In March of this year, Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression announced in Parliament that Helen Tomlinson would be appointed as the Government’s Menopause Employment Champion. The main role of which is to improve workplace support for those during the menopause.
Menopause and Perimenopause symptoms are known to have huge impacts on daily life – including social relationships and work. And whilst it can feel different for everyone, key symptoms can be:
And that’s not including dizziness, difficulty sleeping, aches and pains. And the most familiar symptoms are hot-flushes, and irritability. Each of these, individually, can have a massive impact on a person – let alone their work. According to Statista.com (2023) 85% of women aged between 35 and 49 are employed in the UK, with over 15.66 million women aged 16-64 employed in the UK.
Menopause Friendly Workplaces
So, creating 'Menopause Friendly Workplaces' is, at the very least, a sensible and proactive move for employers. Tomlinson said
"Women over 50 are the fastest growing demographic in the workplace and when employers provide education, support and allyship, they can go on to have arguably the most productive and fulfilling time in their careers."
Tomlinson’s focus as Menopause Employment Champion will be on helping employers develop policies that empower those experiencing menopause transition and still progress in their careers.
Peter Cheese, Chief Executive of the CIPD said, ‘We’re looking forward to amplifying the work we’ve taken championing the importance of menopause friendly workplaces. Particularly at a time when skills shortages persist, employers can’t afford to be missing out on valuable talent, and it is vital that women feel supported to progress their careers throughout all stages of their working lives.’
Menopause Employment Champion
The Menopause Employment Champion role is voluntary, and as a post-menopausal woman herself – Helen Tomlinson has produced detailed guidance, 'No Time to Step Back'. This guidance is designed to raise awareness and adapt the treatment of a large workforce in the UK. Currently focusing on retail, hospitality, care, manufacturing, and technical in this guidance, with construction and education to be brought into the programme soon, Tomlinson has a four point plan for workplace support.
Sharing employer best practices on a portal which is accessible free of charge to all employers.
Establishing a national sector-specific allyship programme to avoid isolation.
Identifying and endorsing menopause-friendly employers.
Providing a communications plan to improve the working lives of women in their sector.
This needn’t be overwhelming – as the practices and policies suggested in the guidance can benefit so many staff members, and can encourage a growing workforce to continue in their careers and progress beyond where they’ve been able to until now.
If you’d like to know how best to action the guidance given within your own business, or if you’re in one of the named industries which will be impacted by this guidance, contact us here to find out how.
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