HR guide to menopause benefits: 13 companies that offer the best menopause benefits and how you can set them up

Menopause benefits for employees are becoming increasingly common in the workplace.

According to the NHS, menopausal women are part of the fastest-growing workplace demographic, and studies show that providing menopause benefits can help employers attract and retain top talent, create a diverse and inclusive work environment by keeping more female employees in senior leadership positions, and improve overall employee satisfaction. Recent studies have shown that:

😖 42% of women consider quitting work because of their symptoms

🪫 29% of menopausal women said their self-confidence was impacted at work

👩🏽‍💻 28% of people said they were worried that menopause made them look incapable of doing their job

Menopause benefits can vary between different organisations, depending on what a company can afford to provide their employees. For some, it's a policy and flexible working, whilst others offer their employees access to comprehensive clinical care for menopause, via a provider like us at Fertifa.

Menopause-specific benefits can include things like access to specialist menopause doctors, educational materials and advice on menopause, and funding and access to treatment such as HRT prescriptions. In this article, we'll give an overview of the different types of menopause benefits available and the companies that are offering them.

Understanding menopause symptoms is an important first step

Common symptoms of menopause like hot flushes (also known as hot flashes), night sweats, and disrupted sleep can affect concentration and overall performance at work. Other physical symptoms like joint pain, muscle aches, itchy skin, headaches and migraines can also impact a person's ability to stay on track during the working day. Brain fog, increased anxiety, headaches and migraines along with a whole host of other symptoms can disrupt a person's day-to-day life and ability to stay on track during the working day. You can read our article on the stages of menopause here.

By making menopause a workplace issue and making support available for menopausal employees, you'll see a positive impact across the whole business.

1. Menopause support is crucial in building a truly diverse and inclusive workplace. 

2. You'll improve employee retention by increasing awareness of menopause and the associated symptoms, and by supporting menopausal women, who are often at the peak of their careers, through this stage of life. You'll also attract the best people to join your team.

3. It'll show you care about the progression of all your employees and are being proactive in combatting the gender pay gap.

4. By reducing the stigma around menopause, and by understanding that people's personal lives might impact their work, you'll see increased employee happiness, wellbeing and productivity.

Read more about the four reasons you should have a menopause policy in place here.

13 companies with the best menopause benefits packages

Channel 4

Channel 4 was one of the first companies in the media industry to introduce a menopause policy for their employees, and they continue to build on that policy by offering a range of support services and resources. They provide access to counselling services, desk fans, quiet rooms, and cool rooms as well as providing extra paid sick leave and flexible working hours for menopausal women and people.

They also have a dedicated team of HR advisors trained in understanding menopause-related issues who can help employees navigate the process of talking about menopause in the workplace. All in all, Channel 4 is setting a high standard when it comes to taking care of employees who are affected by symptoms in relation to menopause.

Diageo

Diageo is an alcoholic beverage company a global company with over 20,000 employees. Along with a menopause policy that outlines workplace adjustments available to menopausal women, including increased workplace flexibility and menopause leave, Diageo employees also have access to counselling and mindfulness sessions as part of their employee assistance programme.

Lululemon 🏆

The athletic wear company's mission is centred around inclusivity, health and wellbeing and this is mirrored in how they support their employees through menopause and reproductive journeys, which can have a huge impact on women at work. The Fertifa clinical team plays a key role in supporting all Lululemon employees (across Europe and the UK) for all reproductive health challenges. This includes the ability to have calls and chat with dedicated nurse practitioners for advice on menopause and a whole host of other reproductive health issues, and monthly reproductive health Q&A sessions with the Fertifa doctors and medical experts. 

Santander

Santander is an international bank with a strong commitment to its employees. Recognising the need for menopause-specific benefits in their workforce, they have introduced a comprehensive menopause policy and benefits. In 2020, Santander launched the Peppy app, a menopause benefits provider that allows employees to access support from menopause experts via chat and video call.

Santander also provides webinars and resources to benefit managers by helping them understand how to best support those going through menopause at work.

Royal Mail

Working with GenM, Royal Mail have launched a menopause policy and formed a menopause taskforce, kicked off their 'Let's talk menopause' campaign, and introduced awareness and eLearning for all employees.

Royal Mail have also introduced 'Meno-mates', local volunteers to raise awareness about menopause and to host focus groups to shape the future of their menopause campaign and policy.

Timpson

Timpson is one of the first British companies that have taken a proactive approach towards menopause in the workplace. In October 2021, they launched new menopause-specific benefits which cover the cost of any hormone replacement therapy (HRT) prescriptions for their employees.

This benefit offered by Timpson has provided much needed financial support for those experiencing menopausal symptoms and demonstrates the commitment from senior leadership to supporting and empowering people through all life stages. By introducing this benefit, they have made clear that they care about providing a safe and supportive environment for their employees, regardless of age or gender, and are proactively combatting adverse work outcomes caused by menopause.

The Timpson support system has created a huge opportunity for more companies to follow suit and introduce similar menopause policies and provisions.

Co-op

Co-op have been leading the way in the retail industry with their menopause-specific benefits on offer. They have a menopause policy and are launching a separate menopause support guide for their 4,500 managers. They also provide reasonable adjustments for menopausal employees who are negatively affected by the impact of menopause symptoms.

Monzo 🏆

Monzo, a digital bank founded in 2015, are one of the first 'challenger banks' in the UK - banks that are not part of the traditional banking system. They have been widely praised for their company culture and are breaking ground with their reproductive health benefits for their employees. The Fertifa in-house clinical team looks after Monzo employees with unlimited 1-2-1 clinical advice and support throughout their menopause, fertility and family-forming journeys. We also give their employees access to a suite of educational resources, where they can get advice on menopause and learn more about some of the most complicated and most common menopause challenges. Read about how we work with Monzo, in their annual Diversity & Inclusion Report.

Osborne Clarke 🏆

Fertifa client Osborne Clarke, a London based law firm, is prioritising employee health and wellbeing with the goal of supporting the experience of employees by making tangible changes to make their firm better a better place to work.

The Fertifa in-house clinical team, look after all Osborne Clarke employees with unlimited 1-2-1 clinical advice, yearly doctors consultations and support throughout their menopause and reproductive health journeys.

Foot Anstey 🏆

Another law firm and Fertifa client, Foot Anstey is dedicated to prioritising employee wellbeing and reproductive health support, including symptoms of menopause. All Foot Anstey employees have access to educational resources, Fertifa clinical webinars, 1-2-1 support and funded consultations with Fertifa menopause doctors. 

ClearScore 🏆

ClearScore is a financial technology company dedicated to supporting the financial wellness of its customers. Just as important to ClearScore is the wellbeing of its employees, demonstrated by their welcoming and inclusive company culture. Through Fertifa, ClearScore employees have access to educational resources that are created and curated by the Fertifa in-house clinical team, aimed at helping people better understand what menopause is, the menopause symptoms, HRT and much more. They have access to dedicated monthly Q&A sessions and webinars with a specialist menopause doctor, on the most important aspects of menopause.

WW

For WW, formerly Weight Watches,  prioritising health and wellbeing is important to the organisation that is leading the way with its menopause policy and benefits.

Research by WW has helped them understand how menopause had an impact on women in their company. As a result, they have implemented a range of benefits to support those experiencing menopausal symptoms. They offer up to 26 weeks paid leave and flexible working options for permanent employees who need to take time off due to menopause-related symptoms. Additionally, WW managers, coaches and mental health first aiders have all undergone additional training to ensure they have the skills and knowledge needed to support those experiencing menopausal symptoms. WW have also provided safe spaces and equipment for employees who may be experiencing menopausal symptoms while at work, such as desk fans and a calm cool reflection room.

Boots

Boots, a leading pharmacy and health and beauty retailer, has been providing menopause employee benefits since 2018. They offer an extensive employee assistance programme which includes access to menopause-specific information, advice and support. Boots also support their employees with mental health first aid training that gives them the skills needed to identify and support people. Since April 2022, Boots has also covered the costs of team members' HRT prescriptions for those who need HRT.

Menopause is something so many of us will go through. At Fertifa, we have an in-house clinical team that will support your employees with ongoing care throughout their menopause and perimenopause journeys.

Your employees will have access to educational resources, created and curated by medical experts on the most asked-about menopause topics. Through the Fertifa app, they will have access to video consultations and appointments with our in-house clinical team, and from there they can also receive treatment for menopause symptoms, including Hormone Replacement Therapy, delivered straight to their door.

Find out more about how Fertifa can help your company by booking a call with our Team 💜

How you can set up menopause benefits in your company

If you want to provide care to individuals in your company who are affected by their experiences of menopause, there are several things you can do to get started. 

Increase conversations around menopause

Menopause awareness is a crucial first step in creating a culture of understanding and openness. Often lack of understanding is one of the biggest barriers to implementing this kind of wellbeing support, but as attitudes to menopause change and conversations around menopause become more commonplace it's important to lead from the top to ensure your people feel confident to bring these conversations up. As a first step, you could set up an internal menopause taskforce to get the conversation going, or think about hosting a menopause lunch & learn session to help everyone in the organisation understand more about menopause.

Understand the menopause journey

Having an understanding of menopause, including who can be affected, how and when is an important early step to make sure you are providing the right support, to the right people, at the right time. 1 in 10 women will go through premature menopause, which is menopause before the age of 40, and 1 in 100 will go through menopause before the age of 30. Listen to the lived experiences of women and let that inform your menopause policy and benefits offering. 

Make sure you understand your legal responsibilities when it comes to menopause in the workplace too 

Recently, there have been several high-profile employment tribunals citing disability discrimination due to menopause, and indirect sex discrimination due to menopause-related discrimination. Along with a menopause policy and benefits offering, make sure you are also checking off all legal requirements and responsibilities you have as an employer.

Think about clinical care for menopause

Think about the specific specialist services you want to provide for menopausal employees. These could be consultations with British Menopause Society accredited doctors, funding for HRT prescriptions, or paying for complementary therapies, like behavioural therapy or therapeutic treatments routed in Traditional Chinese Medicine, such as acupuncture and reflexology. Consider how you can introduce a hybrid care model to make it as easy as possible for your menopausal employees to get the help they need. 

If you're looking to put menopause support and benefits in placcan talk you through how to work with Fertifa 💜