October is Menopause Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness, share knowledge, and take action. On 18 October we mark World Menopause Day, with this year’s theme focusing on Lifestyle Medicine.

Lifestyle medicine is about empowering people to take control of their wellbeing by making informed, sustainable choices around nutrition, movement, sleep, stress, and social connection. For those experiencing menopause, it offers practical ways to reduce symptoms, improve resilience, and protect long-term health.

But menopause is not just a personal health journey it’s also a workplace issue.

The reality is that too many women face avoidable challenges at work during menopause, and organisations risk losing talent, productivity, and even facing costly legal action if they fail to respond.

The Impact of Menopause at Work

Menopause typically occurs between ages 45 and 55, often the peak of a woman’s career. Yet research continues to show just how significant the impact can be in the workplace:

• 73% of menopausal women experience symptoms and 3 in 5 women say their symptoms negatively impact them at work.
• 1 in 4 consider leaving work during this stage of life and 1 in 10 have left.
• Women over 50 are the fastest-growing demographic in the workforce and it’s widely estimated that over 13 million women in the UK are currently perimenopausal or menopausal.

This has a ripple effect on organisations:

• Increased sickness absence – from fatigue, migraines, anxiety, or severe symptoms.
• Increased presenteeism – employees are physically present but struggling to perform at their best.
• Lower productivity – brain fog, memory lapses, poor sleep, and mood changes all directly impact work performance.
• Resignations and loss of talent – highly skilled women leaving the workforce at the peak of their careers.
• Rising legal risk – tribunals citing menopause are increasing year on year. Many cases are settled quietly, so we only see a fraction of the true scale.

The hidden costs of ignoring menopause; absence, presenteeism, lost productivity, resignations, costly settlement agreements and legal action are far greater than most organisations realise.

The Business Case: What Is It Really Costing?

While it can be uncomfortable to put a price on wellbeing, organisations can’t ignore the cost of inaction:

• The UK economy already loses 14 million working days every year to menopause symptoms.
• Presenteeism costs are harder to track, but some studies suggest they far exceed sickness absence.
• When experienced women leave, the cost of replacing talent is huge: recruitment, training, and loss of institutional knowledge adds up, in fact, according to Oxford Economics, to replace someone on a £25k salary, costs just over £30k.
• Menopause-related tribunal cases are rising. While many settlements are undisclosed, the reputational damage alone can be significant.

The question organisations should be asking is not “Can we afford to act?” but “How much is ignoring menopause already costing us?”

Lifestyle Medicine & Menopause

This year’s Menopause Awareness Month theme, Lifestyle Medicine, is a reminder that while menopause is a natural stage of life, the way we live has a big impact on how we experience it.

Here’s how the six pillars of lifestyle medicine can support women through menopause:

1. Nutrition
2. Movement
3. Sleep
4. Stress Management
5. Health Responsibility
6. Social Connection

By adopting even small, sustainable lifestyle changes, women can reduce symptoms, boost confidence, and feel more empowered in both life and work.  Many women focus on the here and now and their symptoms but long term health also needs to be considered.  Living on lower levels of hormone has an impact on heart, bone and brain health, in fact, cardiovascular disease is the biggest killer of women, killing more than double the amount that breast cancer does so looking at long term health is paramount.

Preparing for the Future: Menopause Action Plans

Change is coming. With the Employment Rights Bill, organisations with 250 employees or more will soon be expected to have Menopause Action Plans. These will set out how employers will support colleagues, implement policies, and create inclusive cultures.

Being proactive is not just about compliance, it’s about protecting talent, reducing risk, and demonstrating a genuine commitment to employee wellbeing.

How Sparks HR Can Help

At Sparks HR, I specialise in supporting both organisations and individuals with practical, supportive, and sustainable solutions.

✨ Training & Awareness

• Manager workshops to build confidence and awareness
• Employee awareness sessions
• Menopause Champion training

✨ Policies & Strategy

• Writing and refreshing menopause policies in supportive, relatable language
• Developing Menopause Action Plans in line with new legislation
• Designing strategies that embed menopause support into wider wellbeing programmes

✨ Workplace Wellbeing

• Helping organisations reduce sickness, presenteeism and talent loss
• Building cultures that are inclusive, supportive, and future-ready
• Preventing costly settlement agreements, tribunal claims and reputational risks

✨ Coaching & Support As a qualified Menopause Coach, I offer:

• 1:1 coaching: personal support to build resilience, manage symptoms, and restore confidence
• Group coaching: peer support and shared strategies in a safe, guided environment

✨ Resources for Individuals

• 🎙️ Podcast: Find Your Spark: Real Life Menopause Moments – honest conversations and lived experiences for your colleagues to listen to
• 📓 Journal: Find Your Inner Spark: A Menopause Reflection Journal – space for reflection, self-care, and building confidence and a few organisations have ordered a number of journals to give to their menopausal colleagues, what a great way to show that you see them, you hear them and you value them.

Quick Wins for Employers: Supporting Menopause at Work

1. Start the Conversation Encourage open, respectful dialogue. A simple “How can we help?” can make a big difference.

2. Train Your Managers Equip line managers with the confidence to talk about menopause and make reasonable adjustments.

3. Review Your Policies Make sure your policies reflect reality. Supportive language and practical guidance build trust.

4. Create Menopause Champions Empower employees to become go-to contacts for support, signposting, and awareness.

5. Make Reasonable Adjustments Small changes like flexible working, temperature control, or quiet spaces can dramatically improve comfort and performance.

6. Build a Menopause Action Plan Don’t wait for the Employment Rights Bill to make it mandatory act now and set a best-practice standard.

7. Embed Menopause in Wellbeing Strategy Menopause support shouldn’t sit in isolation it should be part of your organisation’s wellbeing, DEI, and retention plans.

A supportive workplace reduces absence, presenteeism, and turnover — protecting both people and business performance.

Lifestyle Tips for Managing Menopause to share with your colleagues

1. Nourish Your Body Eat balanced, whole foods rich in calcium, magnesium, and protein. Limit caffeine, alcohol, and ultra-processed snacks.

2. Move with Purpose Find movement you enjoy; walking, swimming, yoga, or strength training all help balance hormones and boost mood.  Cold water swimming is said to be great for menopausal women.

3. Prioritise Sleep Create a calming evening routine. Keep bedrooms cool, reduce screen time and set consistent sleep and wake times.

4. Manage Stress Try mindfulness, deep breathing, or journaling (like in Find Your Inner Spark) to calm your nervous system.

5. Stay Connected Don’t isolate yourself. Talking with others experiencing the same changes can reduce anxiety and boost confidence.

6. Know Your Triggers Track symptoms to spot what makes them better or worse food, stress, or lack of rest. Small tweaks can bring big improvements.  Find Your Inner Spark can help with this.

7. Invest in You Whether it’s coaching, therapy, or time out, make space for self-care. Menopause is a transition, not an end, it’s a time to rediscover your spark.

Lifestyle medicine isn’t about perfection, it’s about small, sustainable habits that make every day a little easier.

Final Thoughts

Supporting menopause in the workplace is not “nice to have” it is essential. Ignoring it leads to higher sickness absence, presenteeism, reduced productivity, resignations, loss of valuable talent, costly settlements and rising legal risk.

This Menopause Awareness Month, let’s commit to change by:

1. Normalising the conversation
2. Supporting individuals with practical lifestyle strategies
3. Equipping managers with tools and training
4. Embedding policies, strategies, and action plans that make a lasting difference

By combining lifestyle medicine with organisational support, we can ensure that women are not only able to stay in work, but able to thrive.

✨ Together, let’s spark real change for individuals, workplaces, and society.

And the good news, if you want to show your support for your menopausal colleagues during Menopause Awareness Month, I do have the odd spare half day/day in October so message me, or email alison@sparkshr.co.uk to see how I can support you.

Alison x