Gender equity at all ages and stages: Examining stereotypes of perimenopausal and menopausal women in the workplace

At any given moment, almost a quarter of the world’s population could be experiencing perimenopause or menopause, according to the World Health Organization. Symptoms may range from severe hot flashes to intense brain fog to debilitating pain. The Mayo Clinic discovered that in the US alone, menopause causes women an estimated $1.8 billion annually owing to missed working time. Although menopause may impact almost half of the world’s population, there is still little medical, organizational, or policy research to support women during this time. In this article, we focus specifically on the work-related challenges that perimenopausal and menopausal women face as they navigate the heights of their careers while undergoing significant hormonal and bodily changes.