World Menopause Day: taking action to help women live healthier lives
World Menopause Day takes place every year on October 18. Its goal is to raise awareness of menopause and the support options available for improving women’s health and well-being.
Menopause has been a taboo topic for too long. While we’re making progress, there’s a long way to go to break the stigma.
This is reinforced by our recent research with Ipsos. Only 42% of women said there was an open workplace culture for discussing women's health issues such as menopause. And a majority of women (60%) said these health issues could affect a woman's career advancement abilities.
Three-quarters of women experience menopausal symptoms that interfere with their daily lives. And many aren’t getting the help they need.
“I'm a menopausal woman and find that my family doctor knows little about menopause. From what I understand, they devote very little time to learning about menopause in medical schools. That needs to change. Additionally, people in general treat menopause as a joke when in reality, it can cause a host of physical and mental challenges for women….”
Participant in 2024 Sun Life research report, The gender health gap: its impact on working women in Canada
Support for menopause at work
Employers have a role to play in supporting women through the menopause transition. A study found that 10% of women left their job or were planning to because of unmanaged menopause symptoms.1 And menopause occurs at a time when many women are assuming a greater career leadership role. This makes it even more imperative for employers to support women at this critical career stage.
As a partner committed to improving the lives of your employees, we’re here to help. We can work with you to support the health of women in your workplace. This includes raising awareness of women’s health issues and ensuring that benefits coverage and other supports are in place.
We encourage you to learn more. These resources from Sun Life and the Menopause Foundation of Canada can help.
- Menopause and Work in Canada. This powerful report focuses on Canadian attitudes and perceptions about menopause in the workforce.
- Menopause Inclusive Playbook for employers. This is a hands-on resource employers can use to help understand menopause and support the women in their workforce.
- The gender health gap: its impact on working women in Canada. Sun Life’s research report provides insights directly from women in the workplace. It identifies concerning gaps and their effects on women's health.
- Working together to support women’s health. Our Bright Paper report highlights important opportunities employers have to better support women in their workplaces.
- Workplace benefits DE&I playbook. This resource can support employers when considering the unique needs of women in the workforce and their benefits coverage.
This information and more is available on our women’s health webpage.
Employers like you can also join the Menopause Works HereTM campaign. The campaign champions menopause-inclusive workplaces in Canada and encourages employers to demonstrate their support for the well-being of employees experiencing menopause.
Questions?
Sun Life is committed to advancing women’s health and raising awareness of menopause supports that can help. If you have any questions about available resources, reach out to your Sun Life Group Benefits representative.