5 ways employers can get ahead with menopause action plans

Menopause in the workplace is finally being recognised as the serious issue it is.

With the Employment’s Rights Bill becoming law on 18 December 2025, several legislative changes that were focused on promoting gender equity and women’s health in the workplace are set to be introduced in the coming months.

Specifically, the Bill will require that organisations with 250 employees or more will need to publish annual gender equality action plans by 2027. These will need to outline measures designed to address the gender pay gap, and support employees through the menopause and menstruation.

The government has stated that these action plans will be voluntary from April 2026, with mandatory compliance applying as of 2027.

These are much needed changes. Women make a up a huge part of the population, with an estimated 13 million people that are currently peri or menopausal in the UK.

Data from the Faculty of Occupational Medicine shows that close to eight in 10 menopausal people are in work. And they’re predisposed to a variety of symptoms, from cognitive issues such as brain fog to physical discomforts and psychological effects such as anxiety – all of which can create real and often overlooked barriers at work.

The employment impact

To date, not enough has been done to support this substantial portion of the working population.

A survey from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) previously found that less than a quarter (24%) of female employees aged 40 to 60 reported that their employer had a menopause policy or other support measures, while 43% stated that it did not, and the remainder did not know.

That distinct lack of support has had serious impacts. The survey revealed that around one in six (17%) of these workers had considered leaving their job due to a lack of support with their menopause symptoms, while 6% had done so.

Fawcett Society data backs this up, showing that one in 10 women who worked during the menopause left a job due to their symptoms. Bupa, meanwhile, has found that almost a million women have left their employment because of menopausal symptoms.

Cost to businesses

The consequences of inaction are clear. Therefore, while employers subject to the legislation will have until 2027 to comply, there’s an important message to be taken from the figures: don’t wait.

Providing better support for menopause in the workplace should be seen as an opportunity to create healthier, happier, more inclusive teams and support long-term organisational performance. Not only is adopting action plans ahead of the curve the right thing to do, but it’s also be good for businesses themselves.

Proactively showing employees that you care will help when it comes to attracting and retaining talent. For women, health and career journeys have many challenging intersections spanning from pregnancy to menopause. Recognising and formally supporting these issues in the workplace can help talent to thrive.

A lack of action, meanwhile, can have the opposite effect. Government figures show that menopause-related departures cost UK businesses around £1.5 billion a year, while Oxford Economics data shows that replacing a woman earning £25,000 a year due to menopause can cost her employer over £30,500.

5 steps to developing a relevant menopause action plan

The moral and business cases are clear. But what does an effective menopause action plan actually look like in practice, and how can employers get ahead?

Formalising training for managers so that they can better support team members going through menopause will likely be central to an effective action plan. Equally, considering policies such as flexible working arrangements and environmental changes such as establishing temperature-controlled areas in the office are all potential areas for consideration.

With that said, every employee base will be different, and the key is to listen to and consider specific needs when formulating effective policies and initiatives.

Therefore, for any employer - and particularly those that will be required to meet the new legislation – it’s worth following these five steps:

Discovery: It’s important to begin by reviewing all existing menopause initiatives, evaluating their appropriateness and effectiveness, as well as adoption and usage rates. Without a clear understanding of the current policies, it is difficult to know where improvements can be made, or how progress can be tracked. If information is lacking, employers should consider anonymous feedback forms or other data-gathering exercises to build a better picture.
Design: Any successful action plan will need input from the people it’s designed to support. Development should be collaborative and inclusive, shaped by people within the business. Listening to personal experiences can help enrich discovery data, providing strong foundations and employee buy-in from which menopause policies can be developed.
Implementation: Any policies must be implemented in a visible, practical way. Resources should be promoted so that they are widely acknowledged, understood and accessible, while supporting programmes such as peer forums, advocates or confidential health champions can also help to prevent menopause becoming from a siloed issue. The goal with implementation is to ensure initiatives remain an ongoing priority of the business that is normalised in the day-to-day.
Communication: Communication is also key to success. Eight in 10 women say their employer hasn’t shared information, trained staff, or put in place a menopause absence policy. If policies aren’t actively promoted, then awareness may lag and initiatives may not be embraced. This should happen at the highest levels. If senior leadership are seen talking about why menopause support matters, or turn up to awareness sessions, then it can reinforce the legitimacy and importance of addressing issues.
Monitoring: Finally, meaningful change cannot be static. Action plans cannot be one off considerations. They need to be constantly monitored and reviewed to assess the uptake, effectiveness and relevancy of supportive measures. Periodic engagement and feedback surveys can help in maintaining momentum, demonstrating that the organisation is committed to continuous improvement.

It’s important to remember that it’s not necessarily all about the policy, rather the people looking for it to support and those driving it. It’s about looking at what’s different after implementation. For example, do line managers know how to have more compassionate conversations? Are they aware of the support and adaptations that can be made to support them?

Don’t wait

While adoption of the Bill isn’t mandatory for another two years, developing menopause action plans should still be treated as a priority. The legislation has been implemented for a reason: inaction is already costing organisations dearly, with unsupported workers considering and actively leaving their jobs.

It might feel difficult kickstarting this process but change needs to start somewhere. What matters is demonstrating that you mean it – that this is an organisation that is taking menopause seriously and incorporating changes that will make a genuine difference.

Showing employees that you care and making the right efforts to support them will enable you to keep hold of your best talents, cultivate happier, supported and inspired teams, and reap the rewards of doing so.