Tammi Wortham wasn’t sure what to expect 18 months ago when she told a group of primarily male colleagues that a visitor would accompany her to meetings going forward. Then she pulled out “Sally”—her nickname for the portable fan she uses to cool down when hit by the hot flashes that can come with menopause.

A few of the men chuckled, but there wasn’t much of a reaction, said Wortham, SVP of HR at Sun Life US, adding that she was relieved because of the stigma surrounding menopause and aging. Menopause is the stage in a woman’s life when she stops menstruating and experiences hormonal changes that can cause symptoms such as night sweats, irritability, forgetfulness, and bone loss. They can be quite severe and last for years. The transition to menopause typically begins between ages 45 and 55, when many are in the prime of their careers.

Popular culture is paving the way for more honest discussions. And employers are paying attention, too. This year, 18% of companies will or plan to provide menopause benefits, up from 15% in 2024, according to a Mercer study. And more healthcare companies are adding menopause benefits to their suite of products.

It makes sense. Menopause costs $1.8 billion annually in lost work time, according to a study by the Mayo Clinic. The study found that 11% of women had missed work because of their symptoms, while 13% had experienced an “adverse work outcome.”

Keep reading here.—TA

Before mandating an RTO, check on your employees’ mental health.

Nearly one-fourth (23%) of US employees are depressed, according to the American Psychiatric Association Foundation. Due to depression and anxiety, roughly 12 billion workdays are lost annually—that translates to $1 trillion, the World Health Organization reported.

As companies increasingly move remote and hybrid employees into offices full-time, HR pros should be mindful of the “hardships” they may experience, said Betsy Schwartz, senior director for the Center for Workplace Mental Health at the American Psychiatric Association Foundation. The center recently published resources to help employers transition their employees to in-person work.

Employees’ mental health may suffer when adjusting to a five-day RTO, especially if they’re contending with caregiving needs and commuting costs, Schwartz told HR Brew.

Keep reading here.—MC

As calls grow among civil rights leaders and Black clergy to boycott Target after it announced on January 24 that it was backtracking on its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, foot traffic is down at its stores, according to data from Placer.ai prepared exclusively for Retail Brew.

Target’s announcement was on a Friday, and on the following week that began January 27, foot traffic fell 4% YoY, then fell 8.6% the week beginning February 3, and 3.9% the week beginning February 10. It was the first drop in foot traffic this year for Target, with foot traffic for the first four weeks of 2025 up between 5% and 11.8%.

Walmart, which also rolled back DEI (and which has been the subject of less concerted boycotts), also saw foot traffic fall for the first time this year on the same week as Target, albeit less dramatically. Foot traffic fell by 2.7% YoY on January 27, 2.9% on the week beginning February 3, and 1.4% on the week beginning February 10.

Costco, which has resisted pressure from shareholders, 19 Republican attorneys general, and anti-DEI activist Robby Starbuck to dump its DEI program, has seen traffic rise YoY for the same three-week period: up 5.8% on the week beginning January 27, 5.7% on the week beginning February 3, and 4.6% on the week beginning February 10.

Keep reading on Retail Brew.—AAN