Before the meeting (2 minutes)

• Decide what you want as outcomes. Vague asks get vague answers. Specific asks get done.
• Pick the two or three adjustments that would make the biggest difference. Save the rest for later.
• Decide how much medical detail to share. The honest answer is usually: less than you think. Your manager doesn't need the biology lesson.
• Book the 1:1 in the morning if you can. Hot-flash risk is lower and energy is higher.

The script

Read it out loud once at home. Adjust until it sounds like you.

"I wanted to give you a heads-up about something that's affecting how I'm working at the moment. I'm in [perimenopause / menopause] and a few of the symptoms — mostly [sleep, temperature regulation, focus] — are landing during the workday.

I'm getting it properly managed, and I'm not asking for time off. What would actually help is a small number of practical adjustments. I've written them down on one page so we can look at it together.

The big ones for me are [a workspace I can keep cool], [flexibility on start time on the days I've had a bad night], and [the option to take 10 minutes if I need to step out of a long meeting]. None of these change my output. A couple of them actually improve it.

I'll keep you in the loop. If anything changes I'll come back to you. Thanks for hearing this."

What the script is doing (so you can adapt it)

• Names it once. No long medical preamble, no apology.
• Signals you're already handling it. Removes the "what should I do?" panic from your manager's side.
• Anchors to specific, low-cost asks. Easy for them to say yes to.
• Closes the loop. Tells them this isn't a long-term mystery — you'll keep them informed.

If the conversation goes sideways

• If they minimise: "I hear that. The reason I'm raising it is that the adjustments I'm asking for are small, and the difference they make is large. Can we agree to try them for [4 weeks] and review?"
• If they overshare back: "Thanks. I'd rather keep this practical for now and focus on the adjustments."
• If they suggest you reduce your hours / step back: "That's not what I'm asking for. I'm asking for [the three things on this page]. If those don't work, we can look at other options."
• If they say "I'll have to check with HR": good. Hand over the one-pager and ask when you can expect to hear back.

Page 2 — Reasonable adjustments request

Fill in, print, hand to your manager or HR. Keep a dated copy for yourself.

Date: ________________________
Employee: ________________________
Role / team: ________________________
Manager: ________________________

I am writing to formally request the following reasonable adjustments in relation to perimenopause / menopause symptoms that are currently affecting my work. I'm not asking for time off. The adjustments below are the ones I believe will allow me to continue performing at my usual standard.

Adjustments I am requesting

1. Temperature / workspace: ____________________________________
   (e.g. desk near a window I can open, desk fan, control of the local thermostat, alternative to a hot meeting room)
2. Flexibility on hours / location: ____________________________________
   (e.g. later start on agreed days, [X] WFH days per week, ability to swap a morning meeting for an afternoon one)
3. Breaks / quiet space: ____________________________________
   (e.g. agreed protocol for stepping out of a long meeting, access to a quiet room for a 10-minute reset)
4. Uniform / dress code: ____________________________________
   (e.g. lighter fabric alternatives, no mandatory tights, layers you can remove)
5. Scheduling of high-stakes work: ____________________________________
   (e.g. morning slots for big presentations, recovery time after long-haul travel)
6. Other: ____________________________________

Review

I'd like to agree a review point in [4–6 weeks] to see how this is working. If anything needs to change I'll raise it with you directly.

Confidentiality

This information is shared in confidence and on a need-to-know basis. I'd ask that it isn't discussed with colleagues or other managers without my agreement.

Signed: ________________________  Date: ________________________

Manager acknowledgement:________________________  Date: ________________________