Menopause and perimenopause are not simply health issues – they are workplace equality issues. How organisations respond to menopause can influence employee wellbeing, inclusion, retention and whether people feel able to participate and progress at work. With millions of people experiencing menopause and perimenopause while working, organisations have a responsibility to create environments where employees feel supported, respected and able to thrive.
For too long, menopause has, and often continues to be, surrounded by stigma, misunderstanding and silence. Many employees have felt unable to talk openly about their experiences, request support or access workplace adjustments because of concerns about judgement, career impact or being treated differently.
While new legislative requirements coming into force in 2027, including Menopause Action Plans, will encourage organisations to take a more structured approach to care and support, meaningful change requires more than compliance. A Menopause Action Plan should not simply be a document created to meet a reporting requirement – it is an essential tool for understanding workplace experiences, addressing inequalities and creating cultures where employees feel safe, valued and supported.
The introduction of Menopause Actions Plans, which will become compulsory for employers with 250 or more employees from Spring 2027, represents an important opportunity for organisations to move beyond policies and towards meaningful, evidence-based action.
At ICENA, we believe effective menopause and perimenopause support sits at the intersection of equality, wellbeing and workplace culture. It requires organisations to listen to employees, understand barriers and embed support into everyday practice.
What Is Changing in UK Menopause Legislation?
The UK Government has introduced changes designed to encourage employers to take a more proactive approach to menopause support in the workplace. These developments are formally embedded within wider employment reforms focused on improving workplace equality, transparency and accountability in the Employment Rights Acts 2025.
A key change is the introduction of Menopause Action Plans with mandatory submissions via the government reporting portal coming into force for organisations of 250+ employees in Spring 2027 and voluntary already widely encouraged. These Action Plans work to demonstrate the practical steps organisations are taking to support employees experiencing menopause and address workplace inequalities.
However, the purpose of an Action Plan should extend beyond reporting. The most effective organisations will use this opportunity to understand the experiences of their workforce, identify barriers and create sustainable changes that improve workplace culture.
Are Menopause Action Plans Mandatory?
The introduction of Menopause Action Plans represents a significant shift in how organisations are expected to approach menopause support.
During the initial reporting year of April 2026-27, organisations have the opportunity to voluntarily publish Menopause Action Plans. Many organisations we work with at ICENA are harnessing this opportunity to develop their approach, gather evidence and understand what meaningful action looks like within their workplace. This is essential as from Spring 2027, organisations of 250 or more employees will be required to publish Menopause Action Plans uploading them to the Gender Pay Gap Reporting Service. This requirement is part of wider gender reporting legislation and public transparency.
However, a published plan alone does not create change. The strongest Action Plans will be informed by employee experiences and supported by leadership commitment, manager capability and meaningful evaluation. A Menopause Action Plan should be viewed as a starting point – a commitment to ongoing action, accountability and improvement.
Who Must Produce a Menopause Action Plan?
The requirement applies primarily to larger employers with 250+ employees, aligning with existing gender pay gap reporting thresholds.
However, menopause inclusion is relevant to organisations of all sizes. Smaller employers may not have the same reporting obligations, but they still have responsibilities to prevent discrimination, support employee wellbeing and create inclusive working environments – and are therefore encouraged to participate.
A proactive approach benefits organisations of all sizes. Effective menopause support can improve employee experience, support retention, reduce barriers to progression and contribute to healthier workplace cultures.
What Must a Menopause Action Plan Include?
A meaningful Menopause Action Plan should go beyond general statements of support. It should demonstrate that an organisation understands the experiences of its employees and has identified practical actions to improve workplace support.
An effective action plan should include:
- At least one evidence-based action to support employees experiencing menopause.
- Clear commitments and practical steps organisations will take to support employees.
- Consideration of practical workplace adjustments and support mechanisms.
- A narrative explaining why actions have been selected.
- Plans for monitoring, tracking and reviewing progress.
The most effective plans are informed by evidence, including workforce data, employee feedback, consultation with staff networks and insight from people with lived experience.
Without this foundation, organisations risk creating policies and initiatives that look positive on paper but do not address the real barriers employees face or their experiences.
Examples of Workplace Adjustments
Menopause and perimenopause affect everyone differently, and support should always be based on individual needs. Adjustments do not need to be complicated, often, small practical changes can have a significant impact.
Examples may include:
- Providing access to temperature control, fans or cooler working environments.
- Reviewing uniform requirements where clothing contributes to discomfort.
- Offering flexible working arrangements where appropriate.
- Providing access to additional rest breaks or quiet spaces.
- Recording and managing menopause-related absences fairly.
- Supporting employees to access occupational health or specialist services.
- Ensuring managers have the confidence to have supportive conversations.
Reasonable adjustments should be discussed collaboratively with employees. A person-centred approach recognises that menopause and perimenopause experiences vary significantly, are informed by our intersectional identities and that support needs may change over time.
Menopause Rights at Work: Legal Protections
Menopause itself is not currently a standalone protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. However, employees experiencing menopause may be protected under existing legal frameworks, such as the protected characteristics of sex, gender reassignment, age and disability.
However, menopause and perimenopause does not happen in isolation from the rest of a person’s life. Experiences of menopause are shaped by intersecting factors including age, race, disability, socioeconomic circumstances, culture, gender identity, sexuality and workplace environment.
An intersectional approach recognises that these factors do not operate separately. Instead, they interact to influence how people experience menopause, whether they feel able to access support, how their symptoms are understood and how they are treated within workplace and healthcare systems. Understanding these differences is essential for employers who want to create workplaces that are genuinely inclusive.
Sex Discrimination
Menopause can be connected to sex discrimination where workplace practices, attitudes or decisions disadvantage employees or they are treated unfairly because of menopause or perimenopause-related experiences.
For example, dismissing symptoms as a “women’s issue”, failing to provide appropriate support, or making assumptions about an employee’s capability because they are experiencing menopause may contribute to discriminatory treatment.
Age Discrimination
Menopause is often associated with midlife, meaning age discrimination may also be relevant. Assumptions about ageing, capability or career progression can create additional barriers for employees experiencing menopause.
However, the research also now shows that perimenopause, the transitional period leading up to menopause, can start when some is in their 40s or late 30s. This can be particularly significant where menopause intersects with other experiences, such as caring responsibilities, health conditions or workplace inequality.
Disability Discrimination
For some people, menopause symptoms may have a substantial and long-term impact on day-to-day activities. In these circumstances, disability discrimination protections may apply.
Employers should take care not to assume that menopause symptoms are temporary or minor. The impact of symptoms can vary significantly, and some employees may require workplace adjustments to remain well and effective at work.
Fair Absence Management and Performance Processes
A lack of understanding about menopause can create risks within absence management and performance processes. Employees may be unfairly managed if menopause-related symptoms are treated solely as capability issues, attendance concerns or a lack of commitment.
A fair approach requires organisations to consider the wider context, including whether workplace practices are creating barriers and whether appropriate support has been explored.
This is particularly important when considering intersectionality.
Moving Towards Inclusive Menopause Support
Legal compliance is an important foundation, but it is not the end goal. Organisations that want to create meaningful change must consider whose experiences are being reflected in their policies, training and support structures.
An intersectional approach means asking:
- Who may face additional barriers in accessing menopause support?
- Whose experiences are missing from workplace conversations?
- Are policies designed with different experiences and needs in mind?
- Do managers have the confidence to support a diverse workforce?
Creating menopause-inclusive workplaces requires organisations to understand that there is no single menopause experience. Support must be informed by evidence, lived experience and a commitment to addressing inequality.
Menopause at Work: Culture vs Compliance
A menopause-inclusive workplace must move beyond “tick-box” policies. Policies provide an important foundation, but workplace culture determines whether employees feel safe enough to access support. An employee may technically have access to adjustments, but if the workplace environment is one where menopause is viewed negatively or managers lack confidence, those supports may remain inaccessible.
Creating meaningful change requires:
- Leadership accountability.
- Confident and informed managers.
- Awareness and education programmes, especially manager training.
- Clear policies and procedures.
- Employee engagement, consultation and buy-in.
- Integration and embedded into wider equality, diversity and inclusion strategies as well as wellbeing.
Managers do not need to be menopause experts. They do need the skills and confidence to listen, respond appropriately and support colleagues without judgement.
Why a Menopause Action Plan Should Be More Than a Policy
A policy explains what an organisation intends to do. An action plan demonstrates how it will create change.
Many organisations already have wellbeing policies or equality commitments, but these do not automatically translate into inclusive workplace cultures.
A meaningful Menopause Action Plan should consider:
- What employees are experiencing.
- Where workplace barriers exist.
- Whether policies are accessible and effective.
- How confident managers feel supporting colleagues.
- How organisational culture influences disclosure and support.
This requires organisations to move beyond a compliance mindset and consider menopause as part of a wider commitment to equity, inclusion and employee experience.
An effective approach is collaborative. Employees should have opportunities to share their experiences, leaders should understand their responsibilities, and managers should be equipped to support conversations confidently.
Interaction with Gender Pay Gap Reporting
Menopause Action Planning connects closely with wider gender equality work, especially Gender Pay Gap Data. Alongside the changes to legislation around menopause, is a requirement to reduce the Gender Pay Gap and submit Gender Pay Gap Action Plans alongside Gender Pay Gap reporting.
Organisations cannot effectively address menopause without considering wider workplace gender inequality and the factors that influence employee retention, progression and participation. For some employees, menopause symptoms combined with workplace barriers can affect career progression, attendance and decisions about remaining in employment.
Evidence-based menopause actions can therefore contribute to broader efforts to reduce gender inequalities and create fairer workplaces.
How to Create a Menopause Policy and Action Plan at Work
Developing an effective menopause approach requires evidence, collaboration and commitment.
Organisations should consider:
1. Analyse workforce data
Creating an effective Menopause Action Plan starts with understanding the experiences of your workforce. Organisations should review existing policies, processes and workforce data to identify barriers, gaps and opportunities for improvement.
Employee feedback is a crucial part of this process. Surveys or climate audits can provide valuable insight into how menopause is experienced within the workplace, whether employees feel supported, and where further action is needed. The findings of these can give the organisation a roadmap.
By listening to employees and using evidence to inform decisions, organisations can create action plans that respond to real experiences rather than assumptions.
2. Engage employee networks and unions
Meaningful Menopause Action Plans should be developed with, not just for, employees. Working with employee networks, staff groups, unions and representatives through focus groups helps ensure that actions reflect a range of lived experiences and that different barriers to support are considered. By involving employees in the process, organisations can build trust, improve engagement and create solutions that are relevant, inclusive and effective.
And the key is sharing the results transparently and acting visibly. For staff, this can be a turning point – a clear signal that leadership is ready to listen and learn.
3. Gain senior leadership commitment
Visible leadership support demonstrates that menopause inclusion is an organisational priority. Senior leaders need to drive the agenda, allocate appropriate resources and ensure there is clear ownership for delivering meaningful change.
Leaders should model inclusive and respectful behaviours consistently, create accountability through clear expectations and performance measures, and ensure employees have opportunities to provide feedback on workplace experiences.
Meaningful commitment requires more than approving a policy – it requires leaders to actively champion menopause inclusion and create a culture where people feel safe to ask for support.
4. Train managers
Building manager confidence and capability is essential to creating a workplace where employees feel able to talk about menopause, have supportive conversations, understand available adjustments and access appropriate support. Training should be regular, interactive and grounded in the realities of the organisation, helping managers understand menopause, challenge stigma and respond appropriately to conversations about support needs.
Managers should understand their role in listening, maintaining confidentiality, signposting available support and exploring reasonable adjustments. Effective training ensures menopause support is not dependent on individual confidence or awareness but is embedded into consistent and inclusive workplace practice.
5. Publish Action Plan on government portal
Submit and publish the Action Plan on the government gender pay gap portal.
6. Monitor and review progress
Track outcomes, gather feedback and update actions regularly.
Meaningful menopause inclusion is an ongoing commitment – it does not end when a policy is launched or an Action Plan is published. Organisations should regularly track outcomes, review progress, gather employee feedback, use evidence to understand what is working and where further improvements are needed, and update actions.
Creating mechanisms for ongoing learning, such as staff feedback opportunities, working groups or regular reviews of workplace data, helps ensure menopause support remains responsive to employee experiences. By embedding review and accountability into everyday practice, organisations can ensure menopause inclusion becomes part of workplace culture rather than a one-off initiative.
Five-Step Menopause Action Plan Framework
1. Understand organisational issues
Gather insight into workplace culture, employee experiences, workforce data and existing policies to identify barriers, strengths and opportunities for improvement.
2. Co-produce and select evidence-based actions
Work with employees, networks and representatives to identify practical actions that respond to real experiences and organisational needs.
3. Implement, communicate and submit via reporting service
Secure leadership ownership, communicate available support ensuring employees understand it and how to access it, and ensure managers have the confidence and capability to implement meaningful change.
4. Track outcomes
Monitor progress, gather feedback and evaluate whether actions are improving workplace experiences and addressing identified barriers.
5. Review annually
Regularly review your approach, update actions and adapt support as workforce needs, evidence and legislation continue to develop.
Menopause Legislation Timeline: 2025–2027
December 2025 – Royal Assent
In December 2025, the Employment Rights Act received Royal Assent. This reform strengthened expectations around workplace equality and menopause support, encouraging organisations to take a more structured approach. The Menopause Action Plan requirement was therefore written into law with the 250+ employee threshold.
April 2026 – Voluntary Reporting Opens
Employers with 250+ employees may begin publishing Menopause Action Plans voluntarily, providing an opportunity to test approaches, gather evidence and refine plans. Plans can be uploaded to the Gender Pay Gap reporting service with the government process guidance.
2026–2027 Reporting Year – Preparation Phase
Organisations can use this period to:
- Analyse workforce data.
- Engage leadership, HR and employees networks.
- Develop evidence-based actions, selecting at least one for the Menopause Action Plan.
- Train managers.
- Introduce workplace adjustments.
- Monitor impact and tack outcomes to gather supporting narrative.
Spring 2027 – Mandatory Requirement Begins
It will be legally mandatory for larger employers to publish Menopause Action Plans via the reporting portal, increasing transparency and accountability around workplace support.
30 March 2027 – Public Authority Deadline
Most public authority employers must submit their action plans.
4 April 2027 – Private & Voluntary Sector Deadline
Private, voluntary and other public authority employers must submit their action plans
Preparing for the Future
The introduction of Menopause Action Planning represents a significant opportunity for organisations to rethink how they support employees throughout their working lives.
The organisations that create the greatest impact will be those that view Menopause Action Planning not as a compliance exercise, but as an opportunity to transform workplace culture.
Sustainable change comes from listening to employees, challenging organisational barriers and embedding menopause support into everyday practice.
At ICENA, we believe meaningful menopause inclusion requires more than awareness. It requires evidence, lived experience and practical action. By combining these approaches, organisations can create workplaces where people experiencing menopause feel supported, valued and able to thrive.
