Housing association Aster Group has been reaccredited as a menopause-friendly employer due to its ongoing aim to provide the right support for its employees.
The accreditation is awarded by Henpicked: Menopause In The Workplace, which recognises inclusive employers that continue to highlight menopause awareness, education and support in the workplace. During the reaccreditation process, members of Henpicked’s panel stated that they were impressed with the group’s commitment to delivering sustained menopause support and how it has developed its offering over the last three years.
Aster Group’s menopause support programme forms part of The Aster Offer, through which it provides employees with the best experience it can to enable them to be the best they can be at work. It has run the programme for five years as part of its mission to create an inclusive working environment, alongside its commitment to ongoing training, awareness and support for staff experiencing menopause symptoms, as well as those supporting wives, partners, mothers, friends and team members.
The group has also seen the number of its Hot Topic community members double in size in the last three years, while another 30 experts joined its monthly Sofa Sessions, which are planned meetings to discuss menopause symptoms and lifestyle support. It additionally introduced a menopause and menstruation wellness action plan to facilitate open and honest discussion between employees, and an on-demand menopause support e-learning module for senior staff to support their teams.
Julie Cridland, employee experience lead at Aster Group, said: “One of the biggest positives about raising awareness of menopause within the business, has been connecting women experiencing the same symptoms who no longer feel on their own anymore. I’ve had feedback from people who didn’t feel like themselves and were thinking of leaving work. Through having the comfort of knowing they’re working for an employer that recognises and understands what they are experiencing, and has support mechanisms in place, it has been helpful for so many.”
