The NATS success story – how NATS improved diversity through menopause benefits and support

The challenge

In 2021, NATS conducted research on the confidence of managers in supporting team members with menopausal symptoms. It found younger managers in particular weren’t confident in providing support. Requests to occupational health revealed a need for support for menopausal or peri-menopausal colleagues. This was hindering NATS’ ambition to attract, retain and develop talented women.

So they implemented a strategy to support female health and wellbeing.

The objectives

• Address the challenges faced by peri-menopausal and menopausal women in a male dominated workforce.
• Enable managers to better support peri-menopausal and menopausal colleagues.
• Support NATS goals to: increase the percentage of women overall and in leadership roles and improve retention and sickness absence of women.
• Reduce operational and financial costs to the business as a result of menopause-related sickness. Due to regulations, ATCOs had to wait for two weeks when changing/taking new medication and required a letter from their GP. Many women were waiting weeks to see a doctor, costing the business financially and operationally, each time an Air Traffic Controller started/adjusted an HRT prescription.

The solution

NATS implemented a comprehensive menopause strategy to address the challenges faced by peri-menopausal and menopausal women in a male-dominated workforce:

• A menopause policy and toolkit for employees and managers.
• A company-funded Menopause Plan by Bupa, providing quick access to a specialist GP who can prescribe and offer support.
• Making the Menopause Plan available for employees’ partners.
• Becoming a Period Positive Organisation, offering complimentary sanitary products.

NATS launched a ‘one-stop-shop’ digital hub for menopause-related resources and support. This includes its Menopause Plan, manager guidance, policy information, e-learning modules, webinars, and information about the Women’s Network. This also links directly to their benefits platform, and external resources.

Communications play a big role in the success of the strategy – which needed to engage all colleagues, not just women. The team created a menopause hub on the intranet, manager-focused training and guidance, webinars and e-learnings, line manager guide, and operational guidance.

NATS used internal employee advocates to promote its Menopause Plan, which not only helps reduce the stigma by sharing experiences but also highlights how impactful the Plan is.

Results

• Employees feel confident to talk about and seek help for menopause. Since launch, NATS has 25x more referrals/queries to OHS. 172 colleagues have used the Menopause Plan since June 2023, and seven colleagues have taken advantage of the self-funded menopause plan.
• The percentage of women in the business increased from 27% in 2022 to 29% in 2024, following years of stagnation (demographic hadn’t changed since 2018).
• The percentage of women in leadership roles increased by 1.3% to 42% in 2024 – reflective of an ongoing upward trend (rising from 33% at the start of 2019).
• After launching the Menopause Plan, the absence rate for women over 35 dropped and absence length decreased by 12%, when comparing the 17 months prior to launch and the 17 months post launch.

Shaping the approach of the aviation industry

NATS was the first business in aviation to introduce a policy and support around menopause. It collaborated with the CAA to influence its licensing requirements by presenting clinical evidence on the side effects of HRT and its impact on aviation safety. As a result, the CAA revised its guidance, reducing the unfit period from two weeks to 48 hours.

By starting HRT during rostered days off, ATCOs can continue working, minimising the impact on the individual and air travel. The updated licensing guidance, developed and recommended by NATS, now applies to the entire aviation industry, benefiting female pilots and subsequently airlines.