A survey has found widespread lack of support across a raft of sectors for female staff experiencing the menopause and symptoms at work.

The survey of 1,000 impacted women carried out by women’s health and supplement brand Serenova found that just 50% feel supported at work.

The worst performing sectors are business, finance and professional services, where just 48% of affected female staff members feel supported.

This rises to 52% among those working for charities or in the education sector, to 53% among those working in public services, law and security, and to 57% among those in healthcare and social services.

Across all sectors less than one in five employers has a menopause policy in place, the survey also found.

Across all sectors workers in London reported feel the most supported when experiencing the menopause, with 59% agreeing that they feel ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ supported.

Yorkshire and the Humber ranked the lowest, with just 45% of survey respondents feeling supported.

Less than half of women across all sectors feel comfortable talking about the menopause at work.

Elle Sheppard, global head of marketing and communications at women’s health and supplement brand Serenova, which carried out the research, said: “Mid-life women have so many pressures to face, the last thing they need is to feel like they have to suffer in silence at work, or worse, get forced into leaving a career they love due to a lack of support.

“Going through the menopause – including the peri and post stages – can last for years; this isn’t just a ‘flash in the pan’ day when you don’t feel your best, it’s a long period of lacking confidence, feeling exhausted and putting up with physical pain too.”

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