What should employers include in a menopause action plan?

A menopause action plan sets out the practical steps an employer will take to support employees through perimenopause and menopause, who will deliver them, and how progress will be reviewed. 

In Great Britain, these plans are part of a wider equality action plan that also covers the gender pay gap. Since April 2026, employers with 250 or more employees can choose to publish these plans alongside their gender pay gap data. They are expected to become mandatory from spring 2027, subject to secondary legislation. 

For employers outside these rules, including smaller organizations and those outside Great Britain, the same approach is good practice. 

In this Ask the Experts Q&A, Clue’s Reproductive Health Specialist, Eve Lepage, answers employers’ questions about creating a useful plan and explains how employees can ask for the support they need. 

Key takeaways:

• Publishing action plans is expected to become mandatory for employers in Great Britain with 250 or more employees from spring 2027, subject to secondary legislation.

• Employers choose from a government list of 18 evidence-informed actions, picking at least one to reduce the gender pay gap and at least one to support employees experiencing menopause.

• Perimenopause typically starts in the mid-40s and can last several years, while the average age of menopause in the UK is 51. Support should start when someone needs it, not when their periods stop. 

• Employees can ask for workplace adjustments before they’ve spoken to a healthcare provider or know for sure it’s perimenopause, and tracking symptoms helps them explain what would help.

• Clue Perimenopause can be one action in a menopause action plan, alongside manager training and workplace adjustments. Employers never see employees’ health data. 

Part 1: for employers

What is a menopause action plan, and who needs one?

A menopause action plan is a formal commitment outlining how your organization will support employees through perimenopause and menopause. Under the Employment Rights Act 2025, employers in Great Britain with 250 or more employees are expected to be required to publish one from spring 2027, subject to secondary legislation. 

The menopause plan sits inside an equality action plan, published on the government’s gender pay gap service. Employers must choose at least two actions from a list of 18 recommended, evidence-informed actions (1).

At least one action must address the gender pay gap, and at least one must support employees experiencing menopause, including perimenopause and post-menopause. Public authorities have a different publication deadline, and different rules apply to public authorities in Scotland and Wales (2).  

What's the difference between a menopause policy and a menopause action plan?

A menopause workplace policy explains how support works. An action plan adds commitments: what will change, who is responsible, and by when. 

Is there a menopause action plan template?

Employers can use these five fields to turn their commitments into practical steps:

Plan how you will communicate each action. Employees should know what support exists, who to contact, and how to request it privately. A literature review by the Department for Work and Pensions found that employees may not know about support even when policies exist (3). Involving employees in creating the plan can help you identify barriers that a policy or training session alone might miss. 

Do small employers need a menopause action plan?

The new rules apply only to employers with 250 or more employees. But in Great Britain, menopause symptoms can already be relevant under the Equality Act 2010, so a plan also helps any employer meet existing duties (4).

Smaller employers and those outside Great Britain can use the same template, adapted to local law. The government’s official guidance explains what to include and how to publish (5).

Why should a menopause action plan include perimenopause?

Because symptoms can affect work years before someone’s final period. The government’s guidance says menopause actions should cover perimenopause and post-menopause, and be open to employees of any age (2).

Perimenopause is the transition to menopause. During this time, hormone levels fluctuate, which can change the menstrual cycle and bring physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms. It typically starts in the mid-40s, but it can start earlier or later, and may last several years (6). Menopause is confirmed after 12 consecutive months without a period, at an average age of 51 in the UK (3,6).

Early signs are easy to miss. Poor sleep, mood changes, or trouble concentrating can appear before any changes in periods and are often put down to stress or other causes. 

Support shouldn’t depend on someone knowing they’re in perimenopause. Some people reach menopause early, including through premature ovarian insufficiency, surgery, or cancer treatment (6). Trans and non-binary employees may also need support, and symptoms can continue after menopause.

Which perimenopause and menopause experiences are most likely to affect people at work?

Sleep disruption, brain fog, hot flashes (also called hot flushes), mood changes, and heavy or unpredictable bleeding are among the most common (6). How much they affect work depends on the person and the job.

• Night sweats and broken sleep can leave someone exhausted during the day.

• Brain fog can make it harder to remember information or focus.

• Hot flashes are harder to manage in warm rooms or restrictive uniforms.

• Mood changes or anxiety can make everyday demands feel heavier.

• Unpredictable or heavy bleeding can mean needing more frequent bathroom access or breaks.

In one UK survey of more than 5,000 women working in the public sector, fatigue, hot flashes, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, and insomnia were the most often reported as affecting work (8). An employee working from home may control the temperature and their breaks. Someone on a production line may not. Ask each person what would help, and don’t assume everyone needs the same thing.

What kinds of support actually help?

The most useful support combines informed managers, individual adjustments, occupational health, accessible information, and a clear, private way to ask for help. 

A practical plan can include:

• Manager training: listening without assumptions, keeping conversations confidential, and responding to requests

• Flexible working: start times, breaks, shifts, or work location, where the role allows

• Physical adjustments: ventilation, temperature, uniforms, drinking water, and bathroom access

• Occupational health: assessing how symptoms interact with a role and recommending adjustments

• Support groups and networks: peer spaces where employees can share experiences and advice

• Information and tools: trustworthy resources people can use without disclosing anything

Look at working conditions, not just symptoms. The DWP review found that uniforms and how much control people have over their surroundings can shape their experiences (3).

The evidence on what works is still thin. The same review found high-quality research on workplace interventions lacking (3). In one study, online training improved managers’ knowledge and confidence, but it did not show a change in behavior four weeks later (9). Building in review measures from the start lets you see what’s working and change what isn’t.

Training should also challenge assumptions about menopause and capability. Some research participants worried that workplace support could add to stigma or discrimination (3). Managers should respond to an employee’s needs without assuming that menopause affects their performance or ambitions, and never make support depend on disclosure. Treat any health information shared about adjustments as confidential.

What should employers look for in a perimenopause or menopause benefit?

Look for reliable information, strong privacy, and a benefit people will actually use. Be clear about what it does and doesn’t do.

Ask providers:

• Is it science-based? Who develops and reviews the content?

• Does it protect privacy? What information is collected, and what can the employer see?

• Is it inclusive? Does it work for different ages, genders, languages, disabilities, and experiences?

• Does it support every life stage? Can people keep using it as their needs change?

• Is it easy to access? Can employees sign up privately, including those in shift-based, on-site, or customer-facing roles who may not work at a desk?

You should be able to assess whether a benefit is working without seeing anyone’s personal symptom records.

Part 2: for employees

How can you tell if what you’re experiencing might be perimenopause?

Changes in your periods, sleep, mood, or body temperature may be signs of perimenopause, especially in your 40s (6). They can have other causes too, so a healthcare provider can help you understand them.

Your cycles may become shorter or less predictable, or your bleeding may change (6). Tracking over time can help you notice what’s different from your usual pattern. Hormonal contraception can make these changes harder to interpret.

Speak with a healthcare provider if symptoms affect your daily life or you want to discuss treatment options. Seek assessment for new heavy or prolonged bleeding, bleeding between periods, or any bleeding after menopause (6,7). You don’t need a complete tracking record before seeking care.

How do you talk to your employer about perimenopause or menopause?

Choose someone you feel comfortable speaking to, such as your manager, HR, or occupational health. Explain how your symptoms affect your work and what would help.

Before the conversation:

• Write down the main difficulty and one or two examples

• Note the specific changes you’d like to discuss

• Decide how much personal information you want to share

• Ask what your company’s menopause policy or action plan includes

You might say: "I’m having symptoms that are disrupting my sleep. Could we try a later start time and review it in a month?"

Ask how the conversation will be recorded and who can see it. Agree on next steps and a review date. You can ask for support while you’re still working with a healthcare provider to understand your symptoms.

How can tracking your symptoms help that conversation?

Tracking can help you describe patterns and connect them to specific requests for support. The same record can help you prepare for a healthcare appointment.

For example, you might notice that interrupted sleep is making early shifts particularly difficult, or that unpredictable bleeding means you need more reliable bathroom breaks. A short summary is usually enough for a workplace conversation. You can explain the impact without sharing your full tracking history or intimate health details.

Part 3: how Clue can help

What perimenopause support can employers offer as a benefit?

Clue Plus includes a science-based perimenopause mode that helps people track changing cycles and experiences and provides educational content. Employers can offer it as one action within a wider support plan.

People can track experiences such as hot flashes, sleep, and mood changes, then look back at patterns over time. This can help them prepare questions for healthcare appointments and explain at work what kind of support would help. Clue helps people understand their bodies. It doesn’t diagnose perimenopause or replace medical care. 

Clue is regulated under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and has never sold health data to third parties. Offering Clue Plus as an employee benefit does not give employers access to employees’ personal health data. 

In the US, Clue Plus is also eligible for health savings account (HSA) and flexible spending account (FSA) funds. Annual Clue Plus memberships can be paid for with an HSA/FSA card at checkout on Clue’s website, and other purchases can be submitted to a plan administrator for reimbursement (10).

An app benefit works best alongside manager training, workplace adjustments, and access to care. Clue Plus on its own does not meet the action plan requirements. 

Get Clue Plus for your team. Visit our Employer Benefits page to discuss an offer for your organization. 

Employees can share this article with their HR or benefits team to start a conversation.