Essity, Google: HR Can Break the Menopause 'Silver Ceiling'

The workplace is leaking top talent. One in 10 menopausal women has left their roles due to their symptoms – a crisis that costs the global economy an estimated US$150bn in lost productivity every year.

But menopause isn’t just causing a productivity drain. As 10% of women are exiting the workplace, senior leaders have to replace, induct and upskill a successor, which can cost double their annual salary.

When you look into the data, this mass exodus isn’t really surprising, as more than half (52%) of women express a loss of confidence at work due to symptoms, with 47% feeling that they cannot tell their manager the real reason for taking time off.

This directly impacts their willingness to step forward for senior leadership roles, as menopause symptoms are likely to deter one in four women from applying for a promotion, and 13% admitting to passing up a high-level advancement opportunity because of their symptoms. 

The result is a “hidden retreat” where the most experienced talent in the organisation stops climbing the ladder just as they reach the threshold of the C-suite.

This is the “silver ceiling” of succession planning.

Providing critical, holistic support 

One business that has taken this issue seriously is Google.

“We knew that those going through the menopause didn't always have the support they needed, depending on the healthcare provider they relied upon,” Alex Maddison, Senior Director of Global Benefits & Mobility at Google, said in an HR Grapevine Podcast.

“And here at Google, we take a lifecycle approach to our benefit. So that means that we look to support and retain our talent throughout the entire sphere of what they go through during their life. And this was an area that we felt was underserved in the market.”

To address this gap, Google now offers a comprehensive menopause benefit providing 24/7 access to specialised care advocates and virtual providers. By shifting from a standard medical model to a proactive advocacy framework, Google helps employees navigate their own health journeys while maintaining their professional momentum.

Alex further explains that for Google, it's “absolutely critical” to support menopausal employees holistically. 

“We don't really think about it as a cost per benefit,” she said. “That's not how we structure our benefits package.”

Instead, she looks at the level of support employees are being offered when they “need it most.” 

Alex’s approach to menopause policies highlights one key aspect: the shift from viewing support as a cost to seeing it as a critical business value.

Moving away from the handbook

Having a global policy is a powerful statement, but HR leaders looking at a succession map will know that the real work happens in the office – or on Zoom. Although policies are a great starting block, they’ll be rendered redundant unless the culture fully accepts them. 

A succession plan is only as resilient as the culture that supports it. If menopause remains a stigmatised topic, high-potential talent will exit the pipeline rather than continuing to climb the ladder. 

“Shifting menopause support from an optional area of employee assistance to a serious workforce matter helps HR leaders recognise what is really at stake: retention, progression and experience,” Louisa Oliveira, HR Director UK and Ireland at Essity, told HR Chief Magazine.

“Too often, businesses risk losing highly skilled people or seeing them step back before they want to because the right support is not in place. When employers respond properly, they are not just doing the right thing for individuals; they are protecting talent, leadership pipelines and long-term business performance.”

Louisa acknowledges that although policies matter, culture and how said policies play out in practice are what determine whether people feel able to use them. Managers, therefore, need to be trained to know how to respond with empathy, while providing practical support to make it “easier” to have open conversations. 

Providing a safe place for conversations to happen will also ensure employees feel that they can ask for help without it affecting how they are viewed. 

“At Essity, our menopause policy is backed by practical adjustments such as flexible working, more regular breaks and workplace changes where needed, alongside broader wellbeing support and peer connection through initiatives such as our Women in Essity network and Women’s Health Support Circle,” Louisa explains.

“Menopause should be treated as a normal life stage that may call for flexibility and support at work – not as something that should limit someone’s ambitions or future opportunities. With the right understanding and adjustments in place, people can continue to grow, lead and thrive in their careers.”

From policy to performance

On the surface, menopause may seem like something that impacts a minority in the workforce – behind closed doors. 

For HR leaders, the goal of succession planning is to ensure the business is never more than one step away from its next great leader. However, if the "silver ceiling" remains intact, that bench will continue to thin out just as the stakes get higher.

Protecting the pipeline requires a two-pronged attack: the infrastructure of global policies, as demonstrated by Google, and the empathy of a localised culture, as championed by Essity. By integrating these, businesses can stop treating menopause as a career-ender and start treating it as a manageable life stage.

These shouldn’t be seen as a “nice to have,” but rather a strategic part of the business that is focused on bridging the gap between policy and practice. Only then can HR leaders ensure everyone is open to equal opportunities.