When people think about menopause, they often think about hot flashes.
That is probably one of the reasons why it remains one of the least discussed life transitions in the workplace. It is often reduced to a physical symptom, something personal and private, rather than recognized as a stage of life that can shape how people experience work.
In a recent Voices of AdTech conversation, workplace culture expert Lynda Bailey joined me, Alejandra Herrera, Inclusion and Sustainability Manager and Representative of the Women at Teads Steering Committee, and co-host Amy China Wire, VP Digital Studio UK at Teads and a member of the Women at Teads Advisory Board, to discuss menopause at work and what meaningful support actually looks like.
What struck me most was not the conversation about symptoms. It was the conversation about confidence.
Menopause affects more than half of the population. As Lynda noted, while menopause is most commonly associated with women, it can also be experienced by some transgender and non-binary people. Yet despite how common it is, many people arrive at this stage of life knowing very little about what to expect.
Considering how many people will experience menopause, we spend surprisingly little time preparing for it.
That creates a challenge. Not because menopause automatically prevents people from succeeding. Not because it suddenly makes talented professionals less capable. But because when something significant is happening and nobody talks about it, people are often left trying to understand it alone, like trying to reinvent the wheel every time instead of learning from the experiences and knowledge that already exist.
Lynda shared her own experience of reaching a point where she no longer felt like herself. After nearly three decades in policing, she found herself questioning abilities she had trusted for years. Looking back, she does not describe a loss of capability. She describes a lack of understanding of what was happening and a lack of confidence to talk about it.
I suspect many women will recognize some version of that experience.
Not necessarily because they want to discuss menopause at work.
Many don’t. And that is completely understandable.
One of the most interesting tensions in this conversation is that both things can be true at the same time. Menopause is personal. Menopause also affects work. Just as pregnancy, parenthood, caregiving, illness, grief, or any major life transition can influence how we experience our jobs.
The goal is not to create a workplace where everyone feels obligated to disclose personal information. The goal is to create a workplace where people can ask for support when they need it without worrying that their competence will suddenly be questioned. That’s the important distinction.
Recently, I spoke with a woman who told me she would never discuss menopause in front of men colleagues because she worries they would laugh, dismiss her concerns, or see her differently. Whether that fear comes from personal experience or broader cultural messages, it reflects something many people still feel.
If speaking up comes with professional risk, silence becomes the safer option. The problem is that silence can come with a cost too.
When people feel they need to hide what they are experiencing, they are less likely to seek support, use available resources, or ask for adjustments that could make work more manageable, for them and their teams.
Amy raised another important point during the discussion. Menopause often arrives at a stage when women have accumulated years of expertise, leadership experience, professional networks, and industry knowledge. These are often some of the most experienced people in an organization.
This is why the conversation matters beyond wellbeing. It is also about business performance and profitability.
When talented people decide not to pursue a promotion, step back from opportunities, or leave an organization because they do not feel supported, teams lose valuable experience and organizations lose perspectives that are difficult to replace.
Yet the solution is often less complicated than people imagine.
One of the most powerful moments in the conversation was when Lynda described the manager who helped her return to work. He did not diagnose her. He did not pretend to be a menopause expert. He listened. He understood that she cared deeply about her work and wanted to continue contributing. Together they explored practical adjustments, rebuilt confidence, and created a path forward.
There was no perfect policy or groundbreaking initiative, just trust, empathy, and practical problem-solving.
That is often what support looks like. For managers, this is an important reminder. You do not need to have all the answers or know every symptom. You just need to listen and avoid assumptions and comparisons. What matters most is creating enough trust that someone feels comfortable telling you what they need to do their best work.
The broader opportunity for organizations is not to create a separate category of employees who require special treatment. It is to recognize menopause for what it is: a normal life transition.
The workplaces that do this well are not necessarily the ones with the most policies. They are the ones that make the topic visible, equip managers to have thoughtful conversations, and create an environment where people feel supported without feeling singled out.
Perhaps that is the most important lesson from this conversation: Menopause is not a weakness. It is not a sign that someone is less ambitious, less capable, or less valuable. It is simply part of life.
The more normal we make that reality, the easier it becomes for people to focus on what really matters: continuing to grow, contribute, lead, and succeed on their own terms.
And perhaps, by talking about it a little more openly today, we make it easier for the next generation of leaders to do the same tomorrow.