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Thanks to celebrity documentaries, in recent years the menopause has gone mainstream. Awareness and understanding is on the rise, but there’s still so much more SMEs in Manchester, Altrincham and Cheshire can be doing to normalise talking about menopause. In many workplaces, it’s still a taboo subject, leading to many employees feeling unsupported during a crucial and important time in their life. Access to outsourced expert HR support could be key to helping employees through menopause challenges at work.
In this article, we share the basics every employer and line manager needs to know to support women of going through menopause:
The current menopause landscape in the UK
How menopause affects women at work
The difference between perimenopause and menopause
Common signs and symptoms to look for
The costs and benefits of supporting employee wellbeing
The link between menopause and mental health
How SMEs can support female wellbeing
How to approach conversations about menopause at work
Specific advice for male managers
Ways to support menopause at work
Menopause support is part of a diverse, inclusive workplace
The desire to create a diverse and inclusive workplace coupled with the fact that we’re living and working longer, means businesses can no longer brush issues like menopause under the carpet. The impact on women, their partners, and families is too great. Menopause isn’t something you can leave at the front door, it is part of who you are.
The more knowledge within your business, the better placed you are to empower your employees, to build an inclusive and supportive workplace, and become an employer of choice.
Current menopause landscape in the UK
Menopause affects over half of the population, with symptoms often lasting for years or even decades. 1 in 10 women who worked during the menopause have left a job due to their symptoms.
Menopause Mandate carried out a survey of 15,000 women across the UK in 2025.
96% said menopause had affected their quality of life.
Nearly 8 out of 10 said menopause symptoms impact them at work.
1 in 20 women had quit work due to menopause, and 1 in 10 had changed their job.
Only 37% said their employer offered menopause support or training.
35% said their employer had a menopause policy.
While the media and celebrities have increased the profile and value of menopause discussion and support, we are still on a journey with those conversations in the workplace. Both managers and employees still admit to feeling uneasy talking about menopause with colleagues:
Leaders and managers fear they will say or do the wrong thing, so fail to even start the conversation.
Employees express a fear of judgement, perceptions of being unable to do your job properly, or that you are less of a person than before.
How menopause may affect women at work
Menopause affects most women between the ages of 45 and 55, often at a time when they are at the height of their career. As a manager, you may notice the signs of menopause as someone behaving slightly different from usual. They may appear a bit more tired, stressed or more anxious than usual.
The symptoms of the menopause, which we’ll come on to shortly, are numerous and diverse, and affect each individual’s daily life differently. Where an individual experiences extreme symptoms, this can affect their self-confidence and in turn their belief in their ability to do their job. This may lead to sickness absence, mental health challenges, and loss of talent. Women may choose to leave work or retire early due to menopause symptoms and lack of support and understanding from their employer.
To protect and retain talented women in the workforce, every business must take action to encourage more positive conversations and provide better support.
What’s the difference between perimenopause and menopause?
Today we have a much greater understanding of a woman’s journey to menopause, as well as the many signs and symptoms.
Perimenopause is the transitional time when women begin to experience fluctuating hormones and periods become irregular, which can result in a mix of debilitating symptoms. For most women, this happens between the ages of 45 and 55, however it can begin much earlier than this. Perimenopause can last for several years and may be triggered by medical conditions and procedures.
Menopause is the point at which a woman has not had a menstrual bleed for 12 months. After this, a woman becomes post-menopausal, but this does not mean the symptoms stop. Some women will continue to experience menopause symptoms after this time.
Menopause and perimenopause symptoms
There are more than 34 symptoms of menopause, and 75% of women will experience symptoms. Some of the most well-known include:
Low energy and fatigue.
Difficulty sleeping or falling asleep: insomnia can be debilitating, resulting in low physical and mental energy.
Brain fog: difficulty concentrating and memory lapses that make work activities a challenge.
Hot flushes and night sweats.
Some symptoms may be mistaken as signs of stress or mental health problems:
Mood swings and changes
Difficulty controlling emotions
Anxiety
Depression
Tension and nervousness.
There are also hidden physical signs such as muscle pain, headaches, weight gain, and other medical conditions women may not want to discuss at work. When combined, the symptoms of menopause can impact daily life and sense of wellbeing, making it difficult to bring your whole self to work.
The cost of failing to support employees through menopause
When menopausal women feel unsupported at work, they may decide to leave their role and seek out a more empathetic employer, or even take early retirement.
Research on the costs associated with menopause is limited. According to a Government review, the estimated annual cost to the economy is around £1.5 billion due to unemployment, and a further £191 million due to absenteeism and £22.4 million due to presenteeism.
The same research study estimates that around 60,000 women in the UK are not in employment due to perimenopause or menopause. In addition, women experiencing severe menopause symptoms take seven days of absence from work per year.
Common reasons why menopausal women leave their jobs or take early retirement include:
Increased pressure and stress
Lack of flexibility or support with managing symptoms
Lack of understanding from their line manager
No menopause policy or guidance
Being unable to talk openly about their experiences with colleagues.
The link between menopause and mental health
It is clear businesses need to encourage more positive conversations around workplace wellbeing. Going through menopause creates significant challenges. Studies also highlight the economic impact of women experiencing poor mental health and worse health outcomes due to perimenopause or menopause. Women may experience poor sleep and anxiety, which may impact their performance at work if left unaddressed.
Business benefits of supporting wellbeing at work
Every North West SME should have a clear plan to support wellbeing in the workplace. This should address the health and wellbeing needs of every employee. The business benefits of implementing a wellbeing strategy include:
Greater wellbeing
Increased productivity and performance
Lower rates of sickness absence
Greater employee retention
Increased morale and engagement
Ability to attract top talent.
How can SMEs support female wellbeing?
Managers should look out for a combination of these emotional and behavioural indicators of menopausal symptoms. When experienced on their own, these symptoms can be signs of other health and wellbeing challenges - it is the combination managers and colleagues need to look out for:
Persistent tiredness
Loss of motivation
Loss of concentration and focus
Memory problems and struggling to remember words
Low energy
Change in self-confidence
Low interest in work.
Talking about menopause at work
Under the Employment Rights Act 2025, it is now optional for employers of large businesses (250+ employees) to have a menopause action plan. These are planned to become mandatory for large businesses from 2027, so it makes sense to start now if you don’t already have one in place.
Your plan should set out how your business will support menopausal employees, manage wellbeing, and prevent discrimination and barriers to opportunity. These are optional for SMEs.
Review health and wellbeing policies
Before you create/refresh and communicate policies that support menopause, speak with members of your workforce. Ask them to help you shape policy by identifying their key challenges, and share how you can help them to manage these better while at work. Don’t forget to mention where they can get support, both internally and externally.
Supporting employees through menopause requires more than policy and planning. It’s about taking action, and that requires good communication.
Raise awareness through building an open culture
Open up conversations to include everyone, and make it clear that no-one is expected to suffer in silence. To create an open culture is to create an environment where issues like menopause are discussed openly and honestly. This will boost knowledge and understanding. Trust and access to high-quality support must exist for this to happen.
Share stories to create understanding, so that people can be themselves at work, whether they are going through challenge or not.
Create safe spaces where individuals can share experiences and offer support to each other.
Signpost helpful resources, like this symptom checker from the Menopause Charity and any services available through your Employee Assistance Programme.
Start a menopause awareness group where women can share their experiences and educate colleagues about what’s happening to their bodies.
How to approach manager-employee conversations about menopause
Talking about health and wellbeing issues may feel awkward and uncomfortable at first, but the worst thing you can do is be ignorant to your team’s challenges.
Feel the fear and tackle the conversation.
Choose a private setting where you won’t be disturbed.
Start with an informal chat about something light-hearted. This may help diffuse any initial awkwardness.
Ask after their general wellbeing to give the person an opportunity to open up if they want to.
Say, ‘You don’t seem yourself’. Explain that you have noticed differences in their behaviour and ask if there is something going on that they would like to talk about.
Be supportive and empathetic, and listen as much as possible. This might be the first time they have talked about their challenges.
Ask what kind of support or adjustments would improve their experience at work.
Leave the conversation open and explain that you are here to listen if they want to talk.
Signpost helpful internal and external resources.
Advice for male managers
Training is essential to build confidence and develop the skills required to tackle sensitive conversations.
Educate yourself: listen and learn about women’s experiences of menopause. Ask a friend or partner about how it has affected them at work.
Don’t shy away: join in the conversation, and it will begin to feel less uncomfortable.
Don’t be dismissive: it can take a lot of courage to share personal challenges, so take the conversation seriously and show empathy and understanding.
Offer an alternative: if one or both of you is finding the conversation difficult, suggest bringing in a female manager to help you feel more comfortable.
Menopause support in the workplace
Education and training: All managers must understand the symptoms of menopause, how these might present in the workplace, and the right terms to use. Workshops, webinars, online learning, and training will enable managers to talk confidently and be mindful of the reality of living through menopause.
Our CPD-certified e-learning includes a comprehensive section on managing health and wellbeing at work. Browse the catalogue.
Make reasonable adjustments: small adjustments can make a huge difference to an employee’s experience at work. Many women report that they would like more workplace support in the form of information on menopause and adjustments, but some still worry that asking for support may create stigma for older working women. Reasonable adjustments might include providing a desk fan, moving a desk closer to a window, or providing tools and equipment to increase comfort.
Start the conversation: holding a menopause workshop is a great way to get managers and employees talking confidently and openly about their experiences.
Review the work environment: ensure good ventilation/cooling and cold drinking water are available. If not, make it clear that employees may leave their work area to seek cooler areas, if needed.
Offer flexible working hours: for women experiencing disturbed sleep, consider adjusting their core hours to fit better with when they are more productive.
Uniforms: where employees must wear a uniform for work, look into adaptations to increase comfort. Menopausal women may benefit from workwear made from cooler, natural fabrics.
Could your business do more around menopause?
Improving menopause support can create a truly inclusive workplace. While 25% of women sail through menopause with no issues, the majority experience symptoms that can be debilitating and affect their physical, mental and emotional health. Doing nothing is not an option. When voices are ignored, top talent will leave.
Robust policy, training, and positive, open conversations are needed to remove the stigma and discrimination around the menopause. Women who want to work through the menopause should not feel alone. It’s up to employers to demonstrate care, empathy, understanding, and provide the right support. Get in touch to speak with a qualified HR professional about how to do more to support menopausal employees.
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