The menopausal transition and women's workplace identity: A qualitative systematic review

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dc.contributor.authorWall, Stephanie
dc.contributor.authorDempsey, Maria
dc.contributor.authorDockray, Samantha
dc.contributor.authorFoley, Sarah
dc.date.accessioned2026-05-22T11:50:12Z
dc.date.available2026-05-22T11:50:12Z
dc.date.issued2026-05-11
dc.description.abstractBackground: The menopausal transition is a significant life stage characterised by complex biological, psychological, and social changes, often coinciding with a period of career consolidation or advancement. While research on menopause in the workplace is expanding, it focuses predominantly on symptoms and productivity. However, work is an important psychological and social space in which women construct and sustain professional identity. Emerging qualitative studies suggest menopausal symptoms can challenge self-trust, disrupt coherence in the professional self, and influence career trajectory. To date, no systematic review has synthesised evidence on how the menopausal transition shapes women's workplace identities. Objectives: Synthesise existing qualitative evidence on how the menopausal transition shapes women's workplace identities and how identity change is managed within organisational contexts. Design: Systematic review and thematic synthesis. Data sources and methods: Six electronic databases and Google Scholar were systematically searched, supplemented by targeted website and reference list screening. Eligible studies included peri- or postmenopausal women, examined workplace identity, and reported original qualitative data. Results: Nine studies involving 332 women across diverse occupational and cultural contexts were included. Analytical themes were: (1) menopause destabilises the professional self; (2) professional identity as ongoing identity management; and (3) cultural and structural contexts shape identity work. Conclusion: The menopausal transition can be understood as an identity-relevant work-life stage in which professional selves become fragile and require renegotiation. Clinical and organisational responses should address identity disruption alongside symptom management by supporting women's sense of belonging at work and fostering cultures and policies that reduce stigma. © 2026 The Authorsen
dc.description.versionPublished Version
dc.format.extent13
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.articleid100774
dc.identifier.authororcidWall, Stephanie
dc.identifier.authororcidDempsey, Maria§0000-0002-7001-0568
dc.identifier.authororcidDockray, Samantha§0000-0002-0804-8362
dc.identifier.authororcidFoley, Sarah§0000-0003-3450-148X
dc.identifier.citationWall, S, Dempsey, M, Dockray, S & Foley, S 2026, 'The menopausal transition and women's workplace identity: A qualitative systematic review', SSM - Qualitative Research in Health, vol. 9, 100774, pp. 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2026.100774
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.ssmqr.2026.100774
dc.identifier.endpage13
dc.identifier.issn2667-3215
dc.identifier.journaltitleSSM - Qualitative Research in Health
dc.identifier.otherRIS: urn:7F2E3FFA11A3CBC54D5D6BF6722DB9B7
dc.identifier.otherORCID: /0000-0003-3450-148X/work/215517867
dc.identifier.otherORCID: /0000-0002-7001-0568/work/215517902
dc.identifier.startpage1
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10468/18836
dc.identifier.volume9
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherElsevier Ltd
dc.relation.urihttps://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105038189219
dc.relation.urihttps://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105038189219?origin=resultslist
dc.rights© 2026, the Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ).
dc.rights.accessrightsopen access
dc.rights.licensenameAttribution 4.0 International
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.statusPeer reviewed
dc.subjectEmployment
dc.subjectMenopause
dc.subjectProfessional identity
dc.subjectThematic synthesis
dc.subjectWorkplace identity
dc.subject[AppliedPsychology]
dc.titleThe menopausal transition and women's workplace identity: A qualitative systematic reviewen
dc.typeArticle (peer-reviewed)
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