Menopause
Duration: 90-minute session focusing on a single topic
Overview
This class will give attendees a good understanding of what the menopause is and how it may affect employees at work. It will also provide tools to help managers and their teams support colleagues who may be experiencing difficult symptoms.
Topics Covered
- The facts: what is the menopause?
- Common myths
- Symptoms
- HRT and how it works
- The impact of menopause
- Talking about menopause at work
- Supporting staff members
- Q&A
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Menopause
In our experience delivering Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and workplace wellbeing training, menopause is one of the topics that quickly changes how teams communicate. Once people understand what menopause is, what menopause symptoms can look like, and how simple adjustments can reduce pressure, the whole conversation becomes more respectful and practical.
We also know organisations want action they can actually implement. That’s why our menopause session is designed to give a clear understanding of menopause and how it may affect employees at work, alongside tools managers and teams can use to support colleagues experiencing difficult symptoms.
What menopause is (and why it matters at work)
Menopause is the point when someone stops having periods, and the time leading up to it—perimenopause—is often when symptoms start and can fluctuate. In a workplace context, that “fluctuating” piece matters because people can feel fine one week and completely different the next, which can make performance conversations unfair if managers don’t understand what’s happening.
It’s also important to remember that menopause is not only a “women’s issue”. Some trans men, non-binary people and intersex people experience menopause too, and many people won’t feel safe disclosing their situation unless the culture is genuinely respectful. When we talk about menopause in the workplace, we’re talking about inclusive practice, psychological safety, and keeping talented people well supported, without making assumptions about anyone’s identity or health.
Menopause in the workplace: where organisations get stuck
Most workplaces don’t struggle because they don’t care; they struggle because they’re unsure what’s appropriate to ask, what adjustments are reasonable, and how to handle it consistently. Menopause symptoms can vary from person to person, can be long-lasting, and that stigma can be a barrier to disclosure and support. That stigma can show up in small ways: jokes, minimising language, or performance management that doesn’t account for health impacts.
Another common issue is treating menopause support as a one-off awareness campaign rather than something embedded into everyday management. Steps such as developing a menopause policy (or building it into existing policies), carrying out health and safety risk assessments so the work environment doesn’t worsen symptoms, and training line managers to handle conversations fairly and sensitively help to create an environment that always works for everyone involved. In our work, the difference is usually made by line managers who have the confidence to open a respectful conversation early, before someone reaches breaking point or feels pushed out.
Menopause support in the workplace: practical steps that help
Effective menopause support in the workplace is a mix of culture, process, and small adjustments that reduce friction. Acas recommends making menopause part of policy, using risk assessments to identify workplace triggers, and giving managers training so support is consistent and fair rather than dependent on whether someone has a “good” manager. Those are strong foundations because they turn good intentions into repeatable practice.
Here are approaches we regularly see working well when organisations commit to them:
- Put a clear menopause policy in place (or update existing wellbeing policies) so people know what support exists and how to ask for it.
- Offer practical education for teams to reduce myths and reduce stigma, which makes disclosure safer and day-to-day interactions kinder.
- Train managers to talk about menopause at work with confidence and respect, including how to agree adjustments and review them over time as symptoms change.
- Review the working environment through a health and safety lens: temperature, ventilation, access to water, uniforms, break flexibility, and private space can all affect symptom management.
This is exactly the kind of “real world” focus we build into our training: we cover the facts, common myths, symptoms, HRT and how it works, the impact of menopause, talking about menopause at work, and supporting staff members, with space for Q&A so people can get clarity on what’s appropriate in their setting.
How we help organisations build confidence
We deliver menopause training as an informative 90-minute session focused on a single topic, designed for busy teams that still want content with depth and clear takeaways. This format sits within our broader offer of expert-led EDI and workplace training, where we support organisations to build inclusive practice that actually holds up in day-to-day decision-making.
If you’re responsible for people, culture, wellbeing, EDI, or learning and development, menopause in the workplace is worth addressing proactively, before it becomes a retention or performance issue. If you’d like, tell us what sort of organisation you’re writing this policy or training plan for (for example, NHS, education, local authority, or private sector) and whether you want a short awareness session, manager-focused tools, or a wider programme.
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