As we approach World Menopause Day on 18 October, I have been looking back at a Guardian article from January 2022. It reported that 63% of 2,000 women surveyed while experiencing menopause symptoms said their workplace had no menopause policy. Almost a quarter were unhappy in their jobs because of a lack of support.

Later that year, the first Women’s Health Strategy for England was published, setting out ambitions to improve women’s health and address longstanding gaps in understanding and care. It was an important recognition that women’s experiences needed greater attention.

Four years on, there is progress to recognise. Menopause is more visible in public and workplace conversations. There are policies, training programmes and initiatives aimed at helping women remain well and supported at work.

Yet stigma, uncertainty and gaps in awareness remain. The question I keep coming back to is whether that growing attention is translating into a better everyday experience.

Understanding the journey

We often associate menopause with the average UK age of 51. This tells us very little about when an individual woman might start experiencing changes.

Perimenopause can begin years earlier, sometimes in the late thirties or early forties. Sleep disruption, anxiety or changes in concentration may arrive before someone connects them with hormonal changes. Surgery and medical treatment can also bring menopause earlier.

Being informed matters. Understanding our bodies and recognising changes can help us seek appropriate advice earlier. It also helps workplaces respond to individual needs rather than assumptions about age.

From policy to experience

A policy is a useful starting point. For it to help, people need to understand what it means in practice.

Does a woman know what support she can request? Does her manager know how to respond? Does she feel comfortable asking, without worrying about how it could affect her career?

This is the gap between organisational readiness and lived experience. An employer may have invested in support while employees remain unsure how to access it, or whether they can trust that it will be applied consistently.

In maritime, those questions need to reflect different working environments. Support must be accessible and practical for people working offshore as well as those in an office.

Understanding what makes a difference

We also need to evaluate the initiatives we introduce. Are they being used? Do managers feel more confident after training? Are adjustments helpful, and are they reviewed as needs change?

Confidential feedback and regular conversations can help employers understand where support is working and where barriers remain.

The developing action plan requirements reinforce this focus. Employers with 250 or more employees can currently publish voluntary plans addressing gender pay gaps and menopause support, with mandatory requirements planned from spring 2027, subject to secondary legislation.

Looking beyond awareness day

The International Menopause Society’s theme this year is Chronic Pain at Midlife. Its guidance highlights how pain and poor sleep can reinforce each other, with stress also playing a part, a reminder to consider physical and emotional wellbeing together. This October, ask employees confidentially whether they know how to access menopause support. Their answers may reveal a gap you didn’t know was there.