When employers begin thinking about menopause support, it can be tempting to start with a policy. Aster Group took a different route. They started by listening.
At the Westminster Insights workshop, Julie Cridland, Employee Experience and Wellbeing Lead, from Aster Group shared how the organisation built its menopause support by asking colleagues what they needed, what was getting in the way of them being at their best and what would make a real difference to their experience at work.
That starting point matters.
Because menopause is deeply personal. Symptoms vary, roles vary and confidence in speaking up varies. What works for one person may not work for another. For Aster, listening helped make sure the support they created was rooted in real employee experience, not assumptions.
Listening before policy
Aster did not begin with a formal policy or procedure. Instead, they began with conversations.
Julie explained that the organisation wanted to understand what colleagues were feeling, what challenges they were experiencing and what barriers were affecting them at work. They also recognised they needed expert support, so brought in a menopause coach to help run focus groups and draw out what mattered most.
Those conversations helped shape a training and awareness plan for leaders and colleagues.
Only after that did Aster develop its wellbeing policy to include menopause guiding principles.
That is a powerful lesson for employers developing Menopause Action Plans. A policy is important, but it is much stronger when it is informed by employee voice.
It also helps avoid wasted effort. As Julie reflected, if you do not involve people in the solution, you may miss the target.
Practical changes that made support visible
Aster used colleague feedback to introduce practical changes that made support more visible and accessible.
These included period products in bathrooms, awareness posters, the Black Cardigan Initiative for people who may experience a flooding incident and easier access to USB fans without employees needing to provide a “special reason” for needing one.
These changes may sound simple, but they send an important cultural message.
They show employees that the organisation is paying attention. They help people feel less alone. They make support visible in everyday working life.
And they show that menopause support does not always need to be complicated or expensive. Often, the most meaningful changes are practical, human and easy to access.
Safe spaces can be life changing
One of the most powerful parts of Aster’s story was the impact of its menopause group.
Julie shared a colleague’s experience of initially not joining because she considered herself private and did not think the group was for her. But after being encouraged by a colleague, she joined and found others who were experiencing similar issues. She realised she was not on her own.
That is what safe spaces can do.
They do not force disclosure. They give people somewhere to talk, listen, learn and feel reassured. They create connection and confidence.
For many employees, that can be the difference between feeling isolated and feeling supported.
This is why support groups, networks and informal forums can play such an important role in Menopause Action Plans. The question is not simply whether a group exists. It is whether people trust it enough to use it.
Keeping the conversation going
Aster’s approach also shows that menopause engagement is not a one-off activity.
Julie talked about the importance of keeping the conversation flowing. Aster has done this through ongoing engagement, awareness activity, guest speakers and colleague-led conversations. Training and awareness were described as the backbone of the work, helping people understand why menopause belongs in the workplace conversation.
That is vital.
Some people may not be ready to engage when support first launches. Others may join the organisation later. Some may not need support now, but may need it in the future. Managers may change roles. New colleagues may arrive.
Menopause support needs a rhythm. It needs to be visible over time.
Training builds understanding
Training played a major role in Aster’s journey.
Julie explained that some people initially questioned why menopause was being discussed at work, seeing it as something personal between a woman and her GP or family. Training helped people understand why it is fundamentally a workplace issue too.
That shift matters.
When people understand that symptoms can affect confidence, focus, comfort, wellbeing and performance, they are more likely to support the work.
Training also helps managers and colleagues respond with greater empathy and confidence.
For employers developing Menopause Action Plans, this is a key point. Engagement is not just about telling people support exists. It is about helping them understand why it matters.
Start with the individual
Julie’s strongest reflection was that Aster largely got the approach right because they started with the individual.
That is important because menopause is not one experience. The support needed by someone working in an office may be different from someone working out in neighbourhoods, in care roles or in other frontline settings.
Aster’s approach recognised this.
They did not assume one solution would fit everyone. They listened, acted, learned and kept building.
Julie also reflected that, with hindsight, she may have paced some activity differently. In the early days, her passion meant there was a lot of information at once and some people felt overwhelmed. Her advice was to think about a longer-term plan and space activity out.
That honesty is helpful for other employers. You do not have to get everything perfect at the beginning. You do need to listen, learn and keep going.
What employers can learn from Aster Group
Aster’s story offers clear lessons for any organisation developing menopause support or preparing a Menopause Action Plan.
- Start by listening. Ask employees what is getting in the way of them being at their best.
- Use employee voice to shape action. Do not assume you know what people need.
- Make support visible through practical changes. Small things can send powerful signals.
- Create safe spaces where people can talk or listen without pressure.
- Train leaders and colleagues so they understand why menopause matters at work.
- Keep the conversation going. One launch moment is not enough.
- Pace the work so people can engage with it properly.
Most importantly, build trust before you need it.
Engagement is where culture changes
Aster’s approach shows that menopause support is not just about having a policy, a group or a set of resources.
It is about culture.
- Culture changes when people feel heard.
- Culture changes when support is visible.
- Culture changes when managers understand what to do.
- Culture changes when colleagues realise they are not alone.
For Aster Group, listening first helped create support that felt relevant, practical and trusted.
And that is exactly what Menopause Action Plans need to achieve.
