What the research tells us about employee retention, career progression and the business case for workplace menopause support
Menopause is often discussed as a health and wellbeing issue. However, its potential impact on recruitment, employee retention, career progression and organisational performance makes it equally relevant to workforce planning.
For employers, the financial implications extend beyond the cost of introducing support. There may also be a cost associated with not providing it.
Research offers some useful insights into where these costs arise and what organisations can do to address them.
1. Employee retention: What the research tells us
In 2023, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) surveyed 2,185 employed UK women aged 40 to 60.
Among respondents who had experienced menopause symptoms:
- 6% reported having left work because of insufficient menopause support.
- 17% had considered leaving for the same reason.
- 27% reported a negative impact on their career progression.
These are self-reported findings from a specific survey population, rather than percentages of the entire female workforce.
Nevertheless, they highlight an important workforce consideration: menopause symptoms and workplace conditions can influence whether experienced employees remain in their roles and pursue further opportunities.
Source: CIPD, Menopause in the Workplace: Employee Experiences in 2023
2. The financial implications of replacing experienced employees
Recruitment expenditure is relatively easy to identify. Advertising, agency fees, interviewing and onboarding all have associated costs.
However, the expense of replacing an employee extends beyond recruitment.
A 2014 Oxford Economics study, commissioned by Unum, examined employee replacement costs across five UK sectors.
It estimated an average replacement cost of £30,614 for employees earning £25,000 or more, comprising:
- £5,433 in recruitment and related logistical costs.
- £25,181 in lost productivity while the replacement reached their expected performance level.
These are historical figures, not current replacement-cost estimates. Actual costs vary substantially by role, organisation and sector.
The research nevertheless illustrates an important principle: the indirect costs of employee turnover may be considerably greater than the recruitment invoice.
Source: Oxford Economics, The Cost of Brain Drain (2014)
3. The less visible impact on career progression
Employee retention figures tell organisations how many people stay. They reveal considerably less about the opportunities employees may be declining.
An experienced employee might continue performing extremely well while deciding not to apply for promotion, seek additional responsibility or pursue a leadership position.
That may be an entirely positive personal choice.
However, where menopause symptoms and inadequate workplace support influence those decisions, employers risk losing potential contributions from employees they have spent years recruiting, training and developing.
The CIPD's finding that 27% of respondents who had experienced symptoms reported a negative impact on career progression makes this an area worth examining.
The Fawcett Society's research has also identified women reducing their working hours or not applying for promotion because of menopause symptoms.
This does not mean every decision to reduce career demands represents a business loss. It means employers should understand whether avoidable workplace barriers are restricting opportunities.
Source: Fawcett Society, Menopause and the Workplace (2022)
4. The wider economic picture
Research commissioned by the NHS Confederation in 2024 estimated that approximately 60,000 UK women were outside employment because of perimenopause or menopause, representing a potential economic benefit of approximately £1.5 billion annually if they returned to work.
This is a modelled estimate, not a directly measured cost to individual employers.
A subsequent Department for Work and Pensions literature review highlighted limitations in the available economic evidence.
Even with those qualifications, the findings demonstrate why menopause-related employment outcomes deserve attention beyond traditional wellbeing discussions.
Source: DWP, Menopause in the Workplace Literature Review (2025)
5. What employers can do with this information
The most useful starting point is understanding what's happening within the organisation, rather than assuming that one approach will work for everyone.
Five practical areas are worth reviewing:
- Workforce feedback. Do employees feel able to discuss menopause-related difficulties, and do they know what support is available?
- Management confidence. Are managers equipped to have appropriate conversations and respond constructively to requests for support?
- Career progression. Are employees stepping away from development or promotion opportunities because workplace conditions make them difficult to manage?
- Workplace adjustments. Could changes to flexibility, temperature, working arrangements or other practical conditions help employees continue working effectively?
- Measuring outcomes. Can the organisation evaluate whether its approach improves employee experience, awareness and access to support?
The aim is not to assume that every menopause-related difficulty requires an expensive intervention.
It is to identify genuine needs and respond proportionately.
Looking ahead to 2027
Employers with 250 or more employees can currently publish voluntary equality action plans addressing their gender pay gap and support for employees experiencing menopause.
Subject to secondary legislation, these plans are expected to become mandatory from spring 2027.
The government's guidance encourages employers to identify relevant issues, select appropriate evidence-informed actions and monitor their effectiveness.
Smaller organisations will not be subject to this particular action-plan requirement, but the commercial considerations around retention and workforce development remain relevant.
Source: UK Government, Creating an Action Plan: Guidance for Employers (2026)
The business case
There is no credible basis for claiming that every menopause support initiative will generate a financial return.
However, there is equally little reason to assess support solely as an additional expense without considering the potential consequences of losing experienced employees or limiting their opportunities to contribute.
For employers, menopause support belongs in the same conversations as recruitment, retention, professional development and workforce planning.
At Human Upgrade at Work, we help organisations understand their workforce needs and translate that information into practical, measurable support through employee diagnostics, leadership workshops, education and ongoing resources.
For a broader examination of the financial evidence, read our accompanying article: