Workplace design, not just benefits coverage, may determine whether women remain in the workforce during menopause, according to new research from the University of Ottawa.

Madeline Toubiana, professor and Desmarais Chair in entrepreneurship at the University of Ottawa’s Telfer School of Management, says many organizations focus on benefits coverage without examining the structural workplace barriers that make it difficult for women to manage symptoms during menopause and perimenopause.

Read: Just 14% of U.S. women say employer recognizes need for menopause benefits: survey

Her research explores how job design is shaping women’s ability to remain engaged in their work during this life stage. One of the most significant barriers the research identified is what Toubiana describes as “bodily autonomy,” or the freedom workers have to decide when, where and how their bodies are present at work.

In roles with rigid schedules, strict uniforms or tightly-controlled break structures, that autonomy can be limited. Workers who must remain........

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