Evidence of Menopause now being taken more seriously in the workplace
It’s both satisfying and reassuring that strategic bodies such as unions are now issuing guidelines for menopause in the workplace, and this is real evidence that menopause is now being taken more seriously. We of course applaud all workplaces who are showing their support to all staff but especially women who are going though what can be a particularly difficult time.
Unison as one of the UK’s largest trade unions say menopause is a workplace issue and believe women are being driven from the workplace as adapting to symptoms around inflexible work expectations is too difficult. At our workshops we have this very conversation with women who are preparing to leave work because of their symptoms. This is an avoidable loss of talent and expertise and could be mitigated with the right support in place. The right support that is afforded to any other health issue affecting work life.
ACAS who work with employers and employees to improve workplace relationships, say managing the impact of menopause at work is important for workers and employers, they advise an employer to raise awareness among all staff, that it will handle menopause sensitively with dignity and respect.
So many women feel alone and isolated at work during this time and lose confidence and self esteem.
Knowing that an employer will take women seriously and they will not be the butt of jokes or whispered conversations is vital to normalising menopause at work. We need to listen to the lived experiences of women going through menopause and use their experiences to shape guidelines in their own organisations.
Last year we worked with CIPD to inform their guidelines, and attended parliament to launch their menopause manifesto which encourages Government to reference menopause as a priority issue in work, diversity and inclusion. Menopause is an equality issue and many organisations are now looking at how it may affect their gender pay gap.
Older women increasingly make up a larger percentage of the workforce and it makes economic sense for organisations to hang on to their experienced and skilled workers.
At Talking Menopause we strongly advocate menopause awareness and education for all staff managers, who, in particular, have a very important role in ensuring the culture in their teams is inclusive and supportive towards menopause - exactly why we would love to see all managers being trained on menopause!
Talking Menopause was founded in 2017 and is now a leading provider of workshops, webinars and individually tailored programmes helping organisations transform their culture and create menopause-friendly workplaces.
Menopausal women are demographically the fastest growing group of workers in the UK, but despite it being a natural life process, the menopause – and how symptoms can affect employees and organisations as a whole – is rarely discussed.
For help to get your organising Talking Menopause, email hello@talkingmenopause.co.uk or call us direct on 0844 9950090.