With unmanaged menopause symptoms generating a $3.5 billion economic toll and 540,000 lost days of productivity annually, menopause support is more than a women’s health issue — it’s an economic imperative, says Sandra Ingram, chair of the menopause inclusive workplaces committee at the Menopause Foundation of Canada.

Every employee’s menopause experience is unique, she notes, but some of the most common symptoms are hot flashes, lack of sleep and heavy periods. “Lack of sleep can really impact how you show up at work in terms of your energy level, and then there’s brain fog [which can affect your ability to concentrate]. There are more than 34 symptoms that have been validated and all of them have the potential to interfere with work because they don’t stop when you go to work.”

Read: 56% of U.S. women say perimenopause, menopause symptoms causing decreased........

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