COMING SOON: The WiW Workplace Menopause Progress Report 2025

Menopause at Work: Progress, but are we there yet?

For too long, menopause has been the missing piece in workplace conversations about health and inclusion. While businesses have made strides in supporting pregnancy and maternity, menopause has often been overlooked—despite the fact that for every woman on maternity leave, three are managing menopause symptoms at work.

The good news? Things are changing.

More companies are acknowledging menopause, and some are taking meaningful steps to support their employees. But how much real progress has been made?

At the end of this month, WiW, in partnership with Menopause Mandate, will release the WiW Workplace Menopause Progress Report 2025, an independent review of how 400 of the UK’s largest companies are addressing menopause in the workplace. Drawing on insights from the Menopause Mandate survey of 14,855 working women, the report provides a clear picture of what’s working, where the gaps are, and how businesses can move beyond good intentions to real, impactful change.

What have we found?

57% of the 400 large UK companies we reviewed now publicly acknowledge menopause. Five years ago, this was almost unheard of.

30% have a menopause accreditation, signaling a commitment to action.

But transparency is lacking only 13% of these companies disclose the details of their menopause policies, compared to 47% sharing their parental policies.

One in four working women still don’t know if their employer offers menopause training—something employees believe is crucial to ensuring this isn’t just a ‘box-ticking’ exercise.

We’ve come a long way, but there’s still work to do to make menopause a normal, manageable stage of working life, rather than a reason for women to step back or leave their careers.

Why This Matters for Every Business

With women over 50 being the fastest-growing segment of the workforce, supporting menopause isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a business imperative.

86% of working women say menopause symptoms negatively affect their work, always or sometimes.

Businesses lose over £1.88 billion a year in productivity due to menopause-related absenteeism and staff turnover.

Menopause-related tribunals are on the rise—severe and long-lasting menopause symptoms may qualify as a disability under existing discrimination laws.

Some companies, like Channel 4, Vodafone, and Greencore are leading the way, proving that thoughtful menopause support leads to better retention, improved employee wellbeing, and a stronger, more inclusive workforce.

And with potential government legislation on the horizon that could require all companies with more than 250 employees to implement menopause action plans, businesses have a window of opportunity to get ahead now.

What’s in the Full Report?

📌 Which companies are leading the way—and what others can learn from them.

📌 The biggest gaps between employer policies and employee experiences.

📌 Four key steps every workplace can take for meaningful menopause support.

📌 The business case for menopause policies—and why investing in them makes commercial sense.

📌 How to prepare for future workplace legislation on menopause.

This report is more than just a review, it’s a practical guide to making menopause support a workplace norm, not an afterthought.