience and perspective.

Gender gap: Italy ranked at bottom

18.3% of women give up career advancement, with a loss of approximately 4.9% of senior female managers.How can we work to prevent aging without affecting women's work and gender equality in the world of work?

"The gender gap in Italy remains relevant. As perceived by Nicolletta ortmann, our country ranked 85 in 2025, the culfosts are not working or 5% of people in the firstGoal is to help them cope with menopause, recognize the role of prevention and the possibility of treatment (if necessary), in order to bring more peace and well-mannered.

Doctor, first of all

Turning to competent professionals is the first advice for employees who find themselves in this difficult moment of silence, as well as for those who want to raise awareness of the issue in their companies.The first step for an employee is to care.a holistic approach that can truly improve the quality of life, when a woman is a valued competence, she negotiates with herself the valuable competence, flexibility, crisis management, strategic vision and professional maturity that only comes with experience."

Equally important is informing employers about a problem that doesn't seem to affect them."From the point of view of the employer, the starting point is to make the topic visible and legitimate. The simplest and most direct thing - Peretti decides - is to organize moments of awareness: meetings, webinars or short information sessions with qualified experts. This creates awareness and opens up space for a safe dialogue. From here on, every company can evaluate more structured interventions that can naturally open up a new conversation."

A challenge for the near future

What can we expect in terms of supportive policies and cultural changes in Italy in the coming years?Are we really on the right path to sustainable change?" We must all work together for real and sustainable change. The challenge is first and foremost: only from awareness can concrete actions arise that create open spaces for dialogue and supportive interventions that benefit not only women but also workers' organizations. - We will work in the coming months - to promote the emerging results of our research, to spread new understanding about the dimensions of the phenomenon of health and safety at work and to receive concrete words on possible actions.