Case Study 22: Partille Municipality – Menopause Health Initiative
Initiated: 2022 (made permanent in 2024) – Ongoing
Provider: Partille Municipality, Sweden
Target Group: Municipal employees, especially women aged 40–60
Goal: To reduce sick leave among women aged 40–60 by increasing menopause awareness, offering targeted support, and fostering a more open and supportive workplace culture. Key Actions
Analysed sick leave data, identifying menopause as an under-recognised factor behind long-term absence
Offered free informational talks, bookable 1:1 nurse consultations, and referrals to primary care, all during paid work hours
Delivered manager training to build awareness and improve support capacity
Designed the programme based on best practices (e.g. EMAS, Nordic Menopause White Paper)
Tracked sick leave by age/gender and adapted the programme accordingly
Evaluated and made the initiative permanent based on positive results Impact
Sick leave among women aged 40–60 fell by 1 percentage point
Over 3 million SEK (€260,000) saved by the municipality; over 7 million SEK in societal savings
Cultural shift: menopause is now openly discussed; employees feel less isolated
National recognition, including the 2024 Ambassador Prize and inclusion in the Nordic Menopause White Paper Lesson Learned
Specialist nurse access and in-hours support are effective and valued
Manager training is crucial for reducing stigma
Continuous evaluation ensures sustained outcomes
Need for further analysis on which support elements were most impactful Success Factors
Strong political and leadership commitment
Integration of support into paid working hours
Data-led evaluation and evidence-based policy decisions
Open internal communication and staff engagement Sustainability
Permanent integration into municipal wellbeing frameworks
Ongoing monitoring and updates based on staff feedback
National sharing of lessons learned to influence other public sector employers
