Hormones at Work: From First Periods to Menopause – What UK Workplaces Need to Understand

Sep 6

14 min read

We spend a huge chunk of our lives at work, yet somehow there is still an expectation that we arrive there as though we have left our bodies, hormones and anything remotely inconvenient at home.

Periods are supposed to be discreet, pain is something to quietly manage, brain fog can feel embarrassing to admit to, and if you are the woman with the desk fan pointing directly at your face in January, there is a decent chance somebody has made a joke about it before you've even reached lunchtime.

The strange thing is that our hormones can influence us at several different points across our working lives, from the teenager beginning her first Saturday job while still navigating puberty and periods, right through to the experienced woman in her forties who suddenly finds that perimenopause has made concentration, sleep or confidence feel different, and then into menopause itself.

We have spent years talking about workplace wellbeing, mental health, flexible working and inclusion, but hormones still seem to be one of those subjects everybody knows exist and nobody quite knows how to talk about. Perhaps that needs to change, because hormones do not clock out when we clock in.

It can start with your very first job

My first job, my periods and the emergency that wasn't really an emergency

I was 18 when I had my first proper job, working at an ice rink. I'd been having periods for a few years by then and, fortunately for me, my mum was a school nurse, so I'd probably had a slightly more thorough explanation of periods and puberty than some teenagers did.

What I didn't have was a particularly good understanding of my own cycle. My period seemed to come completely out of nowhere. There was a point where, at the end of every month, we'd get an Indian takeaway as a family and I'd end up with a terrible stomach not long afterwards. For ages I genuinely thought I had some sort of intolerance to onion.

It took me far too long to realise that the Indian takeaway wasn't the problem. My period was coming.

A far more youthful looking Saira, at the local ice rink I worked at for 8 years!

Looking back, it seems obvious, but this was before cycle-tracking apps lived in our pockets and before any of us were having particularly sophisticated conversations about the digestive symptoms, pain, fatigue and other things that can accompany periods.

The worst timing seemed to be my Saturday shifts, particularly during the children's club at the ice rink. I'd come on, be in absolute agony and then have to spend hours standing up.

I hated it. I also never told anybody - I worked predominently with boys and I was 18, embarrassed and desperate not to draw attention to myself. I didn't know how to say to a manager, “I've just started my period, I'm in a ridiculous amount of pain and standing here is making it worse.” So I stood there.

Then one day I bled through my work trousers.

Even writing that now, I can remember the sheer mortification of it. Rather than telling anybody what had actually happened, I invented a family emergency so I could leave work and go home. I would rather have had my workplace believe something serious had happened in my family than tell somebody that I'd got my period and bled through my trousers. That says quite a lot, doesn't it?

Nobody had necessarily told me that periods were shameful. My own mum certainly hadn't. But somewhere along the way I'd absorbed the idea that this was something private, embarrassing and definitely not something you mentioned at work.

And I don't think I'm remotely unusual in that.

At 18, I would rather invent a family emergency than tell my employer I'd bled through my trousers. That's how embarrassed I was about something completely normal.

Think back to your first job. You might have been 15 or 16, slightly terrified of your manager, trying to remember how the till worked and still young enough that asking an adult if you could go to the toilet felt like a surprisingly formal request.

Now add puberty to the equation.

Some teenagers sail through their periods relatively easily, while others deal with cramps, heavy bleeding, headaches, digestive symptoms, tiredness, mood changes or simply the constant background worry that they might leak through their uniform.

Trying to manage all of that while also learning how to behave in a workplace can be hard, particularly if the culture around you makes periods feel embarrassing or inconvenient.

A young employee should not have to feel mortified about needing a toilet break, carrying period products with her or asking to sit down for a few minutes because she is in pain. It does not require an enormous corporate hormone strategy to handle this well; sometimes it simply requires managers who behave like decent human beings, sensible access to breaks and toilets, and a workplace where somebody can say, “I'm not feeling great today,” without immediately being treated as though they are unreliable.

Supporting hormones at work does not have to begin with menopause. For many women, it begins with their very first job.

Then you become really good at what you do

This is the stage I think can be particularly frightening, because by the time perimenopause arrives, many women have spent years building careers, experience and confidence.

You know your job. You know how things work. You may be the person everybody else comes to when they cannot remember a process, find a document or work out what on earth somebody meant in an email. Then, sometimes quite gradually, things start to feel different.

Perhaps you're exhausted after a night of broken sleep. Maybe you're reading something three times before it sticks, struggling to find a word in a meeting, forgetting something you would normally remember or feeling unusually anxious about something that would never previously have bothered you.

That can be incredibly unsettling because when your professional identity has always been built around being capable, the first assumption is often not, “I wonder whether my hormones are changing?” - it is more likely to be, “What is wrong with me?”.

Perimenopause can affect sleep, concentration, memory, mood and anxiety, although every woman will experience it differently. It does not mean that every difficult day is hormonal, and it certainly does not mean that women suddenly become less capable when they enter perimenopause. Quite the opposite. The experience, knowledge and skills are still there; sometimes the conditions around that person simply need to change a little so she can continue using them.

You have not suddenly become bad at the job you have spent years becoming good at.

Brain fog is funny until it starts affecting your confidence

There is plenty of humour around menopause brain fog, and sometimes laughing at ourselves is genuinely helpful. Most of us have had the experience of walking into a room and forgetting why we went there, only to remember ten minutes later while doing something completely unrelated. At work, though, it can feel different.

If you suddenly lose a word during a presentation, forget an important detail or struggle to concentrate in a noisy office, it can chip away at confidence surprisingly quickly. Add poor sleep or fatigue and things that previously required very little effort may suddenly require much more of it. This is where the response from a workplace matters.

A good manager should not immediately assume that a previously strong employee has become careless or incapable. The better question is whether something has changed and whether there is a practical way to help.

That might mean written follow-ups after meetings, a quieter place to work, a little more flexibility around start times after particularly bad nights, short breaks when symptoms are difficult or home working where the role allows it.

Support does not mean lowering standards. It means removing unnecessary barriers so somebody has the best possible chance of continuing to meet them.

Research cited by the Equality and Human Rights Commission found that:

67% of working women aged 40–60 who had experienced menopausal symptoms said they had a mostly negative impact at work.

That is not a tiny group of women failing to cope. That is a workplace issue worth taking seriously!

And yes, can we please talk about the fan?

There is always one woman with a desk fan.

Sometimes she has it pointed directly at her face while everybody else is wearing a cardigan, and sometimes she carries a little portable one around like it is now part of her uniform.

It is easy to laugh at that if you have never experienced a proper hot flush, because from the outside it can look like somebody just feels a bit warm, but that is not always what is happening.

A hot flush can feel like a sudden wave of heat starting in the brain and travelling rapidly over the body. For some women it is so intense that it feels as though their whole body has been switched to maximum heat without warning. Their skin can burn, sweat can appear almost instantly, their heart may race and for those few minutes it can be very difficult to think about anything other than making the heat stop.

A hot flush actually starts in the brain. Hormonal changes can make the brain's temperature-control system more sensitive, triggering an intense cooling response that can be very difficult to ignore.

It is not the same as being a bit sweaty because the office is warm. It can completely hijack your attention. Imagine trying to finish a presentation, serve a customer or sit through a meeting while your body suddenly feels as though it is on fire and you are also trying desperately not to look flustered.

Hot flushes and changes in temperature regulation are some of the most recognisable menopause symptoms, which unfortunately means they have also become one of the easiest things for other people to joke about.

Humour between friends is one thing, particularly when the woman herself is joining in. Repeatedly drawing attention to somebody's symptoms, embarrassing her in front of colleagues or treating menopause as evidence that she is old, difficult or somehow past her best is something else entirely.

Acas (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, which provides free and impartial advice on workplace rights) specifically lists environmental changes such as providing a fan or allowing somebody to work near an opening window as examples of adjustments employers may consider.

In other words, the fan is not the problem. Let us have the damn fan!

A desk fan may look like a tiny adjustment. To the woman having a hot flush in the middle of a meeting, it can make a huge difference.

What should a supportive workplace actually do?

The good news is that many of the things that help do not require rebuilding the workplace or creating an entirely new role for somebody.

Current Acas guidance recommends early conversations, regular follow-up and practical changes that allow somebody to continue working effectively. Depending on the person and the job, this might include flexibility around start and finish times, breaks when needed, somewhere private to rest, home working where practical, changes to particular duties or greater control over the working environment.

The important part is that these conversations should be individual.

One woman might need a fan. Another may struggle far more with sleep and need occasional flexibility in the morning. Somebody else may be experiencing anxiety or brain fog and benefit from written information rather than having important instructions delivered verbally in a busy room.

There is no universal menopause adjustment because there is no universal menopause experience. A good workplace asks the person what would actually help rather than assuming.

Menopause support should never be one-size-fits-all. The simplest starting point is often: “What would make work easier for you right now?”

How do you actually tell your boss you are struggling?

This is the bit that sounds simple on paper and can feel enormous when it is your own career.

You do not need to walk into a meeting and announce every symptom you have experienced since 2019. You can start with what is relevant to work and what you need.

You might say something along the lines of:

“I've been experiencing some perimenopause symptoms, particularly poor sleep and difficulty concentrating, and they are starting to affect me at work. I'm still able to do my job, but I think there are a couple of practical changes that could help me manage things better. Could we talk about them?”

Then be specific.

If a later start once or twice a week would help, say that. If written notes after meetings would reduce the pressure of brain fog, ask for them. If temperature is the issue, ask whether you can move desks or use a fan.

It is also worth making a few notes beforehand, partly because difficult workplace conversations can make anybody forget what they meant to say, and partly because arranging a meeting specifically to discuss brain fog is precisely the sort of situation in which your brain may choose to take the afternoon off.

If you're not quite sure where to start, download our free Hormones at Work: Conversation Planner (below).

It'll help you get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper, work out which symptoms are affecting you at work, think about what support might actually make a difference and prepare what you'd like to say before speaking to your manager.

We've also included a quick guide to your UK workplace rights and an optional AI prompt you can use to explore your own situation and help you prepare for that conversation because sometimes knowing you need support is the easy bit; working out how to actually ask for it is much harder.

If anything is agreed, ask for it to be confirmed in writing and keep your own notes too. Acas recommends that workplace changes are agreed in writing and reviewed because symptoms and needs can change over time.

You do not have to prove that you are struggling enough. Explain what is affecting your work, what would help and ask for a proper conversation.

What if you do not feel comfortable talking to your manager?

Not everybody has a lovely manager who will immediately understand.

Your workplace may have HR, occupational health, an employee assistance programme, a wellbeing champion or a menopause champion, and any of those may be easier places to start.

If you are a member of a trade union, this is also exactly the sort of situation where speaking to your union representative can be helpful. A rep may be able to explain your employer's policies and your rights, help you prepare for a meeting and support you if the situation becomes more formal.

You do not have to wait until you are already signed off sick, facing performance management or completely overwhelmed before asking for advice.

Sometimes the best time to get somebody in your corner is while things are still manageable.

Acas guidance also recommends menopause or wellbeing champions as a possible point of contact for workers who do not feel comfortable going directly to their manager.

You do not have to handle a workplace problem alone. HR, occupational health, a menopause champion or your union rep may all be places to start.

So, what are your legal rights in the UK?

This is where the wording matters, because menopause itself is not currently a standalone protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.

That does not mean employers are free to ignore it, though. Acas makes clear that if somebody is disadvantaged or treated less favourably because of menopause symptoms, this could amount to discrimination where the treatment relates to an existing protected characteristic such as age, disability or sex. In some cases, menopause symptoms may meet the legal definition of disability, and where somebody is disabled, their employer has a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments.

Employers also have duties under health and safety law to protect the health, safety and welfare of workers as far as reasonably practicable.

This means the legal position is not simply, “I am menopausal, therefore my employer must give me whatever adjustment I request.” It depends on your individual circumstances, how your symptoms affect you, how you are being treated and whether particular adjustments would be reasonable.

However, it also means that dismissing somebody's symptoms, disciplining her without considering their effect, allowing repeated menopause-related harassment or refusing reasonable support could become much more than simply poor management.

If you think that is happening to you, keep a record of incidents, dates, conversations and emails, and consider speaking to your union, HR, Acas or an employment adviser.

Menopause is not a standalone protected characteristic in UK law, but menopause-related treatment can still engage protections around age, sex and disability.

What if menopause is affecting your attendance or performance?

This is another area women often worry about, particularly if they have previously had a very strong attendance record or have never had their performance questioned before.

Acas advises employers to consider whether performance issues could be connected with menopause symptoms before simply taking action. It also says that menopause-related sickness absence should be recorded separately from other sickness absence because including it in someone's general attendance record could, in some circumstances, be unfair or discriminatory.

That does not mean there can never be conversations about attendance or performance. Employers are still entitled to manage their workforce.

It does mean those conversations should be fair, informed and based on the whole picture.

A woman who has spent 15 years being excellent at her job and then begins struggling after months of severe insomnia deserves a conversation before she gets a warning.

Acas advises employers to consider whether menopause symptoms may be contributing to performance issues before taking action.

UK workplaces are now being pushed to take this more seriously

There has also been a significant change in 2026.

Since 6 April 2026, employers of all sizes can voluntarily publish action plans setting out how they are addressing the gender pay gap and supporting employees experiencing menopause. These action plans are expected to become mandatory during 2027 for employers with 250 or more workers.

Government guidance includes recommended actions such as workplace adjustments, occupational health support, manager training and reviewing workplace policies so that they better meet the needs of employees experiencing menopause.

That feels like an important shift because menopause support is moving away from being viewed as something a particularly progressive employer might choose to do and towards something larger organisations will be expected to think about properly.

Of course, a policy document cannot fix workplace culture on its own.

You can have the world's most beautifully written menopause policy sitting untouched in a shared drive while somebody three desks away is being called “menopausal” every time she disagrees with someone. Real support has to exist in the room, not just in the handbook.

From 2027, employers with 250+ workers are expected to be required to publish action plans explaining how they support employees experiencing menopause.

Hormone-friendly workplaces should not begin at 45

Perhaps this is the bigger conversation underneath all of this.

Why do we wait until menopause to acknowledge hormones in the workplace at all?

A teenager dealing with painful periods in her first job, a woman navigating fertility treatment, somebody returning after pregnancy, somebody living with endometriosis or PMDD, a woman entering perimenopause and somebody adjusting to life after menopause are all bringing human bodies into work.

That does not mean every hormonal fluctuation needs to become an HR matter, nor does it mean women need to be treated as fragile because they have hormones. Quite the opposite. It means workplaces need enough flexibility and common sense to understand that people can be extremely good at their jobs while occasionally needing support.

Sometimes that support is a toilet break.

Sometimes it is flexible working.

Sometimes it is written information rather than another verbal instruction.

Sometimes it is a sensible conversation with a manager.

And sometimes Sharon just needs to be allowed to enjoy her desk fan without three people commenting on it.

Hormone-friendly workplaces are not about lowering expectations for women. They are about removing unnecessary barriers so women can keep doing their jobs well.

You are still the woman who built that career

If there is one thing I want somebody reading this during a difficult patch of perimenopause to take away, it is this. You have not suddenly lost all the knowledge, experience and ability you spent years building. If tiredness, brain fog, anxiety, poor sleep or other symptoms are making work harder at the moment, it can be incredibly easy to interpret that as evidence that you are no longer capable. It is not.

Sometimes your body changes faster than your working environment does, and for a while the two may need to meet somewhere in the middle.

That might involve making changes yourself. It might involve asking your employer for support. It might involve your manager learning something they have never previously had to think about.

But experienced women disappearing quietly from workplaces because they have lost confidence or felt too embarrassed to ask for help is not a sensible outcome for anybody.

We have always had hormones at work. Perhaps the real change is that we're finally starting to admit it.