Menopause, Work, and What We Can Change with Dr Woganee Filate

The hidden cost of untreated menopause in the workplace isn’t just personal discomfort—it’s lost productivity, stalled careers, and organisations quietly losing experienced talent.In this episode of the HRchat Podcast, host Pauline James sits down with Dr Woganee Filate, respirologist, sleep medicine physician, and co-founder of Loom Women’s Health, to unpack how menopause directly affects performance, retention, and workplace culture.As many as 1 in 10 women leave the workforce due to unmanaged menopausal symptoms, including brain fog, hot flashes, heavy bleeding, mood changes, and chronic sleep disruption—often at the peak of their careers. Dr Filate explains why menopause is a workplace issue, not a private health matter, and why silence costs employers far more than support ever will.This conversation bridges medicine and management, covering:The real workplace impact and economic cost of untreated menopauseThe most disruptive menopausal symptoms at work—and why they matterEvidence-based treatments, including hormone and non-hormonal optionsSleep, mental health, and lifestyle strategies that restore focus and performanceLow-cost workplace accommodations employers can implement quicklyHow education, formal menopause policies, and internal champions reduce stigmaSafer disclosure paths and better support for midlife women at workWhy menopause care is a long-term performance and retention strategyDr Filate also shares her own mid-career pivot into entrepreneurship, challenging outdated ideas about career peaks and reminding leaders that purpose, flexibility, and support are powerful retention tools.If you lead people, manage benefits, or care about inclusion, wellbeing, and keeping experienced talent thriving through every stage of life, this episode provides practical insights and clear first steps.Support the showFeature Your Brand on the HRchat PodcastThe HRchat show has had 100,000s of downloads and is frequently listed as one of the most popular global podcasts for HR pros, Talent execs and leaders. It is ranked in the top ten in the world based on traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness. The podcast is also ranked as the Best Canadian HR Podcast by FeedSpot and one of the top 10% most popular shows by Listen Score. Want to share the story of how your business is helping to shape the world of work? We offer sponsored episodes, audio adverts, email campaigns, and a host of other options. Check out packages here.Follow us on LinkedInSubscribe to our newsletterCheck out our in-person events