“We Can’t Afford to Lose Them”: Why Supporting Women in Their Fifties at Work Must Be a National Priority

As the UK Government announces a full review of parental leave, a parallel and equally pressing workplace issue is taking centre stage: the growing challenges women in their fifties face in maintaining their careers while managing their health and caregiving responsibilities.

On 1st July 2025, a Westminster roundtable convened by the Policy Liaison Group on Workplace Wellbeing brought together experts, employers and campaigners to address the systemic neglect of women’s health at work — with a particular focus on menopause, unpaid care, and the invisible pressures faced by women in midlife.

Chaired by UK Mental Health Campaigner of the Year, Gethin Nadin, the discussion included voices from across the public and private sector: Dr Beccy Cooper MP, a health-focused Labour MP; Kate Usher, Founder of Menopause in Business; and Joanne Newman, Wellbeing Consultant at the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Together, they painted a clear picture: too many women in their fifties are being pushed out of the workforce at the very height of their skills and experience, due to outdated work structures and a lack of understanding about the realities of women’s health.

“Although we’re starting to talk about menopause more openly in society, in many workplaces it still sits in the shadows,” said Kate Usher. “Women who speak up about it are too often belittled, turned into jokes, or quietly sidelined. That has to stop — because at the very moment women are at their peak capability, we’re making it harder for them to stay.”

“We absolutely must find ways to support women through menopause if we want to keep them in the workforce. Once they leave, it’s incredibly hard to step back in — and we cannot afford to lose this fastest-growing segment of employees. These women are vital, experienced, and ready to contribute — but only if we make space for them to thrive.”

The Midlife Balancing Act

Women in their fifties often find themselves at the centre of a perfect storm — managing demanding jobs, menopause symptoms, teenage or adult children, and increasingly, caring for ageing or unwell parents.

Joanne Newman described this as “the invisible load” and warned that it is having a very real impact on women’s health and performance:

“I genuinely fear for the health of my female colleagues as they try, quite literally, to manage everything — full-time work, family responsibilities, aging parents, children with additional needs, all while navigating hormonal and gender-related health challenges,” she said.

“It’s no wonder we’re seeing rising levels of stress, anxiety, overwhelm, poor sleep and ill health in women across the workforce – which, in turn, means reduced performance and productivity, both for those individuals and for the organisations they work for.”

She called for bold thinking, adding:

“I don’t think awareness campaigns and flexible working requests go far enough. We need to get more radical. A four-day working week would be a game-changer, especially for women carrying such immense invisible loads. The 40-hour work week was created for a wholly different society, and it simply doesn’t align with the world we live in today.”

Data that Demands Action

A 2025 study by UCL, University of Bergen, Stanford, and the University of Delaware revealed that women lose 10% of their earnings within four years of a menopause diagnosis — almost half the well-documented 23% “child penalty” in pay experienced after childbirth. For many women in their fifties, this means a double blow to their financial security and career progression, often just years away from retirement planning.

Dr Beccy Cooper MP highlighted that this is not just a women’s issue — it’s a workforce and economic issue:

“We can legislate and create policy directives, but real change will depend on how effectively we embed support and wellbeing into workplace culture. Women’s health is not just a workplace issue, it’s a public health issue.”

“We cannot close the gender pay gap or boost productivity without making menstrual health, fertility, pregnancy loss, menopause, and overall wellbeing a normal, supported part of everyday working life.”

What’s Next?

The roundtable forms part of the wider work of the Policy Liaison Group, which will soon launch new Employer Duty of Care Guidelines. These guidelines will offer practical, scalable recommendations for businesses to better support women’s health — particularly those in midlife who are often juggling multiple roles at once.

Gethin Nadin, Chair of the Group, stressed that employers need to step up — and fast.

“There is no such thing as a women’s issue — these are workforce issues, societal issues, and leadership issues,” he said.

“When women thrive at work, everyone benefits: families, communities, employers. Not just women.”

As more women than ever remain in the workforce into their fifties and beyond, Blooming Fifties readers know the stakes are high. Retaining, supporting and empowering this skilled, resilient and vital segment of the workforce isn’t just a matter of equality — it’s essential to a strong, sustainable future for businesses and the economy alike.