As part of our ongoing series “The Age of Work” about how demographic shifts are shaking up the global economy, “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal and ADP chief economist Nela Richardson visit London, England. The United Kingdom has a higher percentage of people over 65 than the United States and holds insights into our economic future. 

As countries like the U.S. and the U.K. age and fewer young people enter the labor force, workplaces will have to adjust to keep people in their jobs later into their lives. One topic they’ll have to confront faces half the working population: menopause. 

In the U.K., one in four women experiencing menopause considered leaving their jobs because of it. 

More than 500 U.K. employers have committed to being menopause-friendly, and nearly 100 have received the Menopause Friendly accreditation.

At British Airways, one pilot helped lead the charge for the company to implement menopause policies. Kai Ryssdal and Nela Richardson went to Waterside, British Airways’ headquarters near London’s Heathrow Airport, to meet long-haul pilot Suzanne Morgan. 

“For me, I was coming to menopausal age, and I just didn’t know what was ahead of me,” she said.

Morgan was concerned about what menopause would mean for her career, and then set up a WhatsApp group with her older women colleagues to share resources. Eventually, she reached out to corporate. British Airways has now had menopause policies on the books for two years. 

Recently, Suzanne and other women have lobbied to have a menopause-friendly open-neck uniform shirt instead of a button-up with tie. 

“I work in a man’s world, but I’m not a man,” said Morgan. At British Airways, 6% of pilots are women, which is higher than the industry average. “We just need a bit of support through this transient time so we can fulfill our careers, and we can choose when we want to retire.” 

Use the audio player above to hear the full story.