As October marks Menopause Awareness Month, it’s important to recognise that women in the menopausal age group, often at the height of their experience and expertise, represent one of the fastest-growing demographics within our workforce.
The ‘Menopause and the Workplace’ report by The Fawcett Society and Channel 4 found that, without appropriate support, women are more likely to reduce their working hours or leave employment altogether. The research also found that one in three women felt reasonable workplace adjustments could have helped reduce sickness absence and minimise impacts on their performance. Without factoring this into business processes, there are potential resourcing implications as well as commercial, legal and ethical considerations.
Two employees from our People Team, who have a vested interest in this topic as well as experience with policy and legislative compliance, will undergo Menopause Champion Training in November.
The training will equip them with the tools to drive cultural change and a new ‘Menopause Network’ has been created to provide a safe, welcoming space to connect, share experiences and access resources.
The impact of Menopause in the workplace is highly documented and a Parliamentary issue affecting businesses. A Menopause Action Plan will be created to ensure a supportive environment, with new initiatives like manager training to reduce business impact and compliance with current and future legislation.
We are also providing access to specialist resources through their Menopause Policy, with systems in place to help identify, discuss, agree and record any Menopause-related adjustments so everyone can thrive at work.
“We know that coping with menopausal symptoms at work can be tough and have a significant impact at work, which is why we continue to invest in awareness and training so our female workforce can prosper. In November we will be training two Menopause Champions and creating a Menopause Action Plan. These are just some of the first steps we are taking to ensure all colleagues impacted by the Menopause can get support, seek adjustments and continue to do their job confidently and effectively.” explained Katie Blount, Director of People Experience – Clarity.
We know that coping with menopausal symptoms at work can be tough and have a significant impact at work, which is why we continue to invest in awareness and training so our female workforce can prosper. In November we will be training two Menopause Champions and creating a Menopause Action Plan. These are just some of the first steps we are taking to ensure all colleagues impacted by the Menopause can get support, seek adjustments and continue to do their job confidently and effectively.
This forms part of our overall People Strategy, which has seen new support groups established, like the Accessibility Network, Neurodiversity Community and Mental Health First Aiders, to cater to the diversity of our workforce.
