The theme for Menopause Awareness Month in 2025 is Lifestyle Medicine, giving us the opportunity to look at how nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management can improve wellbeing during menopause. For HR professionals and business leaders, this is the time to examine how workplace policies and benefits can better support employees during peri menopause, menopause, and post menopause.
Understanding the impact – menopause in the workplace
Although it’s hard to get accurate numbers, an estimated 13 million people in the UK are currently perimenopausal, menopausal, or post-menopausal. With women representing nearly half of the UK workforce and the average age of menopause being 51, it’s easy to see that a significant proportion of your employees are likely experiencing menopause-related symptoms right now.
Industry demographics matter. In sectors where women make up the majority of the workforce (like healthcare, education, and retail), or teams which are women-led, the percentage of employees affected is even higher. And in professional services, where many women reach senior positions in their late 40s and 50s, menopause will be impacting some of your most experienced and valuable people.
Menopause 101 – what the terms actually mean
There’s widespread confusion about what menopause actually refers to. Culturally, we tend to use “menopause” as a catch-all term, but the distinctions matter for providing appropriate support.
Menopause itself is a single day, specifically, the day that marks 12 months since a person’s last period.
Perimenopause is the transitional phase leading up to menopause, typically lasting 4-8 years. This is when most challenging symptoms tend to occur (including the ones we culturally talk about as ‘menopause’). There are currently 34 recognised symptoms, including low mood, hot flushes, sleep disturbances, aching joints, and cognitive impacts. For many, perimenopause begins in their early to mid-40s.
Post-menopause refers to the years following menopause. Whilst some symptoms may continue, this phase brings its own health considerations, particularly around bone density and cardiovascular health.
The workplace impact – absence, presenteeism, and lost talent
Three in four women experiencing menopause symptoms say it has negatively impacted their work. One in 10 has left a job due to menopause symptoms. Many of the symptoms aren’t deemed ‘bad enough’ to take time off, and women may culturally struggle to advocate for themselves.
As a result, presenteeism is common among employees struggling with brain fog, fatigue, and anxiety. Hot flushes during meetings, difficulty concentrating, and exhaustion from poor sleep all impact performance. Absenteeism increases too, with employees often taking sick days without feeling they can disclose the real reason.
Perhaps most concerning is the talent drain linked to peri menopause and menopause. Women in their late 40s and 50s represent decades of experience and leadership capability. Losing these employees because of lack of support represents a significant loss of human capital.
Your responsibility – legal obligations and ethical imperatives
Under the Equality Act 2010, menopause can be considered a protected characteristic when symptoms amount to a disability. This means employers must make reasonable adjustments.
Beyond legal compliance, there’s a compelling business case. These are often your most experienced team members, and supporting them protects organisational knowledge.
Good support starts with creating a culture where menopause can be discussed openly. Managers should be trained to have supportive conversations and recognise when reasonable adjustments (flexible working, temperature control, shift patterns) might help.
Exercise and wellness for managing menopause
This year’s Lifestyle Medicine theme highlights the role of lifestyle choices in managing symptoms, and physical exercise stands out as one of the most effective tools.
Regular physical activity can help with sleep quality, cognitive function, weight management, and even (counterintuitively) hot flushes. With World Mental Health Day on 10th October, it’s worth noting that exercise is increasingly recognised as a first-line intervention for mental health, including low mood and anxiety that can come with perimenopause.
Muscle mass and bone density support
Two specific health concerns linked to menopause and post menopause are loss of muscle mass and declining bone density.
Declining oestrogen levels speed up muscle loss, and this affects strength, posture, metabolic health, and functional fitness. Resistance training is crucial for building and maintaining muscle, so anything you can do to encourage employees to do this kind of exercise will help.
Bone density also declines after menopause, increasing the risk of osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercises maintain bone density and can even reverse the decline.
Mental health and menopause in October
Hormonal changes and sleep disruption create mental health challenges that shouldn’t be underestimated. Anxiety, depression, mood swings, and lack of confidence can be as debilitating as physical symptoms.
Physical exercise can provide support here, too. Physical activity releases endorphins, reduces stress hormones, boosts self-confidence, and gives opportunities for social connection which can all boost mental wellbeing at this challenging time of life.
- Education and awareness for all employees to normalise conversations, bring down barriers, and build understanding across your organisation.
- Manager training about communicating, spotting signs of employees struggling, and knowing how and when to make appropriate adjustments.
- Flexible working policies to accommodate varying energy levels, medical appointments, and symptom management, with cultural sensitivity.
- Environmental considerations like temperature control, access to cold water, and appropriate uniform policies for comfort.
- Comprehensive wellness benefits that specifically support menopause management. This is where flexible fitness benefits come into their own.
Flexible fitness benefits to support menopausal employees
Is Menopause Awareness Month a good time to revisit your fitness-as-a-benefit provision? On-site gyms or access to a single location gym often doesn’t work for menopausal employees who need options that are inclusive, accommodate energy levels, and are accessible whether WFH or in the office. Menopausal employees are likely to want a range of activities from gentle movement for stress to strength training for bone and muscle health.
Ready to bring flexible fitness to your workplace wellbeing strategy? Contact Hussle today for a personalised quote and discover how our nationwide network of gyms, pools, and fitness centres can support your employees throughout every life stage.
