Workplace training experts share 5 ways businesses can accommodate menopausal employees

With over half (67%) of menopausal employees reporting its negative impact on their work (1), leading online learning company, High Speed Training, shares key considerations for UK employers to build an inclusive, supportive environment.

53% of women said they had been unable to go into work at some point because of their menopause symptoms whilst more than a quarter said menopause symptoms had a negative impact on their career progression. 17% of women had considered leaving work because of a lack of support related to their menopause symptoms and a further 6% had left work because of their symptoms. As these figures clearly show, this is an area where workplace gender equality must improve. Beyond directly affecting the individual, unmanaged symptoms indirectly impact team dynamics, productivity, and organisational retention.

Emma Chilton, Learning and Development Business Partner and Menopause Champion at High Speed Training, said: “Menopause can affect people from their late thirties into their sixties, and with more of us working later in life, it’s rightly recognised as a health, wellbeing and gender equality issue employers can’t ignore. But stigma and uncertainty still stop people asking for help and stop managers feeling confident enough to offer it.

Good support doesn’t have to be complicated. The most effective approach is to create an environment where employees can talk about their needs, whether that’s with their manager, HR, a menopause champion, or through an anonymous route. None of that needs a diagnosis attached to it – ‘I’m finding it harder to concentrate at the moment’ is enough to start the conversation.”

Key considerations for employers

1. Provide small adjustments that will have a big impact

Simple environmental changes can make a real difference to someone managing menopause symptoms day to day.

Employers can introduce supportive adjustments such as having fans at desks, improving ventilation, ensuring easy access to drinking water, and providing accessible toilet and washing facilities.

If you work in an industry where a uniform or PPE is required, making flexible adaptations to required clothing is equally essential since standard workwear rarely accounts for symptoms.

2. Be flexible

Flexibility is one of the simplest ways to give employees back a sense of control over symptoms that can feel unpredictable day to day. That doesn’t always mean a formal arrangement – it might just be agreeing a later start after a poor night’s sleep, or allowing extra breaks when needed.

For more sustained support, this could include working from home or a space where the employee feels most comfortable, adjusted hours for appointments or a temporary change to workload. The most effective approach is a collaborative one: agree what would help together and revisit it as symptoms change.

3. Introduce policies which create a framework of support

Clear policies help prevent discrimination and challenge stigma. More than that, they give managers a framework to work from, rather than leaving decisions to individual discretion or guesswork.

A good menopause policy explains what employees can expect, what managers should do when someone asks for support and signposts the different support routes available, making it clear who employees can speak to and how sensitive conversations will be handled.

4. Provide peer support

Some employees may feel more comfortable speaking to a colleague rather than approaching their manager or HR team. A menopause or wellbeing champion can provide an informal point of contact, someone to talk to with no pressure and no formality, who can then help direct employees towards reliable information and workplace support.

Note that peer support should always be voluntary and inclusive. Employees should not be expected to share personal experiences publicly or become a source of medical advice for colleagues.

5. Help others understand through training

A 2025 Government Literature Review (2) concluded that many women report that they would like more workplace support in the form of information on menopause and adjustments according to their needs. However, these sentiments were not universal, with some women worrying about the potential of such support furthering discrimination and stigma for older working women. This highlights a lack of understanding amongst employees and employers.

Offering a menopause awareness course in the workplace is crucial to an inclusive and supportive environment. It helps raise awareness among employees, promotes empathy, and equips colleagues and managers with the knowledge to effectively accommodate and understand the unique challenges that individuals experiencing menopause may face. This proactive approach contributes to a healthier and more understanding workplace culture.

Emma Chilton concludes: “Creating that environment isn’t just about policies, though clear ones matter and set the expectation that menopause is never an acceptable topic for workplace ‘banter.’ It’s really about consistency: support shouldn’t depend on which manager you happen to have.

None of this needs to be a huge programme. Often it’s the small things, like a temporary adjustment or someone pointing you to the right person, that make the biggest difference to how safe someone feels raising it.”