Abstract/Summary

This systematic review adds to the growing interest in the subjective experiences of menopause at work. We take a Power Threat Meaning Framework lens to examine how menopausal women make sense of and respond to their experiences at work. The results indicate that the power associated with the ideal worker standard can be perceived as a threat to menopausal women. In addition to the biological experience of symptoms, workplace factors and individual beliefs influence women’s meaning-making processes, exacerbating or alleviating the sense of threat and impacting women’s threat response and potential emotional distress. Women engage in different coping strategies to reduce distress, depending on their level of agency. We contribute to the literature by introducing the Subjective Menopause at Work conceptual model, explaining how women’s lived experiences of menopause impact their responses and potential outcomes. Our Subjective Menopause at Work conceptual model can be used to inform organizational practices, initiatives and interventions.