Menopause at Work: When Business and Biology Collide
When Menopause Meets Ambition
Menopause isn’t just a midlife story.
For some women, it arrives right in the middle of high performance, heavy responsibility, and career acceleration.
Twelve years ago, I experienced that firsthand. A total abdominal hysterectomy at 43 put me into surgical menopause overnight — reshaping everything I knew about energy, leadership, and identity in business.
This Menopause Awareness Month, I sat down with Louise Ellis, Millennial business leader and Executive Search Partner at HW Global, who faced the same life-changing operation at the same age, just over a decade later.
Different generations.
Different workplace cultures.
Same reality: what happens when menopause meets ambition?
The Hidden Truth About Menopause at Work
When a woman’s body changes, her career shouldn’t have to.
Yet for millions, it still does. In fact:
Over 75% of women experience menopause symptoms that affect their working life (CIPD, 2023).
1 in 10 leave their roles entirely because of unmanaged menopause challenges.
Only 25% of women experience no symptoms — meaning the vast majority are navigating leadership, strategy, and decision-making while managing biological change.
For women in senior roles, the stakes are even higher. Research by Harvard Business Review shows that menopause can significantly impact confidence, cognitive clarity, and risk tolerance — three pillars of executive performance.
As a professional menopause coach and menopause keynote speaker, I see this daily. Menopause isn’t a wellness topic; it’s a leadership and performance issue that shapes how women lead, grow, and stay visible in the boardroom.
When Business and Biology Collide
For women like Louise and myself, surgical menopause wasn’t a distant concept — it was an abrupt reality that arrived without warning, planning, or preparation.
In my case, it came when my career was at its peak as a female founder and CEO; for Louise, it came during accelerating leadership success. When the body changes that dramatically, the career impact isn’t just physical — it’s strategic.
Confidence. Visibility. Decision-making. Risk appetite.
All can shift overnight.
That’s why The NOPAUSE™ Conversations that I have with women leaders across industries, geographies and generations matter because they bring menopause out of the shadows and into strategy.
Navigating the Career Crossroads
Every leader faces a career crossroads at some point. For many women, menopause is that moment.
Louise spent years leading executive searches in private equity, delivering at pace in an industry where performance never pauses. But when health and ambition collided, her leadership trajectory needed a new map.
This is the crossroads where The NOPAUSE™ Method begins — a framework I developed to help women navigate professional menopause with clarity, control, and confidence.
Through The Menopause Maze™, I’ve worked with elite women leaders to restore performance, influence, and career growth during and after menopause. Because the truth is: when women have the right information and support, menopause becomes a career turning point, not a career cul-de-sac.
Finding Support in a Silent Space
When Louise shared her story, one comment stood out:
“Had I not met Fiona and been reunited with her unique work, I probably wouldn’t have had this operation yet. She was my only source of support who really understood what I was facing — both as a woman and as a leader.”
For too long, menopause has been treated as a private health issue instead of a public leadership conversation. But that silence comes at a cost — to women, to businesses, and to economies.
According to the World Economic Forum, menopause-related productivity loss could cost the global economy billions each year. Yet few organisations have the frameworks or training in place to retain and support top female talent through it.
Through my keynote speaking and sharing insights on the world’s big stages I’m on mission to change that, helping companies view menopause as a strategic growth opportunity, not a hidden cost.
Why This Matters for Leaders and Workplaces
Menopause is no longer a private problem; it’s a business performance issue.
For leaders and organisations alike, it sits at the intersection of:
Talent retention – preventing the loss of experienced female leaders.
Risk management – protecting decision quality and leadership continuity.
Growth strategy – ensuring female founders and executives can scale sustainably.
The coming decade will see unprecedented shifts in wealth and leadership demographics:
Women over 45 are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs global (PWM Tea Break).
By 2030, women are expected to control over $30 trillion in global assets (McKinsey, 2024).
Ignoring menopause at work isn’t just a gender issue — it’s a growth strategy failure.
The Future Is NoPause™
Whether you’re Gen X, Millennial, or the generation rising behind us, one truth remains:
Growth doesn’t stop here — it just needs a new map.
If you’re a leader navigating this intersection of biology and business, explore The NOPAUSE™ Scorecard and discover how to retain your edge, confidence, and performance through menopause and beyond.
Too Young for Menopause: From Gen X to Millennial – Building Generational Careers Without Pause
Available exclusively via The Menopause Maze.
