Research review 039
Survey
Short answer
Employees at a US pharmaceutical company described how menopausal symptoms could affect concentration, sleep, confidence and everyday working life. Few of those with current symptoms reported workplace support. The survey provides insight into perceived needs but did not objectively measure productivity losses or the effects of particular workplace interventions.
What did the researchers investigate?
Researchers combined a survey with interviews. The questionnaire provided information about symptoms, work and perceived support. Interviews allowed participants to explain experiences that are difficult to capture through fixed response options.
This was an investigation of circumstances as participants reported them. No one was randomly assigned different types of workplace adjustments. The study therefore cannot show whether flexible hours, information or manager training actually reduce symptoms or sickness absence.
What did they find?
Perceived symptoms and measured work performance are different things
Changes in sleep, memory, hot flushes and anxiety were among the symptoms participants associated with working life. Their accounts also described uncertainty about what caused symptoms and how easy it was to talk to colleagues or managers.
Among those who had experienced menopause, approximately 7% reported taking time off because of symptoms. Among those with current symptoms, only 9% reported workplace support. These figures concern these subgroups, not all 1,642 participants in the same way.
Feeling less able to concentrate or less confident is a relevant finding in itself. However, the study does not document poorer performance on memory tests or a particular percentage decline in output. Self-reported effects and objectively measured work performance are different outcomes.
How certain can we be?
Participation was voluntary. People with strong experiences may have been more motivated to respond, while others may have preferred to keep the topic private. It is uncertain how well the responses represent all employees, and even less certain whether they represent other industries or countries.
The employer funded the research. Several authors were or had been employees with shareholding interests, while others received consultancy fees. This makes it important to read the methods and disclosures alongside the conclusions. These interests are not, in themselves, grounds to dismiss participants' experiences.
Who do the findings apply to?
Of the 1,778 survey participants, 1,642 met the criteria for analysis. They were employees or affiliated workers at Pfizer's US operations, aged 40–65. The mean age was 51, and 79% reported White ethnicity.
Eighteen people were interviewed. They represent a group providing more detailed accounts, not 18 independent confirmations of every survey result. The survey did not collect information on sex assigned at birth or gender identity. Recruitment targeted women in the workplace and may have overlooked others experiencing menopause.
What might this mean in everyday life?
The study can help identify questions workplaces should investigate: Is understandable information available? Can employees access support and ask for help without disclosing more private information than they wish? It cannot establish one particular intervention as the proven best option. Describing a need and demonstrating the effectiveness of a solution require different studies.
What do we still need to know?
We need experiences from more occupations and countries, especially jobs with little opportunity for breaks or adjustments. More gender groups should also be represented. Experiences at a pharmaceutical company may not describe working life elsewhere.
Specific workplace interventions need to be tested and monitored. Researchers should investigate functioning, absence and quality of life, as well as unintended consequences. For example, a support initiative might create pressure to disclose personal information about menopause. Such risks need to be considered alongside any benefits.
Sources
The publication covered by this review
Mallen S, Coppola J, Shaffer N, Minkin MJ, Ward A, Snow S. "I did not recognize myself": a mixed methods study to better understand the experiences of menopause in a US workplace. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 2025.
Other studies and professional sources mentioned in the text
Background source: Estimated impact of fezolinetant versus placebo on work productivity and indirect costs among women experiencing vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause. 2026. Read the publication.
Last reviewed: 30 October 2026.
Source basis: The publication's full text.
Editorial update, 1 November 2026: Language, explanations and references were reviewed. The source-review date is stated above.