63% of women experiencing menopause hold middle-to-senior leadership roles. These are experienced professionals at peak contribution. When unmanaged symptoms force women to reduce hours, decline promotions, or leave employment entirely, organisations lose institutional knowledge they spent years developing. The Fawcett Society estimates 1 in 10 women who worked through menopause have left a job as a direct result of their symptoms.

61% identified social stigma as the primary barrier to discussing menopause at work. In APAC workplace cultures, particularly Singapore, Japan, Vietnam, and Indonesia, menopause remains taboo. Women report fear of being perceived as less capable, concerns about age discrimination, and a lack of role models who speak openly. Without a formal policy, there is no sanctioned language or process for raising the issue at work.

Globally, menopause-related productivity loss is estimated at USD 150 billion annually, with USD 600 billion in associated healthcare costs. In Japan alone, menopausal resignations account for USD 2.8 billion in lost economic output. Across the five countries in this study, the combination of reduced performance, absenteeism, and preventable senior talent attrition represents a measurable and addressable business cost.

Most Western menopause research focuses on hot flushes as the primary symptom. Asian women more commonly report joint and muscle pain, fatigue, brain fog, and sleep disruption, symptoms frequently misattributed to stress or ageing rather than hormonal change. This means many women in APAC go undiagnosed and unsupported for years. HeyVenus and NUS ACRLE designed this study specifically around APAC symptom profiles and cultural contexts.

The study covered five Asia Pacific countries: Singapore, Vietnam, Australia, Japan, and Indonesia, with a total of 1,741 respondents. These countries were selected to represent a range of cultural attitudes toward menopause, different healthcare system structures, and varying levels of workplace gender inclusion policy maturity, enabling cross-country comparison of symptoms, stigma, and support gaps across the APAC region.

Yes. Most menopause symptoms can be managed, and many ease with the right information, support and where needed — clinical care. The real gap in Asia Pacific isn't a lack of options; it's that women can't easily find credible, discreet guidance or feel able to raise it at work. When women understand what they're experiencing, they can take manageable actions earlier, and are far more likely to stay and progress rather than step back or leave. The opportunity for employers is not to 'fix' menopause but to remove the friction between a woman noticing symptoms and getting the right help, which is where retention, wellbeing and performance all come together.