Breaking down the stigma around menstrual health in the workplace is vital. Practical policies to support employees experiencing the menopause will have a limited impact without an inclusive culture where colleagues feel comfortable discussing their experiences.
Workplaces can make a huge difference by providing good-quality information and support, and educating leaders so women can thrive through midlife at work and at home. For this reason, over the past six years we have invested in shaping a holistic menopause support programme that we and our colleagues are proud of.
One key aspect of this is our Hot Topic group. Starting out as 10 menopause champions willing to share their experiences and wanting to support others, the initiative is now a 100-plus strong community of colleagues who share information and provide regular peer-to-peer support. Not only is it a powerful support network but, from a business perspective, it acts as a focus group which provides us with the insight needed to continuously improve our support offering.
Elsewhere, our monthly menopause call, The Sofa Sessions, brings experts in as guest speakers to discuss a range of topics like nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress management, providing time for questions and answers and experience sharing.
It is positive to see that, over the past couple of years, the taboo around menopause has broken down. World Menopause Day is a great chance to break down any myths, create more awareness and help people understand the issues related to menopause. This year’s theme is on menopause hormone therapy, known in the UK as Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). We are sharing lots of information on how to talk to a GP and the different options available to help thrive through menopause.
But there is more work to be done. Taking these steps has now given us the impetus to support our female talent to not just survive through menopause, but to thrive.
Just this year, we became the first UK employer to be re-accredited as menopause friendly. For us, menopause support should do more than just tick a corporate box, it needs to be built on the foundations of inclusivity and understanding, and cater to the varying needs of all colleagues.
Julie Cridland is employee experience lead at Aster Group
