More than half (56%) of men have expressed interest in attending menopause workshops or educational programmes to better understand what their partners experience, according to The Menopause Hub’s January 2025 Men and menopause survey. This suggests that men are keen to broaden their awareness of the topic, and also presents employers with the opportunity to open up their menopause support to include all colleagues, partners and family members.
Raising awareness
Menopause can not only affect individuals experiencing this, but also colleagues, partners and families. Employers should, therefore, make sure every employee understands the role they can play and treat it as a normal wellbeing topic, rather than something that is private or just for women.
A good starting point is with male senior leadership speaking out about menopause initiatives, says Deborah Garlick, chief executive officer of Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace.
“Position menopause as a topic for everyone, not just those directly affected,” she says. ”Encourage conversations that invite listening and understanding. When leaders talk about it confidently, it sets the tone and helps remove any sense of discomfort.”
When men understand what menopause is and how it can affect colleagues or loved ones, it can create a more supportive and inclusive workplace. Employers can raise awareness of their own menopause support, specifically to male employees, in a variety of ways.
One option is to use Menopause Awareness Month and World Menopause Day to bring attention to the topic and signpost what support is available to staff, says Ali Hutcheson, head of people at Hertility.
“Employers could also host lunch and learns or webinars that explicitly invite allies or partners, using titles such as ‘Menopause: Why it matters to everyone’,” she says. ”They could also highlight male menopause champions who can share why they’ve taken on the role, perhaps citing their experiences supporting a partner.”
Accessing support
A key starting point to support those experiencing the menopause is to listen without judgement and avoid jokes or assumptions. Employers can facilitate this by recognising that men may feel unsure about what to say and encourage open questions to see where they can help. Equipping male managers to respond with empathy shows small actions can make a difference.
“Men can access awareness sessions, toolkits, guidance and signposted support in the same way as any employee,” says Garlick. “Many employers share practical resources to help men understand symptoms and feel more confident supporting a colleague or family member.”
Some workplaces offer webinars that they, their partners or family members can join. Employers can also create or review existing health and wellbeing policies and menopause networks that men are welcome to join. Workplace education and training sessions with experts to raise awareness on how symptoms affect people are also useful.
Learning the basics helps men understand what a colleague or loved one might be experiencing, explains Aileen Cameron, co-founder of The Menopause Network.
“Being flexible at work with meeting times or workloads can help,” she says. ”Environmental changes such as checking temperature control or uniform comfort matter, while making sure HR and managers feel confident discussing menopause helps staff feel supported.”
Carer’s leave or flexibility could be offered to male employees who need to support a spouse or family member during severe symptom flare-ups or medical appointments. Meanwhile, employee assistance programmes offer advice lines to help with the emotional impact.
Employers can offer access to third-party providers with at-home hormone testing, consultations with menopause specialists who can treat and prescribe, counsellors, and nutritionists to support colleagues, family members and partners of male staff.
“Challenging stigma in the workplace is crucial,” says Hutcheson. “Male allyship is strongest when it creates a psychologically safe environment, where female staff feel comfortable saying they are struggling without fear of being judged.”
Communicating support
Communication around menopause support should focus on why it is important for all employees, not just those with the condition. Male employees should be encouraged to listen, learn and explore how they can be supportive.
“Sharing information through emails, intranet posts, videos, and team updates helps keep the conversation open,” says Cameron. “Short awareness sessions also work well, especially when senior male leaders show support and normalise the topic.”
The majority of employees will have someone in their lives impacted by menopause, so using real stories and lived experience can help with this.
Garlick recommends using communication channels such as leadership briefings, team meetings and employee networks.
“Make it clear that sessions and resources are open to all, not just those experiencing the menopause,” she says.
Videos or internal blogs featuring male staff sharing their perspectives as partners or managers are also useful, adds Hutcheson.
“Organisations could also create an intranet area where resources are categorised specifically for managers and colleagues looking to offer support,” she says.
It is important that male employees can access menopause-related support in the workplace to ensure they can support female colleagues, partners and family members.
