“It’s the chats with colleagues that get me through. Not the policy, not HR, just knowing you’re not alone”: Women’s Experiences of Menopause at Work and Reflections on a Workplace Menopause Policy

Objective: This study explores how women in a UK workplace discuss their menopause experiences and respond to their organisation’s menopause policy. It aims to understand the value, limitations, and implications of workplace menopause policies from the perspectives of women undergoing this life transition.

Methods: Data were drawn from a workshop involving eleven participants who were perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Participants shared personal experiences and collectively reviewed their employer’s menopause policy. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to identify key themes reflecting participants’ emotional, cognitive, and practical responses to menopause at work and to organisational support.

Results: Three main themes were developed from the data: 1) “I thought I was going mad”: The Emotional and Cognitive Toll of Going Through the Menopause at Work; 2) “It reads like it’s been written for HR, not for us”: The Gap Between Policy and Reality; and 3) “Not the policy, not HR, just knowing you’re not alone”: Support Beyond Policy. Participants expressed that menopause at work is not only a biological process but also a deeply social and professional experience. While menopause policy was welcomed, participants felt it often lacked grounding in employees’ real needs and contexts.

Conclusions: Workplace menopause policies must move beyond symbolic gestures to offer meaningful, flexible support that respects women’s dignity and professional contributions during menopause. Genuine inclusion requires policies shaped by women’s lived experiences and organisational practices that facilitate recognition and practical support, fostering a truly inclusive work environment during this significant life stage.