At Agility EOR, we are more than payroll processors; we are strategic partners focused on helping businesses create workplaces where employees thrive at every career stage, because we know employee wellbeing drives performance and success. That’s why we address key workplace issues like menopause, promoting awareness, open dialogue, and supportive cultures that value team members. We know that organisations that lead with empathy retain talent and build resilience.
As leaders in workforce solutions, we enjoy working with like-minded experts who also want to drive change. One such expert is Bev Collins, an Accredited Menopause and Hormone Health Training Partner with Hormones on the Blink, as well as an HR Consultant and Founder of Frank HR Solutions. Bev specialises in menopause and hormone health, provides audits, policy development, manager training, and awareness programmes across the UK.
In this guest blog, Bev shares her insights on menopause in the workplace, a critical conversation that underpins the message we champion as we continue to raise awareness and inspire action.
Why Change Is Needed Now
I’ve had so many conversations with women, especially since becoming an Accredited Menopause and Hormone Health Training Partner, and what continues to strike me is the number who simply accepted that they could no longer function in the way they used to. Many felt their only option was to walk away from jobs they’d worked so hard for. That shouldn’t be the norm, and finally, it’s starting to change.
It’s encouraging that the Government is taking menopause and hormone health seriously. As part of the Employment Rights Bill, from April 2026 it will be voluntary for employers to have menopause action plans in place, and by 2027, it will become mandatory for organisations with more than 250 employees. For the first time, menopause and menstruation are being acknowledged at a legislative level as core issues of gender equality and workplace wellbeing.
What About Smaller Businesses?
The thousands of businesses with fewer than 250 employees won’t be obliged to have measures in place, but in terms of recruitment and retention, it makes perfect sense for companies to create menopause action plans. By doing so, it sends a strong message that they understand life’s changes and want to build an inclusive culture.
Those who want to lead the charge will have action plans in place sooner rather than later, showing their employees that they care, value their people, and want to create workplaces where everyone can be the best they can. These businesses will take the view that they want to make a difference from a social responsibility perspective.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Some people sail through menopause with minimal symptoms, while others can have a tough, exhausting, and often isolating journey. The sector an individual works in can also be a challenge. For example, it may be easier to implement reasonable adjustments for someone in an office than for a bus driver or production line worker. That’s why “off the shelf” action plans won’t work — one size absolutely does not fit all.
Human Impact
The statistics are compelling:
- One in 10 women leave their job due to menopause symptoms (Fawcett Society, 2022)
- 99% say symptoms negatively affect their career (Newson Health Survey, 2021)
- 60% of women said that the decline in memory was the hardest symptom for them at work, leading to reduced confidence in their own ability (Seattle Midlife Women’s Health study)
- Suicide rates for women aged 45 to 54 fall in line with the most common age for perimenopause and menopause, and have risen 6% in 20 years (ONS)
Perimenopause vs. Menopause
Perimenopause is the build-up that can last four to 12 years before menopause, when people will start to notice changes. Symptoms commonly start to appear in the early 40s, but for many, it can be mid to late 30s.
Menopause is defined as one year without a period, with the average age of menopause in the UK being 51. For Black women, it’s 49 years, dropping to 46 years for Indian women, and around one in 100 experience the menopause before the age of 40.
Earlier Onset and Sudden Triggers
- Perimenopause often starts in the 40s, but for some, it begins in their 30s
- Menopause can come on suddenly due to cancer treatment like chemotherapy or ovary removal
- It’s more than just hot flushes — it can affect every part of a person, including mind, emotions, relationships, and the ability to work
Symptoms Are More Than Just Physical
Physical symptoms can include hot and cold flushes, aching joints, tinnitus, overwhelming tiredness, weight gain, difficulty sleeping, needing to pee more often, hair loss, UTIs, and increased noise sensitivities.
Mental and emotional symptoms can be just as intense: anxiety, brain fog, mood changes, intense rage, loss of confidence, panic attacks, low libido, paranoia, and crying. It’s no wonder many feel completely alone and isolated during this time.
The Ripple Effect on Relationships
Everyone is affected during this period of change including friends, family members, and work colleagues. While partners wish to be supportive, many haven’t been educated on menopause and simply don’t know how to help.
Symptoms such as brain fog, “the rage,” loss of confidence, and lack of libido can all have a detrimental impact on loving relationships. Research has seen 63% of men saying their partner’s symptoms had personally affected them (MATE survey, 2019), 31% went on to say they had made an effort to be more patient, and 11% admitted to trying to stay out of the way.
Creating Supportive Workplaces
Normalising conversations, introducing training, and creating workplace menopause champions can have a huge positive impact on how people see menopause. And for those in their twenties, knowing what to expect, and understanding the changes in their own and others’ bodies, will create greater readiness and empathy.
A few meaningful steps every employer can take:
- Create a Menopause Policy (that actually helps) — avoid tick-box templates; include clear language, examples of reasonable adjustments, and links to support services
- Train line managers to have confident conversations — one uncomfortable chat shouldn’t be the reason someone resigns
- Introduce a Menopause Action Plan — outline support, delivery, and how success will be measured
- Audit your culture and environment — from absence policy flexibility to uniform materials and workspace adaptations
- Include everyone in the conversation — menopause affects a wider group than many assume
The Bottom Line
Audit your culture. Start the conversation. Build a plan. Equip your managers. And above all, listen. When we support people through menopause, we’re not just supporting women, we’re safeguarding experience, knowledge, and careers.
