How can your business provide effective menopause support in the workplace?

Managers and HR teams often tell me that clear definitions help them feel more confident. Menopause and perimenopause are clinical terms with specific meanings and understanding them is an essential starting point. Symptoms vary widely, and they can affect work in different ways, from short periods of poor concentration to longer spells of disrupted sleep or low mood. 

Definitions and stages 

Menopause is when your periods stop because your hormone levels have changed and then stayed low for a time. Clinically, it is defined as 12 months without a period. Perimenopause is the stage before this, often the most symptomatic phase, when hormones fluctuate and can feel “out of control” for several years. The NHS explains that menopause usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, with the average age in the UK at 51. Some women experience early menopause before age 45. 

Symptoms differ, but NHS guidance highlights sleep disruption, hot flushes, anxiety, low mood, memory problems and difficulty concentrating. These symptoms can come and go, so someone may feel fine one month and struggle the next. 

Symptoms that can affect work capacity 

Symptoms that affect work usually fall into two groups. 

Mental health symptoms 

Common mental health symptoms of menopause and perimenopause include: 

Because symptoms vary so much, managers need basic awareness training. Early recognition prevents issues escalating into repeat absence or avoidable stress. 

Large organisations rely on predictable systems, so menopause support needs to be designed in the same way. Without structured support, businesses face real risks around performance, retention and inclusion. A strategic approach ensures that teams across different sites and roles benefit consistently. 

Workforce impact and prevalence 

A high number of people experience menopause or perimenopause during the most senior and specialised stages of their careers. CIPD research shows that 73% of employees aged 40 to 60 have experienced menopausal symptoms. Around 67% say these symptoms have a negative effect on their work. In addition, 53% have been unable to attend work at some point because of symptoms. 

This is not a marginal group. Menopause is hitting an important part of the workforce, at an age when many women would normally be moving into great performance, leadership and management roles. 

Risk of losing experienced talent 

Evidence from Fawcett Society research suggests that around 10% of women who work during menopause leave their jobs because of symptoms or because workplace support is not available. This loss is costly. It removes knowledge that has been built over many years, creates skills gaps and drives up the expense of recruiting and onboarding new staff. 

Retention is particularly important in large organisations where experienced employees often hold critical responsibilities and where leadership continuity influences culture across multiple teams. 

Legal obligations for large employers 

Large employers also have legal responsibilities. Under the Equality Act 2010, menopausal symptoms that are long term and substantial may be considered a disability. When that threshold is met, employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments. These adjustments might relate to working patterns, workplace environment or access to clinical support. 

Menopause action plans now sit within the Employment Rights Act 2025. On 4 March 2026, the government issued its first guidance, encouraging employers with 250 or more employees to publish a short and practical action plan. The guidance recommends focusing on three areas: building awareness and education, providing consistent support for employees with symptoms and giving managers a clear process to follow. Plans should show the steps organisations are taking to remove barriers and improve workplace culture. 

Although the requirement is currently voluntary, action plans will be published, so employers need to be confident that their approach is meaningful, accessible and aligned with best practice. For large organisations, this means ensuring that policies, training and support routes are applied consistently across all departments and sites. 

Support only works when it is consistent. I have seen many employers try to solve this with one enthusiastic manager or a single initiative. That approach does not last. What works is a simple, repeatable framework that every department and site can use. When people know there is a clear system, they ask for help earlier and managers feel confident in how to respond. 

Integrating menopause support into wellbeing programmes 

Menopause support has the most impact when it is easy to find. I encourage organisations to build menopause information into the wellbeing structures they already have, such as employee assistance programmes, wellbeing hubs or internal health portals. When employees do not have to search across multiple systems, they are far more likely to access help early. 

Normalising conversations 

In my experience, culture change starts with openness. Many employees still do not feel able to talk about symptoms, and Aviva found that 42% say they are uncomfortable raising menopause at work. 

I often say that menstrual and menopause health is where mental health was about 10 years ago. We know the impact is real, but there is still stigma, silence and uncertainty about how to talk about it at work. 

Employee networks and champions 

Support networks give employees a safe place to share experiences. Large organisations can create menopause groups, champions or ambassadors who act as informal points of contact. This helps people feel supported, especially in hybrid or multi-site environments where individuals may not have close access to HR. Champions also help build confidence and keep information circulating through local teams. 

Inclusive communication 

Communication must reflect the fact that menopause can affect women, trans employees and some non-binary employees. Clear and inclusive language ensures no one feels excluded from support. Using digital channels also helps reach dispersed teams so messages stay consistent across different locations. 

What managers should do 

One thing I see again and again is that women usually know what is going to help them. Managers do not need to be experts. They need to listen, take requests seriously and work with HR to find practical adjustments. 

Recognising changes at work 

Symptoms can affect behaviour and performance. Fawcett Society research shows that 61% of people report reduced motivation and 52% report a loss of confidence. These changes should be recognised as health related, not treated as performance concerns. Managers should explore whether adjustments could help. 

Monitoring adjustments 

To keep support fair, managers can use a simple structure: agree adjustments, record them, review them regularly and share updates with HR. This keeps processes consistent across large teams. 

Large organisations often struggle with consistency, communication and culture when introducing menopause support. I see the same challenges appear across different sectors, and most can be addressed with simple, central solutions. 

One of the reasons I founded Adora Digital Health was because I saw how difficult it can be for women to get the support they need. Menopause is still a hidden problem in many workplaces, and clinical support in primary care is often limited. 

Many women are not sure where to start or who to talk to, and managers are not always confident about how to help. I wanted to make it simple for employers to put meaningful support in place and simple for women to get reliable, evidence-based guidance when they need it. 

Adora Digital Health provides a clear pathway through perimenopause and menopause. Our digital platform is clinically led, designed with the NHS and backed by our Class 1 Medical Device registration.  Women can complete clinical assessments, manage symptoms through personalised tracking, attend expert events, join weekly clinical drop-ins, and book consultations with Women's health specialist doctors.  They can also access holistic resources on sleep, nutrition, physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing, which are often just as important as clinical care. 

Everything is designed to help women understand what is happening to their bodies and get to the right support quickly. 

For employers, Adora Digital Health helps bring policies and culture to life. We provide education for teams, practical tools for managers and anonymised reporting so organisations can track engagement and understand what is working. We also align with the emerging requirements on menopause action plans, which means large employers can build a compliant and credible approach from the start. 

Making Adora Digital Health available through Access Engage is a positive step because it puts support where employees already go for information. Instead of expecting people to search across multiple systems, everything sits in one place alongside other wellbeing and engagement tools. This increases awareness, improves uptake and makes it easier for managers to signpost support with confidence. 

Large employers have an opportunity to make meaningful change by reviewing or introducing menopause policies and ensuring they work in practice, not only on paper. When organisations take a structured approach, people feel supported sooner and managers know how to respond. 

The good news is that it is straightforward to start putting the right plan and support in place. You do not have to do everything at once. What matters is that you begin and that your approach is meaningful rather than symbolic. Proactive support reduces absenteeism, strengthens retention and helps build a workplace culture where people can perform at their best. When menopause is recognised as a standard part of working life, everyone benefits. 

If you want to explore these issues in more depth, I encourage you to watch the Adora Digital Health Digital Health and Access webinar. It covers what organisations are getting right, where the gaps still sit and how large employers can approach menopause support in a practical way. 

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