As we reflect on the impact of our Women’s Workplace Wellness programme, it’s clear that the conversation around female health has reached a pivotal turning point.

At long last we are witnessing a structural shift in how the UK handles female health at work, with the Office for Equality and Opportunity now urging large employers to implement optional Menopause Action Plans.

By Spring 2027, these plans will be mandatory for employers with 250 or more staff, sitting alongside gender pay gap reporting as a cornerstone of workplace equality.

This new frameworks will incorporate everything from manager training and workplace risk checks to policy reviews.
(ref: Action plans: list of actions – GOV.UK)

 

The Case for a Menopause Action Plan

Menopause is a life stage that the majority of women will experience, often lasting several years during mid‑career. For many, symptoms can have a deep impact on wellbeing, confidence and performance at work, leading to women exiting the workforce completely. There is a clear gap between what women say they need from their workplaces and the available support.

  • Around two‑thirds of working women aged 40–60 report that menopause symptoms have negatively affected their work.
  • Three‑quarters of women say they have hidden the real reason for menopause‑related absence, most often because they do not feel comfortable telling this to their manager.
  • Just 8% of people asked are aware of any manager training that covers women’s health.

Evidence shows that women want managers who better understand menopause and workplaces that put supportive policies in place. Too often, stigma around menopause and ageing prevents women from speaking openly about their symptoms. Regretfully, this leaves them to cope in silence and without support.

Leading the Way

The Women’s Organisation has played a leading role in advocating for improved workplace and menopause support for women’s health. Its Women’s Workplace Wellness programme (2022–2025), funded by the Department of Health and Social Care VCSE Health and Wellbeing Fund, addressed health gaps, strengthened employer capability, and championed cultural change across the SME sector in England.

Developed in response to the UK Government’s Women’s Health Strategy (2022), the programme provided a full platform of resources, guidance and training tools.

It engaged more than 5,700 SMEs, trained over 1,500 individuals, and set up a national network of 225 certified Women’s Workplace Wellness Advocates.

The programme’s content and delivery were co‑created with partners from legal, clinical, business and academic backgrounds. This joint approach drove lasting impact by increasing employer awareness, improving and embedding workplace policies on women’s health.

Two woman leaning over a document in the workplace

The Power of Peer Advocacy

Central to the programme’s success was the Advocacy Development Programme, which trained individuals to become Women’s Workplace Wellness Advocates. These advocates proved to be key in many organisations, opening up conversations about menopause where none previously existed. Their presence helped to reduce shame and embarrassment around perimenopause and menopause, and drove organisational change. In particular, we saw clear proof of menopause support policies being developed or strengthened.

Menopause Action Plans to be Mandatory in Spring 2027

Businesses have one year to identify and support staff to lead these new plans.

Our experience shows that meaningful progress is most effective when change is driven from the bottom up: listening to women’s lived experiences, involving them in the design and delivery of policies, and creating a culture where peer advocacy is valued and supported.

The menopause action plans currently apply only to employers with 250+ staff, however smaller businesses who adopt optional menopause action plans can reap the benefits. SMEs should consider a menopause plan to boost staff retention and build a better workplace culture. All employers and employees will benefit from these meaningful workplace changes, and these new habits will stick for the long term.

Access our Resources

The Women’s Workplace Wellness programme has ended, however our full library of resources remains available on the project platform.

Highlights include our Menopause Toolkit, developed with Moorcrofts Solicitors, and our podcast series featuring leading health experts. Both have been designed to help organisations build effective, lasting menopause support.

Create a platform account here.