From the US to the UK, employees experiencing menopause continue to face gaps in workplace support, as employers are urged to move beyond awareness towards practical action, better-trained managers and stronger accountability.
World Menopause Day on 18 October is putting renewed focus on whether employers are doing enough to support people experiencing menopause at work. Awareness has grown significantly in recent years, but research across different markets continues to reveal a gap between talking about menopause and employees feeling able to disclose symptoms, access meaningful support and remain in work without damaging their health or careers.
Recent US research involving 1,110 employees found one in three symptomatic women were considering leaving their jobs or reducing their hours, while only 6% had disclosed their symptoms to HR. Flexible scheduling was the most commonly requested workplace intervention, cited by 73.7%, while 67.3% wanted menopause prescription coverage. The challenge is not new, or confined to one country.
Earlier US research found 58% of peri- and post-menopausal women did not feel comfortable discussing their symptoms at work. Although 76% of HR benefit managers said they discussed menopause with employees, only 3% of women said they had actually spoken to HR, exposing a significant disconnect between employer perceptions and employee experience.
Separate UK-US research found eight in 10 women struggled to manage menopause symptoms at work, while 54% changed their working routine and 79% of those who took time off concealed the real reason at least some of the time. Against that global backdrop, employers are facing growing pressure to translate awareness into action.
GLOBAL PRESSURE FOR BETTER MENOPAUSE SUPPORT
The direction of travel is increasingly towards more structured workplace support. In September, ISO 45010 became the first international workplace standard to address menstruation and menopause, providing guidance on workplace culture, policies, manager capability, the physical working environment and adjustments.
Research accompanying its launch found seven in 10 women wanted employers to have a clear approach to reproductive health, yet six in 10 said their organisation had never proactively discussed menopause support. Only 38% of employees who had experienced menopause, perimenopause or menstrual-health issues felt confident their employer would help them find an appropriate solution.
Previous research has also found that more than half the workforce can be affected by menopause, yet workplace support remains critically lacking. For employers, the message on World Menopause Day is therefore increasingly clear: awareness without practical support is not enough.
UK EMPLOYERS FACE NEW ACTION-PLAN REQUIREMENTS
In the UK, that shift from awareness towards accountability is also being reinforced through legislation. Health and wellbeing experts at Everywhen are warning that many employers remain unaware of forthcoming equality action-plan requirements covering menopause support.
Under the Employment Rights Act 2025, employers with 250 or more employees can currently publish a voluntary action plan alongside their gender pay gap data. Those plans show the steps employers are taking to address their gender pay gap and support employees experiencing menopause. Subject to secondary legislation, they are due to become mandatory from spring 2027. Government guidance says eligible employers creating an action plan should select at least two evidence-informed actions from its recommended list.
MENOPAUSE ACTION PLANS PART OF UK EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS
“In our conversations with clients, we have been surprised to observe just how many employers are completely unaware of the Menopause Action Plans that are part of the UK’s Employment Rights Act 2025,” said Debra Clark, Head of Wellbeing at Everywhen, said. “World Menopause Day is the perfect opportunity to highlight this obligation, along with the timings and requirements.”
While “Menopause Action Plan” is a useful shorthand, the statutory terminology is “equality action plan”. The legislation specifically identifies addressing the gender pay gap and supporting employees going through menopause as matters related to gender equality that can be covered by the plans. L
WHAT SHOULD EMPLOYERS BE DOING
Practical menopause support can take many forms. Recommended actions include:
- training managers to support employees appropriately;
- providing access to occupational health advice;
- establishing menopause support groups or employee networks;
- offering personalised workplace adjustments;
- reviewing workplace risks that may exacerbate symptoms;
- reviewing relevant policies and procedures;
- considering flexible working and leave arrangements; and
- making sure employees understand what support is available.
Government guidance includes personalised workplace adjustments among the evidence-informed actions organisations can take, recognising that relatively small changes can make a significant difference to an employee’s ability to remain well and productive at work.
EFFECTIVE MENOPAUSE POLICY
Clark says employers should avoid treating menopause action planning as simply another policy-writing exercise. “An effective menopause action plan is more than just a basic policy statement. It should include working adjustments, training and culture, as well as health and wellbeing support.”
That distinction matters because repeatedly, research shows a gap between having policies available and employees feeling safe or comfortable enough to use them. In the recent US study, almost half of symptomatic women said they would theoretically feel comfortable telling HR about menopause, yet only 6% had actually done so.
Similarly, 53% said they would feel comfortable telling their manager, but only 21% had done so. The figures suggest that employers need to ask not just “Do we have support?” but “Do employees trust us enough to use it?”
COST OF GETTING MENOPAUSE SUPPORT WRONG
The potential cost of getting menopause support wrong extends well beyond wellbeing. The study of 1,110 US employees found 33% of symptomatic women were considering leaving their job or reducing their working hours.
That creates obvious implications for retention, skills and experience, particularly as organisations try to retain women through midlife and into more senior roles. UK-US research has similarly found eight in 10 women struggled to manage menopause symptoms at work.
More than half changed their working routine, including reducing hours, moving to part-time employment, changing careers or leaving work. Nearly a third believed menopause could damage their career progression. Among UK women of colour, that concern was significantly higher, with 58% believing menopause could negatively affect their careers, compared with 32% of White UK women and 22% of White US women.
WHY MANAGER TRAINING MATTERS
Policies alone cannot anticipate every employee’s experience of menopause. Symptoms can include hot flushes, disrupted sleep, fatigue, migraines, heavy bleeding, difficulty concentrating, anxiety and changes in mood — and their impact can vary considerably between individuals.
That puts managers in an important position. They do not need to become medical experts or diagnose symptoms. They do, however, need to know how to:
- listen without judgement;
- maintain confidentiality;
- avoid making assumptions;
- discuss reasonable and practical workplace changes;
- understand relevant policies and benefits; and
- signpost employees towards appropriate professional support.
The need for manager capability is particularly clear from research linked to ISO 45010, which found just one in 10 employees affected by menopause, perimenopause or menstrual-health challenges would feel confident discussing the issue with a male line manager. Fewer than one in five felt confident approaching HR. That lack of confidence matters because even a well-designed support programme has limited value if employees do not feel safe enough to access it.
SUPPORT MUST GO BEYOND A MENOPAUSE POLICY
Effective menopause support also intersects with a much wider range of workplace practices. These can include:
- Flexible working. Symptoms may fluctuate, making some flexibility around hours or location particularly valuable.
- Workplace design. Temperature, ventilation, access to drinking water, uniforms, toilets and rest areas can all make a difference.
- Occupational health. Specialist advice can help identify appropriate individual adjustments.
- Mental health. Anxiety, sleep disruption and other symptoms may affect psychological wellbeing as well as physical health.
- Absence policies. Employees should not feel forced to conceal the real reason they need time away from work.
- Career progression. Menopause should not result in people being viewed as less capable, ambitious or suitable for advancement.
This is why previous World Menopause Day coverage has stressed that workplace support needs to extend well beyond awareness campaigns.
SMALLER EMPLOYERS SHOULD ACT TOO
The forthcoming UK statutory requirements apply to employers with 250 or more employees, but Everywhen argues that organisations of every size can benefit from reviewing their approach. Government guidance also directs smaller organisations towards wider advice on supporting employees experiencing menopause, despite their falling outside the proposed mandatory reporting regime.
For smaller employers, support does not have to involve an elaborate standalone programme. It can start with straightforward questions:
- Do managers know how to respond?
- Are adjustments available?
- Do employees know where to go for support?
- Do policies inadvertently make menopause harder to manage?
- And most importantly, do people feel comfortable raising the subject?
A BUSINESS ISSUE AS WELL AS A HEALTH ISSUE
Everywhen became Menopause Friendly Accredited in 2025, giving the organisation practical experience of implementing menopause support as well as advising employers. The company argues that stronger menopause strategies can help organisations retain experienced talent, improve employee wellbeing and strengthen their reputation with current and prospective employees.
“Supporting employees through this pivotal phase is more than just a matter of health and wellbeing – it’s a cornerstone to building an inclusive culture and thriving workplace,” said Clark. “Menopause support will be relevant to half the workforce at some stage in their lives and knowing that the company is menopause-friendly will be a big positive in the minds of current and future talent.”
The workforce implications are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Previous World Menopause Day research highlighted the scale of the global economic and workplace opportunity associated with better menopause support, particularly as more women remain economically active through midlife and beyond.
WHAT EMPLOYERS SHOULD DO NOW
World Menopause Day gives employers an opportunity to assess whether awareness has translated into practical change. Organisations can start by:
- auditing existing menopause policies, benefits and support;
- assessing whether managers have appropriate training;
- reviewing workplace adjustments and flexible-working arrangements;
- asking employees whether they know how to access support;
- involving employee networks and people with lived experience;
- examining retention, absence and progression data;
- integrating menopause into broader occupational-health and wellbeing strategies; and
- ensuring senior leaders are accountable for delivering change.
For eligible UK employers, the current voluntary action-plan period also provides an opportunity to test what works before mandatory requirements are introduced. Government guidance recommends a structured process of understanding organisational issues, choosing appropriate actions, setting out the rationale and monitoring outcomes rather than simply publishing a list of intentions. GOV.UK
WORLD MENOPAUSE DAY: FROM AWARENESS TO ACTION
Menopause is far more visible in workplace conversations than it was even a few years ago. But visibility is not the same as support. Employers can celebrate World Menopause Day while women still feel unable to tell their manager why they are struggling. They can introduce policies while employees remain unaware of the adjustments available to them. And they can encourage openness while employees worry that disclosure could affect how their capability or ambition is perceived.
The next stage of progress therefore needs to be about what happens after awareness. Across the US, UK and elsewhere, the evidence increasingly points towards the same priorities: better manager capability, greater flexibility, practical adjustments, trusted support and workplace cultures in which employees can talk about menopause without fearing a career penalty.
In the UK, forthcoming equality action plans add another layer of accountability. But the underlying challenge is universal: Can employees experiencing menopause get the support they need to stay healthy, remain in work and continue progressing in their careers?
World Menopause Day is an opportunity for employers everywhere to turn the answer into action. Everywhen is also offering employers a free Support Employees Through the Menopause guide with practical guidance for organisations, which can be downloaded here.
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