Menopause is often treated as a personal issue or a policy consideration. In reality, it’s a material workforce risk, one that directly affects attendance, performance and retention.
Menopause typically impacts employees between the ages of 45 and 55, but for around 3.5% of women it happens earlier due to primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) or other medical causes. These are often the most experienced people in an organisation, sitting in senior roles or forming the backbone of leadership pipelines. When menopause is poorly supported, businesses lose great expertise.
Forward-thinking employers are recognising that specialist menopause support is no longer optional. It is a business-critical benefit for protecting long-term performance, productivity and retention.
For many employees, menopause symptoms are experienced silently. Brain fog, anxiety, disrupted sleep, fatigue and unpredictable physical symptoms don’t always lead to immediate absence, but they do affect confidence, focus and decision-making.
At the same time, the external landscape is shifting. With the Employment Rights Act and the rise of Menopause Action Plans, expectations on employers are increasing. Menopause support is no longer just about being a “good” employer, it’s about managing a known risk.
Without the right menopause support in place, menopause becomes a preventable point of talent loss.
When menopause isn’t properly supported, the business impact is measurable.
Menopause-related absence is estimated to cost UK employers over £10.5 billion each year, with an average of 13.8 working days lost per affected employee.
But absence is only part of the picture. Employers also see:
Presenteeism: Symptoms such as brain fog, anxiety and fatigue can significantly reduce productivity long before someone takes time off.
Leadership leakage: One in four women consider leaving work because of menopause symptoms, and one in ten do leave the workforce entirely, often at the peak of their careers.
Manager discomfort and avoidance: Without the right tools or clinical backing, managers often avoid conversations about menopause. This leads to unmanaged performance issues at a time when 88% of employees say workplace support would improve their experience.
The cost is financial, yes. But it’s also cultural, operational and reputational.
Most organisations now have something in place for menopause. But many of these solutions don’t hold up in practice.
Policies alone don’t help in the moment: A menopause policy on the intranet doesn’t help someone experiencing a hot flush in a boardroom or struggling to concentrate before a client pitch.
Generalist EAPs aren’t designed for menopause: EAPs have value, but they aren’t built to manage the complex, ongoing clinical needs of menopause.
One-off training doesn’t change outcomes: Awareness sessions can open conversations, but they don’t provide the ongoing, confidential support people need as symptoms change over time.
As a result, employees continue to manage symptoms alone, until performance or health declines.
Menopause isn’t a single event. It’s a long-term transition that can last years, with symptoms that fluctuate and overlap with other health conditions.
Effective support needs to be:
Specialist: Access to clinicians who understand perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause and can rule out other causes, optimise treatment and provide evidence-based guidance.
Confidential and direct: Employees should be able to access support without having to go through a manager or HR conversation first.
Ongoing: Menopause support must adapt over time, covering physical symptoms, mental health, sexual health and long-term risks such as bone, heart and cognitive health.
Peppy’s menopause service is built around this model, offering specialist clinical support, treatment guidance (including HRT and non-hormonal options), preventative health and holistic lifestyle support, all delivered through a simple app.
When employers provide specialist menopause support, the return is clear:
Reduced absence: A 21% increase in people who never think about taking time off, and an 18% reduction in those who frequently do.
Improved performance: A 15% reduction in work impairment, with severe symptoms reducing by up to 58% within 180 days.
Stronger retention and loyalty: 70% of employees report feeling more positive about their employer when menopause support is available, helping protect leadership pipelines and employer brand.
Menopause is predictable. The workforce impact is known. The cost of inaction is well documented.
Employers who rely on policies and generic benefits will continue to absorb avoidable absence, disengagement and talent loss. Those who invest in specialist, clinical support reduce risk and retain experience.
How Peppy supports menopause at work
Peppy provides unlimited, confidential access to specialist menopause clinicians, supporting employees across:
Perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause
Symptom assessment and diagnosis
HRT optimisation and non-hormonal options
Mental health, sexual health and relationships
Preventative heart, bone and cognitive health
Managing menopause at work and supporting partners
Support is personalised, evidence-based and designed to work alongside existing benefits.
Menopause support at work is a business-critical intervention that protects performance, experience and retention. Employers that invest in specialist support are better positioned to keep experienced employees engaged and in work.
If you want to support employees through menopause and reduce avoidable turnover, get in touch.