Saturday October 18th marks World Menopause Day, an opportunity for companies to review current strategies and recommit to supporting employees through midlife transitions.
The International Menopause Society’s (IMS’s) 2025 theme – ‘Lifestyle medicine in menopausal health’ – emphasises how simple lifestyle practices, such as healthy eating, activity, emotional wellbeing, and sleep, can all support health and wellbeing during menopause.
Workplace menopause support is no longer a ‘luxury benefit’; it’s integral part of an inclusive, people-centred culture. Organisations in the third sector, in particular, pride themselves on mission, values and empathy. But when it comes to HR policies and practices, supporting staff through menopause can often be overlooked or under-resourced.
Why menopause support matters
Talent retention and morale
Losing or sidelining experienced staff during midlife due to unmanaged menopause-related symptoms is a hidden cost. Quality and continuity suffer, and key knowledge is lost. Demonstrating support signals that your organisation values its people, not just when they’re younger, but throughout their working life.
Equity and inclusion
Menopause affects the majority of people assigned female at birth, generally between ages 45 and 55. Yet it remains largely taboo to talk about in workplaces. Offering support helps reduce stigma, ensures fairness, and enables staff to stay productive and engaged.
Health, wellbeing and productivity
Symptoms like hot flushes, sleep disruption, brain fog, mood swings and joint pain can all affect performance. The IMS’s resources highlight that lifestyle medicine (e.g. sleep hygiene, physical activity, healthy diet, and social support) plays an evidence-based role in symptom management. And organisations that provide proactive support to help employees manage symptoms more effectively in turn reap the productivity benefits.
Practical tips & recommendations
Even on minimal budgets and with limited HR capacity, there are a number of steps that can be taken to improve menopause support in your workplace.
1. Firstly, start with awareness and education:
- Host a lunchtime talk or workshop (in person or virtually) on menopause; consider inviting a health professional or menopause advocate.
- Share accessible resources (e.g. IMS’s factsheets, toolkits, infographics, etc) across your workforce, e.g. via the intranet, newsletters or noticeboards.
- Encourage open dialogue, e.g. internal “menopause ally” scheme or peer support groups, to normalise discussion.
Even simple awareness shifts can reduce stigma and help affected staff feel less isolated.
2. Embed menopause into your health and wellbeing strategy
- In your wellbeing plan, include modules or supports specific to menopause (e.g. information, seminars, and peer groups).
- Ensure employee assistance programmes (EAPs) or counselling services explicitly recognise menopausal issues.
- Where your budget allows, consider subsidising specialist support (e.g. consultations with menopause nurses or physiotherapists) for staff.
3. Flexible working & reasonable adjustments
- Offer flexible hours, remote or hybrid work, or breaks when needed (e.g. to manage symptoms).
- Modify workplace layout: better ventilation, fan access, temperature control, cold water availability, adjustable clothing policies (e.g. dress code flexibility).
- Provide quiet/rest spaces for short breaks.
- Be open to phased return to work or reduced hours for staff experiencing significant symptoms.
4. Line manager training and guidance
- Equip line managers with simple guidance: what menopause is, typical symptoms, how to have sensitive conversations, and how to identify requests for support.
- Encourage managers to take a compassionate, adaptive approach
- Include menopause awareness in your manager training and performance development programmes.
Often staff drop off asking for help not because they don’t want support, but because they fear being misunderstood or judged.
5. Monitor, review and adapt
- Carry out anonymous staff surveys or feedback mechanisms (e.g. wellbeing check-ins) to understand how menopause is affecting your workforce.
- Use this feedback to refine policy, support offerings, and communications.
- Track usage of menopause-related support or adjustments, and measure whether absenteeism, staff turnover or performance metrics improve over time.
6. Leverage partnerships & external support
- Capitalise on your networks. Explore partnerships with health charities, menopause advocacy organisations, local health services or training providers.
- Seek free or subsidised workshops from menopause specialists
- Use existing sector learning networks to share best practices, resources or even co-deliver training.
7. Promote a holistic and lifestyle-aware approach
Aligned to this year’s World Menopause Day theme, you can build supports tied into healthy behaviours:
- Encourage physical activity (walking groups, subsidised gym classes, yoga, gentle stretching, etc).
- Promote good sleep hygiene (e.g. through internal communications, training, tips).
- Include guidance or challenges around balanced nutrition, stress management and social connectedness.
- Encourage line managers to allow micro-breaks or movement breaks during the working day.
By embedding these into your broader wellbeing agenda, menopause support becomes part of general culture, not an extra cost add-on.
Culture over compliance
The differentiator isn’t the size of the HR budget, it’s the culture you cultivate. If your team feels heard, valued, and supported through every life stage, staff are more likely to stay, contribute, and feel proud of their employer.
World Menopause Day offers a timely prompt: this October, make a pledge to embed menopause awareness, policy and practical support into your HR offering. Even modest gestures, such as an information session, a manager guidance note, or a cooling fan in the office, can signal to your workforce that you see them, you care, and you will adapt.