Infrastructure and services business Amey has combined forces with construction company Mace to launch an app to support women going through the menopause.
According to both organisations, the move is part of a wider joint strategy to drive gender equality and diversity in the workplace and to show the construction industry that menopause is "not just a women’s issue but a workplace issue".
Created by digital health platform provider Peppy, the app connects users directly to specialist menopause experts via one-to-one chat, group chat or video consultation, or through a library of free events, videos and articles. Users can discuss symptoms, treatment options and mental wellbeing, and receive help from experts.
The app also offers support with fertility, pregnancy, early parenthood and miscarriage, as well as accessible help so that women can avoid having their careers derailed by changes in their health and are "empowered to fully achieve their ambitions".
Amey chief executive Amanda Fisher commented that she is keen to champion this shift in opinion by speaking openly and sharing her own experiences about menopause, and wants all women going through it to be able to reach their potential without it being a barrier to reaching their goals.
"As a woman who is experiencing menopause myself, I want to do everything I can to prevent Amey, and the industry, losing women at this later stage in their career when they have so much to offer," she said.
Mandy Willis, Mace group board director of corporate strategy, explained that the app will help remove gender inequalities from the workplace and ensure female employees feel supported during menopause and empowered throughout their careers.
"We want to retain the fantastic talent that we have and at the same time, support the ambitions of our women such that there are no boundaries to their ambition. It is a great step in leading change across our sector and setting an example for other employers in different industries," she added.
