When Experience Becomes Invisible, Who Pays the Price?
Black History Month celebrates the achievements of Black women. Menopause Awareness Month asks us to recognise their changing needs. But together, these two conversations expose something far more uncomfortable
“Why are experienced Black women still fighting to be recognised at precisely the stage when their knowledge, judgement and cultural intelligence should command the greatest influence?”
For decades, Black women have built businesses, led teams, supported communities and navigated professional environments that have not always recognised their contributions. They have developed the ability to read situations, manage competing expectations, build trust across cultures and deliver results under pressure.
Yet, as they enter their forties, fifties and beyond, many encounter a contradiction. Their experience is increasingly valuable, but their visibility, advancement and access to opportunity do not necessarily reflect it.
This is not simply a question of confidence. It is a question of how organisations recognise, reward and retain expertise.
The Double Disadvantage Nobody Wants to Discuss
Research from the Fawcett Society and Channel 4 (2022) found that one in ten women who had worked during menopause left a job because of their symptoms. But the economic consequences extend far beyond individual careers. Research highlighted by the NHS Confederation estimates that menopause-related unemployment costs the UK economy approximately £1.5 billion annually, with absenteeism and reduced productivity adding a further £213 million.
Behind these figures is an even greater concern, the loss of experienced women whose leadership, cultural intelligence and professional knowledge have taken decades to develop.
For Black women already navigating racial and age-related barriers, the question becomes more urgent. Can British businesses afford to keep losing expertise they have failed to recognise, support and reward? In addition, menopause can intersect with racial inequality, age discrimination and workplace cultures in which speaking openly about health remains difficult.
These experiences are not universal, but they raise an important question of how many women are quietly adjusting their ambitions because the organisations around them have failed to adjust their expectations and support?
The consequences extend beyond individual careers. When experienced women withdraw, reduce their responsibilities or become overlooked for promotion, organisations risk losing institutional knowledge, cultural insight, professional relationships and commercial judgement that cannot easily be replaced.
The Question We Should Be Asking
As Black History Month and Menopause Awareness Month intersect, celebrating resilience is no longer enough. Employers must examine who receives sponsorship, whose expertise influences decisions and whether menopause support genuinely protects career progression.
For Black women, the challenge is equally significant. Recognising that decades of experience represent more than personal achievement. They are assets capable of creating economic value, influence and lasting legacy.
Perhaps the bigger question is not whether experienced Black women still have something to offer, but why so many organisations have yet to recognise the value already sitting in front of them.
Join the Conversation
You have spent decades building your career, earning credibility and establishing your professional reputation. But what happens when menopause begins to affect your confidence, wellbeing or performance and the workplace expects business as usual? The real cost is not simply what women experience during menopause, but the opportunities, influence and economic potential that may be lost when their needs go unrecognised.
Join the National Black Women's Network (NBWN) and special guest Dionne Lewis-Reid for Menopause at Work: What No-One Tells You, a timely conversation exploring the realities facing high-achieving women and why informed self-advocacy matters.
We will challenge the expectation that experienced women should simply endure, examine what meaningful workplace support should look like and consider how women can protect their wellbeing without compromising the careers and businesses they have worked so hard to build.
Your experience should be increasing your influence, not becoming a reason to question your place at the table. Whether you are navigating menopause yourself, leading a team or shaping workplace policy, this conversation offers an opportunity to ask better questions and rethink what support, recognition and career longevity should look like.
https://www.nbwn.net/event-details/menopause-at-work
