Menopause in the Workplace

Have you ever had a hard time finding helpful information about menopause? It’s a significant change in a woman’s life, but sometimes it feels like there’s little clear guidance available. If you’ve been confused or unsure about what to expect during menopause, you’re definitely not alone. Many women face this challenge.

This is why BVSC (Birmingham Voluntary Service Council), DRC (Disability Resource Centre) and Salus Fatigue Foundation have partnered to develop services to support people affected by menopausal health issues to remain in or return to the workforce. The Project is funded until 2025 by the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Health and Wellbeing Fund – a joint initiative run by the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and the UK Health Security Agency. The fund’s theme for 2022 to 2025 is women’s reproductive wellbeing in the workplace and links in with the development of the new Women’s Health Strategy.

Collaborating with Birmingham Business Park, the partnership hosted a face-to-face event at the 4PS offices this week. The event, which was open to everyone, involved two workshops – the first was about menopause awareness in and out of the workplace and was delivered by experienced menopause activist Aline Boblin of Menopause Knowledge CIC. The second workshop covered menopause and the law and was delivered by employment law trainer Jacqueline Chantler of Worknest.  In addition, a delicious lunch was provided with guidance from the Salus Fatigue Foundation to demonstrate how food can be healthy and tasty simultaneously!

Lori Henebury, Marketing, Community and Business Development Manager at Birmingham Business Park, shared some key takeaways post-event:

• 77% of women often don’t know their symptoms are due to menopause
•  8 out of 10 women of menopausal age are in the workplace
• 42% of menopausal women consider leaving due to lack of support
• None of these statistics mean anything if employers (and government) are willing to do nothing about it.

Menopause is something many women experience, but we don’t talk about it enough, especially at work. It can be tough dealing with symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and tiredness while trying to do our jobs. It’s time to change that and start discussing menopause more openly in the workplace. By recognising the challenges and making work more supportive, we can help women overcome this phase with less stress and more understanding.

Feedback from the sessions was fantastic, and we were thrilled to be able to host such a valuable event.  At 4PS, we wholeheartedly commit to providing robust menopause support for our employees. Recognising menopause is a natural phase of life, we believe in fostering an environment where our team members feel valued, understood, and empowered during this transitional journey. We are dedicated to open and empathetic communication, ensuring that employees can comfortably discuss their menopausal experiences and seek their assistance. Through education and awareness, we aim to create a workplace where every individual can thrive, regardless of the challenges posed by menopause.