Managing The Menopause

We help progressive organisations support their employees to thrive through menopause so that they can perform at their best, increasing engagement, improving retention and reducing turnover. 

Managing the Menopause helps you provide the best possible support for your employees as they navigate the choppy waters of perimenopause so that they don’t burn out, drop out of the workforce, or spend years struggling to get the right support for disruptive symptoms.

Research shows that 1 in 10 women are leaving roles due to lack of support as they navigate menopause. That can be a huge financial drain on organizations (with the average cost of replacing an employee of £30,000, more for those in senior roles) not to mention the knowledge that walks out the door with experienced employees, or the reputational risk of tribunal cases relating to discrimination (menopause-related claims in UK employment tribunals have significantly increased, tripling between 2022 and 2024, from 64 to 204 cases, and rising 44% since 2020).

The business case for investing in training (for managers) and education and support (for individuals) around menopause is clear:

• Improves retention, engagement, wellbeing, and productivity
• Addresses the ‘leaky pipeline’ of senior female leaders, the gender pay gap and the gender pension gap
• Reduces reputational and legal risk
• Reduces absenteeism and presenteeism
• Impact on employer branding and employee experience: employees have high expectations around wellbeing and will move roles for improved support
• Delivers on your social responsibility commitments

Changes in UK legislation mean that Menopause Action Plans will become mandatory for organizations with more than 250 employees – don’t wait until the deadline approaches, make a start now and reap the benefits of a healthier, happier workforce!

CIPD research shows that individuals who feel unsupported by their employer, manager and colleagues are significantly more likely to report an increased amount of pressure and stress – some simple changes and training for your people managers can ensure your colleagues feel supported and confident talking about their experiences.

We work with you to tailor the right programme of activity wherever you are on your path to becoming a menopause-inclusive employer, and can adapt our sessions to your audience, as well as advising on Action Plans, policies or carrying out focus group research.

Our engaging awareness sessions help individuals ‘join the dots’ and recognise potential symptoms impacting work or home life (whether in themselves, their partners or their team members). Additional resources then support their self-advocacy with healthcare professionals or their line manager – taking them from “aha moments” to being able to obtain the right treatment for symptoms or adjustments in the workplace so that they can get back to feeling themselves again.

In Q&A sessions with our resident menopause Doctor and clinical lead, your colleagues can get detailed insight on their specific concerns as well as broad understanding of how peri/menopause impacts health and wellbeing.

Additional coaching support (with an EMCC-accredited executive coach), whether 1-1 or in group coaching, can move individuals who are burned out and struggling to keep up, to thriving and performing at the best of their ability.

Currently only 2 in 3 individuals feel comfortable discussing menopause symptoms with a line manager.  Our line manager training (live or pre-recorded to host on your LMS) gives them the confidence to handle courageous conversations and develops company cultures where conversations around menopause are normalised and colleagues feel empowered.

We have worked with organisations of all sizes including local government, large corporate clients, non-profit organisations and SMEs and always adapt our approach to fit your specific needs and budgets.

Emma is also the host of the Middling Along podcast, voted one of the top podcasts for midlife and menopause, with over 100 episodes of expert interviews and insights.

If you are an HR professional or responsible for your organization’s wellbeing or inclusion strategy, please get in touch with us using the contact form below. We can’t wait to hear about your journey to becoming a menopause inclusive employer and to look at how we can best support you and your colleagues.