Practical guidance for supporting employees during menopause

The theme for World Menopause Day 2025 is ‘The Role of Lifestyle Medicine in Menopausal Health: A Review of Non-Pharmacologic Interventions’.

This is an evidence-based landmark global review being conducted by the IMS highlighting how lifestyle medicine can ease menopausal symptoms, reduce chronic disease risk and support women’s long-term health.

One of the main reasons for bringing awareness to menopause is to highlight the effects and diseases that can occur during and after menopause.

Most women reach the menopause stage between the ages of 45 and 55. However, the effects of menopause can start up to 10 years prior and even earlier in some cases. This stage is classed as “perimenopause”.

Menopause and perimenopause can be a stressful and difficult time, especially as they symptoms are wide-ranging and affect everyone differently, covering both physical and psychological symptoms. While it can happen for a number of reasons, including genetics, surgery and/or cancer treatments, sometimes the reason is unknown.

So what can employers do to support their employees and what steps can they take to avoid creating HR problems in the future?

Symptoms of menopause

Some symptoms can be quite severe and debilitating and may have a significant effect on the individual’s everyday activities. For many, menopause symptoms last around 4 years, but in many cases symptoms can last much longer.

For employers, it can lead to:

the appearance of performance issues caused by a struggle to concentrate, focus and remember things;

an increased occurrence in “brain fog” and “hot flushes”;

low morale and upset for the employee who is having menopausal symptoms;

an increase in mental health conditions such as stress, anxiety and depression;

an increase in sickness absence.

For employees experiencing menopause, this could lead to:

them considering leaving their jobs;

issues with self-confidence and low self-esteem;

a decline in their mental health and ability to carry out their job role effectively;

feeling confused or powerless due to the menopausal changes, resulting in a change of behaviour.

The conversation

An employee may not tell you they are experiencing symptoms of menopause. However, you may notice an employee not being themselves. It’s important to have a supportive welfare conversation with the employee to ensure that they are receiving appropriate support in the workplace.

When doing so, you should:

not make any assumptions about their health;

not ask direct questions about whether the issues are related to menopause;

not make any jokes or comments about age-related conditions such as menopause.

The conversation should instead cover:

your concern about their overall health and well-being;

your concern about any noted decline in performance or productivity;

noted concerns regarding any increased absence levels;

changes you have noticed in their character and mood;

whether there are any reasonable adjustments or support that would help them at work;

whether there is anything you can do to help them in general as their employer.

The conversation should allow the employee to feel supported in their choice to disclose any symptoms or health issues they may be experiencing, or not. However, it is the employee’s choice whether to tell their employer about any medical conditions.

If an employee says they are suffering with menopausal symptoms, you should:

encourage them to seek medical help from their GP;

encourage them to seek help from specific support services;

ask for their consent to refer them for an occupational health assessment to assess their fitness for work and whether they require any reasonable adjustments;

give them the option of talking to a mental health first aider if you have one;

suggest they use your Employee Assistance Programme if you have one;

encourage development of a support network outside work;

let them know they can approach you with any problems they have.

Menopause policy and training

It’s a good idea to have company policies for menopause. Written policies are a positive step towards providing support and inclusion in the workplace for those with menopause. It is important that the employer implements them fairly and in a transparent manner. You should make sure all managers, supervisors and team leaders are trained to understand:

how to treat the subject of menopause with dignity, respect and confidentiality, as with other medical conditions;

how to listen and talk sensitively about the topic of menopause;

how to conduct appropriate and supportive conversations with employees who raise a menopause concern;

the effects of menopause on an individual, including the stages and how it affects employees in the workplace;

relevant options for support and reasonable adjustments that can be made in the workplace;

how to approach the suggestion of occupational health referrals with the employee;

how it is inappropriate and a serious disciplinary offence for anyone in the company to make jokes about menopause;

how it is inappropriate to assume someone is experiencing menopause due to their age;

how some employees may be affected by misunderstanding of gender identity in relation to the menopause;

the importance of addressing and referring to someone with their chosen pronoun and the gender they identify with;

employment law relating to both menopause and perimenopause.

Your health and safety obligations

Employers have a legal duty to assess risks to the health and safety of employees. Risk assessments should consider the needs of employees through menopause. You need to make sure the working environment will not worsen their symptoms and that direct line managers are aware of their symptoms to ensure appropriate support is put in place to assist and support them through menopause.

There is some stigma around talking about menopause. Many find it embarrassing or are reluctant to discuss the impact of their symptoms. This may especially be the case if the person does not identify as the gender commonly assigned to that condition.

Avoiding discrimination

It can be classed as discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 to treat someone negatively due to a disability. In certain situations, menopause meets the definition of a disability (subject to the employee satisfying the legislative framework under Section 6 of the Equality Act 2010).

You should:

think about the reasonable adjustments that you can make to assist employees going through menopause/perimenopause;

consider if absence or performance issues are due to menopause/ perimenopause;

not put absence or performance issues due to menopause/perimenopause towards an employee’s overall record;

make sure employees are not subjected to comments or jokes;

ensure appropriate training and menopause policy is in place and adhered to by employees;

have open conversations with employees and promote a culture of inclusiveness.

Failing to consider these issues could lead to employment tribunal claims of disability, sex or age discrimination.

Menopause and disability

Menopause is not a disability under the Equality Act 2010. For menopause to be classed as a disability under the Act, the primary focus is on the effects of the employee’s symptoms relating to menopause/perimenopause and their ability to carry out day-to-day activities. Specifically, the law requires:

the condition to have a physical or mental impairment;

a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the ability to carry out day to day activities (i.e. more than minor or trivial).

Only an Employment Tribunal can decide if a condition meets the definition of a disability under the Act. If there is a possibility it could be met, you should get the employee’s consent to refer them to occupational health. An assessment will provide the employee with additional support and guidance.

There are several recent employment tribunal claims where employees claim disability discrimination due to menopause. Accordingly, employers should ensure that employees receive appropriate support in the workplace to assist them in navigating through the challenges they face with menopause/ perimenopause to prevent discrimination.