Menopause in the Workplace - An Update for HR Advisers in 6 Essential Modules

Introduction

Six in 10 women report that menopause has negatively affected their ability to work. While some experience relatively mild symptoms, others face challenges that can have a substantial impact on both their professional and personal lives.

Presented by Paul Jennings and Kathy Daniels, this modular webinar series consists of six concise modules designed to help HR professionals and people managers stay informed about the latest developments, legal considerations and best practices in this rapidly evolving area of employment law.

What You Will Learn

This webinar will cover the following:

Module 1 - Purpose & Content of a Menopause Policy

Paul Jennings

Organisations should consider introducing a menopause policy that clearly sets out what support is available to employees experiencing menopausal symptoms and how they can access that support. There should also be support for line managers, so that they understand what steps they should take if issues arise and how to approach conversations sensitively and lawfully.

Drawing on the latest guidance and best practice, this module will cover the following:

• What to include in a menopause policy
• Support for employees experiencing menopausal symptoms
• The role of HR, line managers, occupational health and employee networks
• Line manager duties and boundaries
• Confidentiality, medical information and data protection
• Sickness absence, performance and capability issues
• Health and safety considerations, including temperature, uniforms, facilities, shift patterns and workplace stress
• Links to the grievance policy and dignity at work policy
• Harassment and bullying, including jokes, comments and exclusionary behaviour
• The preventative duty in relation to sexual harassment and its relevance to workplace culture
• Implementing a policy
• Consulting with those affected
• Information campaigns and internal communications
• Training for line managers
• Reviewing the policy and measuring whether it is working

Module 2 - Sex, Age & Disability Discrimination

Paul Jennings

A worker or employee who has been treated unfairly because of menopausal symptoms could potentially bring a claim relating to sex, age or disability discrimination. Looking at a range of recent reported cases and current guidance, this module will examine the potential claims and how an organisation can avoid such situations arising. It will also consider the practical steps employers should take before disciplinary, absence or performance action is taken where menopausal symptoms may be relevant.

• Sex discrimination
• Direct and indirect discrimination
• Sexual harassment and harassment related to sex
• Pregnancy, maternity and sex-based assumptions, where relevant, and steps to take
• Age discrimination
• Direct and indirect discrimination
• Harassment on the grounds of age, and steps to take
• Disability discrimination
• Direct discrimination
• Discrimination arising from disability
• Indirect disability discrimination
• Harassment on the grounds of disability
• Reasonable adjustments
• Knowledge, constructive knowledge and the role of medical evidence
• Managing absence, conduct and performance where symptoms may be relevant, and steps to take
• Practical risk points from recent tribunal decisions

Module 3 - Training Your Workforce

Paul Jennings

Line managers need to understand the menopause and how to manage employees experiencing menopausal symptoms in an effective, respectful and legally compliant way. Drawing on recent guidance and best practice, in this module we work through a short training course that could be presented to line managers, giving tips and guidance on how to present the material. The focus will be on practical workplace conversations, early intervention, avoiding assumptions and knowing when to escalate matters to HR or occupational health.

• An outline of what the training course covers, with key tips
• The content of the course
• Who should attend?
• Thinking about the learning needs of the attendees
• Core legal and practical messages for managers
• Working through the key messages
• How to have a sensitive conversation about menopause
• What managers should and should not ask
• Using case studies involving absence, performance, uniform, temperature, hybrid working and workplace conflict
• Managing discussions
• Interactive sessions
• Handling difficult questions from managers
• Embedding the training into wider equality, diversity, inclusion and dignity at work programmes
• Assessing the training course
• Immediate assessment of the course
• Longer term measures of the success of the course
• Monitoring outcomes, including absence trends, grievances, complaints, staff feedback and manager confidence

Module 4 - Case Law Update

Kathy Daniels

This module reviews important legal cases and tribunal decisions involving menopause at work, helping employers understand emerging risks, legal obligations and best practice approaches. It will cover the following areas:

• Decisions from the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal
• An explanation of the links to disability, age and sex discrimination
• Key risk factors
• Liability
• The cost of ‘getting it wrong’
• Key lessons emerging from the case law

Module 5 - Examples of Best Practice & Useful Guidance

Kathy Daniels

This module will focus on best examples of employers acting proactively to create inclusive and supportive workplaces and guidance from organisations such as the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

• Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance for employers
• Work of the Women and Equalities Committee
• Work completed by the UK Menopause Workplace Champion
• Best practice - case studies of employers who are setting the standard

Module 6 - Andropause in the Workplace

Kathy Daniels

The andropause refers to a stage of life that some men may experience during their 40s and 50s, often accompanied by a range of physical, emotional and psychological changes. While it is sometimes referred to as the ‘male menopause’, the term does not fully capture the nature and complexity of the condition.

This module provides an overview of the andropause, its potential impact on individuals in the workplace and the support employers can offer:

• Understanding the andropause and its symptoms
• Identifying the support that men may require during the andropause
• Applying lessons learned from menopause support initiatives to better support men experiencing the andropause in the workplace

This pre-recorded webinar will be available to view from Thursday 3rd December 2026

Alternatively, you can gain access to this webinar and 2,400+ others via the MBL Webinar Subscription. Please email webinarsubscription@mblseminars.com for more details.