How Ageism Impacts Women In The Workplace

According to new research, more than a third of employed women (38%) worry that their age will negatively affect their jobs.

A survey of 2,000 employed Americans found that fear of ageism in the workplace is real, as baby boomers expressed the most concern (43%).

Those who are worried about their age affecting their job are concerned about their physical mobility and health (42%), the amount of work they can take on (37%), and how going through a major health change, like menopause, would affect their job (23%).

Results showed that health is a common topic of discussion in workplaces (47%), and 55% claim to feel comfortable talking about anything and everything with their coworkers—men more than women (62% vs. 53%).

Conducted by Talker Research for Intimina, the survey also showed that women, specifically those who work under a female manager, are more likely to feel like their workplace is a safe space for all conversations (57% vs. 48%).

Gen X (49%) and millennials (48%) are the likeliest to discuss health in the workplace and the same is true for women when compared to men (50% vs. 38%).

Those comfortable discussing their health with coworkers said that it comes up naturally in conversations (44%) and because they’re generally comfortable talking about it (38%).

On the other hand, those who do not feel comfortable discussing their health in the workplace want to keep their work and private lives separate (34%) and said that it doesn’t naturally come up (23%).

Looking at their perspective on female-specific health concerns in the workplace, half of respondents believe that women should get time off of work when experiencing symptoms of menopause and menstruation (49% each) — averaging about four days for either.

Women are more likely to think that they should get time off for menopause (51% vs. 42%) and menstruation (51% vs. 46%), along with those who work in a mostly female workplace.

“We recognize that women experience the symptoms of menopause and menstruation in varying degrees of intensity,” said Dunja Kokotovic, INTIMINA global brand manager. “While some can manage these symptoms with minimal disruption, others may find that they require time off to recover and maintain their well-being. The fact that nearly half of women believe they should have the option to take time off during these periods highlights the importance of acknowledging and supporting female-specific health needs in the workplace.”

Regardless of whether time off is already provided, 73% believe it’s important for workplaces to create an environment where women feel comfortable to request leave or help due to menstruation or menopause.

Although most are comfortable with the conversation, one in seven respondents feel embarrassed to talk to their coworkers about their health, and a fifth don’t feel comfortable speaking about their health with their manager (19%).

Forty percent of those whose manager is the opposite gender said that if they were the same gender, they’d feel more comfortable talking to them about health concerns, including 41% of women.

Just half of women feel that their workplace would be supportive if they were experiencing symptoms of menopause that affected their ability to work (51%), with baby boomers feeling the least confident (41%).

The survey polled 500 women experiencing menopause and found that just 38% of these women said that their superior knows, which is more common for those with a female manager (44% vs. 24%).

Seven in 10 women currently experiencing menopause said they would push themselves to their limit at work (71%) while facing symptoms like feeling tired (51%), fatigued (48%), and irritable (47%) so that no one thinks of them differently.

However, maybe support is closer than they think: 71% would offer extra support to a coworker who was experiencing menopause.

“We encourage workplaces to create an environment where women feel supported and understood, especially when dealing with menopause,” said Kokotovic. “While symptoms like fatigue and irritability are more commonly recognized, it’s important to be aware of the lesser-known symptoms that women may experience, such as burning mouth (5%), shock sensations (6%), and irregular heartbeat (10%).

“For those in the workplace who want to offer support, understanding these less identified symptoms can make a significant difference in helping coworkers navigate this challenging phase with greater comfort and confidence.”

Produced in association with SWNS Research