Leading the way in supporting employees through the menopause

Let's talk about the menopause

Across the country, there are four million women aged 45-55 who are in work.

A CIPD and YouGov survey revealed that working women between the ages of 45-55 struggle with the symptoms of the menopause in the workplace:

• 3 in 5 women said that the menopause had a negative impact on them at work
• 65% said they are less able to concentrate
• 30% said they had been unable to go to work due to symptoms
• Over half said they felt less patient with service users and colleagues

We’re made up of a 90.32% female workforce. 53.72% of this female workforce are 46 and over.

At an employee engagement event in 2022, the topic of menopause was brought up by colleagues wanting to see more internal recognition of this issue. Whilst managers asking for advice about how to support colleagues had historically been signposted to external resources, it became clear that a more comprehensive internal support package was required.

We pride ourselves in creating an environment that allows people to bring their best selves to work, so we also wanted to go one step further and educate all colleagues about the menopause, in order to foster the most supportive environment possible.

Developed a package of support

We carried out an internal research exercise to determine the next steps. Understanding that the menopause is an issue that many women feel uncomfortable to speak up about, a safe space was created for colleagues to share their experiences and opinions. Around 50 colleagues volunteered to take part in a working group where they provided input about how they were affected by the menopause, what treatment and support worked for them and what they would like to see offered.

The key takeaways from the discussions were:

• People don’t talk about the menopause so it can be hard for colleagues to know where to go or who to turn to for advice and support
• Colleagues struggle to access HRT – they don’t recognise the symptoms of menopause and/or it can take a long time to get a diagnosis. It was acknowledged that some people are making the choice to not access HRT due to the cost of living. Recent studies by the British Journal of General Practice showed that although 80% of women suffer from menopause symptoms, only around 10% take HRT.
• Colleagues experiencing hot flushes and body shape changes found work uniforms uncomfortable

New policies and the results

In response, we introduced the following package of support:

• We launched quarterly menopause cafes to bring colleagues affected by the menopause together to discuss the issue with others experiencing the same thing in a safe space. As a health and care organisation, we were able to bring on board our own specialists, including sexual health specialists and dieticians, who attend and share their expertise. 68 colleagues registered for the first menopause café. These included colleagues of all ages and at all stages of menopause, and both female and male colleagues who wanted to support others in their team or family members who are experiencing the menopause. The cafes, which take place virtually, are also sponsored by a member of our Senior Leadership Team who leads the way in ensuring that the issue is taken seriously.
• We invested £10,000, through our Innovation Fund, to enable colleagues to get free Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT) prescriptions (by recovering costs through expenses) as part of a pilot scheme. This has now become business as usual. We were one of the first organisations to offer such a scheme for its workforce and more than 180 colleagues are already benefiting.
• Our frequent absence triggers have been ‘relaxed’ for menopause absences.
• Talks have been initiated with a view to introducing breathable uniforms for staff.

A policy guide has been developed for colleagues and their managers which includes information about what menopause is, the physical and psychological symptoms, treatment available including HRT and natural remedies, lifestyle tips and recommendations for external support including TV documentaries, podcasts and websites.

In August 2023, the menopause support package was shortlisted for a Nursing Times Workforce & Summit Award in the Best Employer for Diversity and Inclusion category; and for a CIPP Annual Excellence Award, in the Well-being and Employee Engagement category.