Menopause at Work | Balancing Legal Duties and Employee Wellbeing

As an employer, understanding and supporting employees through different life stages is essential for wellbeing, productivity and engagement - and with World Menopause Day 2025 approaching, now is the perfect time to consider how your organisation can support colleagues experiencing menopause or perimenopause, not only to comply with employment law but to support your culture of care and inclusion.

Research suggests that 17% of women have considered leaving work due to menopause symptoms, and 6% have already taken that step. These figures highlight why menopause support is not just a wellbeing issue - it’s a workplace priority.

This year’s theme, “Lifestyle Medicine” highlights how simple lifestyle habits including nutrition, physical activity, sleep and stress management can help manage menopausal symptoms and support long term health. It reminds employers that supportive, thoughtful workplace policies are essential for maintaining a positive and productive workforce.

Understanding Menopause at Work

While menopause is a natural stage of life, its symptoms, including fatigue, brain fog, hot flushes and mood swings can impact focus, confidence and work performance. In unsupportive environments, employees may suffer in silence or even leave their role.

Creating an open and understanding environment benefits individuals and is vital for business continuity and equality.

Employment Law Implication

While menopause itself isn’t a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, its impact can fall within other areas of legal protection:

• Sex discrimination – unfair treatment linked to menopause symptoms
• Age discrimination – as menopause typically occurs in midlife
• Disability discrimination – if symptoms are long-term and significantly affect daily activities.

Employers also have obligations under health and safety law and must handle health information confidentially under data protection rules. Recent Tribunal cases show that failing to support menopausal employees can amount to discrimination.

Reasonable Adjustments

• Even small adjustments can make a meaningful difference:
• Flexible hours to accommodate sleep disruption or fatigue
• Hybrid working options where possible
• Access to fans, cool water, or well-ventilated spaces
• Relaxed dress codes
• Quiet spaces for rest and recovery.

These measures are simple, cost-effective and improve morale and productivity for all employees.

Supporting Healthy Lifestyles at Work

• Lifestyle Medicine encourages looking after overall wellbeing and employers can help by implementing measures such as:
• Encouraging movement and exercise - walking meetings, wellbeing challenges, or flexible lunch breaks
• Supporting nutritional wellbeing - offering healthy food options in canteens or vending areas
• Promoting mental health and stress management - mindfulness sessions, Employee Assistance Programmes and realistic workload planning
• Reinforcing sleep and rest -discouraging an “always-on” culture and promoting healthy work-life balance.

These initiatives not only help employees experiencing menopause but also foster a healthier, more productive workforce overall.

Education, Awareness, and Culture

Promoting awareness helps create a more open culture, reducing stigma and encouraging early conversations. When managers and employees understand menopause and its impact, they are better equipped to offer the right support.

Employers can take practical steps such as:

• Training for managers and HR teams on menopause awareness and reasonable adjustments
• Information sessions for all staff to encourage understanding and empathy across the workforce
• Clear policies outlining available resources, adjustments, and support options
• Occupational health services can also provide confidential guidance and help identify appropriate workplace adjustments. It’s vital that any personal or medical information is handled with care and in line with GDPR.

An open, respectful culture makes the biggest difference. Employers can reinforce this by introducing menopause champions, peer support networks, or embedding menopause awareness into broader wellbeing initiatives. Visible leadership support shows that the organisation genuinely values inclusion and cares about the wellbeing of its staff.

Why It Matters

Supporting employees through menopause is about compassion, culture and compliance. By embedding lifestyle-based wellbeing initiatives, offering reasonable adjustments and fostering open dialogue, employers can:

• Reduce legal and reputational risk
• Retain skilled and experienced talent
• Demonstrate commitment to equality and wellbeing.

World Menopause Day 2025 is an opportunity for every organisation to raise awareness, take proactive action and ensure employees feel supported at every stage of their working lives. If you need guidance on any of the above matters, our Employment Law Team can be reached on 0800 542 4245 or info@sillslegal.co.uk