Brain fog can affect confidence, communication, decision-making and productivity. Employers need to look not only at symptoms, but at how modern work overloads the brain.

In the 2026 Balance@Work survey of 5,592 respondents, 87% said brain fog or poor concentration was one of the symptoms affecting their work performance most. Memory difficulties were reported by 68%, while 67% said reduced confidence affected them at work. These findings point to an important workplace reality: some of the symptoms with the greatest impact are cognitive and often invisible.

That matters because modern work already places heavy demands on attention. Back-to-back meetings, constant notifications, multiple platforms and frequent context switching can make sustained concentration difficult. For someone also experiencing brain fog, memory problems or reduced confidence, that cognitive load may become even harder to manage.

This is why the conversation needs to move beyond simply recognising symptoms. Employers should also look at how work itself is designed: whether people have enough focus time, whether priorities are clear, whether meetings are necessary and whether important decisions and actions are captured in writing.

Brain fog is one of the menopause symptoms that can frighten people the most. Not because it is always visible to others, but because it changes how someone feels about herself.

A woman who has always been sharp in meetings may suddenly lose her words. Someone who manages complexity easily may find herself rereading the same email. A confident leader may forget a name, lose her train of thought or feel unable to concentrate.

Newson Health describes brain fog as forgetfulness, confusion or woolliness, including difficulty recalling words, concentrating, losing a train of thought or forgetting appointments.

The survey reinforces why this matters: brain fog ranked above every other symptom for its reported impact on work performance, even ahead of fatigue, sleep disturbance and anxiety.

In the workplace, brain fog can be deeply unsettling. It can make capable people feel exposed. It can undermine confidence. It can cause people to avoid speaking up, presenting, challenging or contributing. Because it is often invisible, it can be misread as disorganisation, poor preparation or declining capability.

That is a serious business issue.

But in 2026, we need to go one step further. We need to talk about brain fog alongside cognitive load. For example, Cornwall Council recognised it needed to invest in helping its leadership team understand how to talk about hormone health in a more confident way: “The masterclass series have been absolutely fantastic. Sarah and her team are flexible, professional, caring, knowledgeable and supportive. The topics are on point and incredibly helpful and supportive to our employees.”

Many workplaces are now designed in a way that makes sustained thinking difficult for everyone: back-to-back meetings, constant messages, too many platforms, unclear priorities, instant response expectations, fragmented attention and very little recovery time.

For someone experiencing brain fog, that environment can become overwhelming.

The problem is not simply the individual symptom. It is the collision between the symptom and the way work is organised. That is why brain fog should be part of the productivity conversation.

If an employee is struggling to concentrate, the answer is not always to question commitment. It may be to look at meeting culture, workload clarity, communication habits and the amount of context switching expected in a normal day.

Can meetings be shorter? Can agendas be shared in advance? Can decisions be written down? Can priorities be clearer? Can people have focus time? Can managers avoid last-minute overload? Can someone take a short break before a high-stakes conversation?

These are good work practices for everyone. They are especially helpful for people navigating hormone-related symptoms.

Brain fog also affects psychological safety. If someone fears being shamed for forgetting something or losing their words, they may stop contributing. The team then loses input from someone with experience and judgement.

A good manager protects dignity. They do not make jokes about memory. They do not embarrass someone in front of colleagues. They do not assume incompetence. They ask what would help and agree practical ways of working.

Brain fog is not a capability problem. It is a signal that employers need to think more carefully about cognitive load, confidence and the design of modern work.

Balance@Work perspective

At Balance@Work, we believe brain fog should be understood through both a health and productivity lens. Better work design protects focus, confidence and performance, not only for people experiencing menopause symptoms but for the whole workforce.

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