18th October marked World Menopause Day, and the whole of October is recognised as Menopause Awareness Month. But menopause isn’t a one-day or one-month conversation - it is an ongoing issue that affects many of our colleagues, directly or indirectly, throughout the year.
That is why we have committed to becoming a Menopause Friendly Employer.
Here at King Edward VI Foundation, we want to be a great place to work, a place where our colleagues feel happy, nurtured and supported. A place where you can all be the very best you can be. And that means giving you the right support when you need it.
This is why we have committed to becoming a Menopause Friendly Employer. This means that we are now on the path to introducing the right menopause awareness, guidance and support.
Why do we need to do this?
The average age for a woman to reach menopause is 51, but symptoms can start years before.
Menopause can also be earlier or later than this, due to surgery or for other reasons. Hormonal changes can affect us all at other stages in life, too, such as when undergoing fertility treatment, due to medication, or hormonal interventions. These can all bring about similar symptoms to menopause. So many of our colleagues will be working with us through this transition or supporting someone who is.
What are the symptoms of menopause?
Everyone’s experience of menopause is different. The symptoms of menopause can be physical, or psychological, ranging from hot flushes and insomnia to anxiety, fatigue and brain fog. For those that struggle with symptoms, you cannot just leave them at the door when you come to work.
Our commitment
Ongoing training, awareness and guidance can help us to properly support those experiencing menopause symptoms. Which is why we have committed to being menopause friendly, taking our support through an accreditation process. When we have been assessed, we can display the Menopause Friendly employer badge.
This means meeting a clear set of criteria, which is then assessed by an expert independent panel to make sure we are doing all we can. Knowing that we are working towards this accreditation can reassure our colleagues that this is something we are passionate about getting right. Menopause is not an issue for women. It is something we all need to understand and a subject we should all feel comfortable discussing at work. The more awareness we have, the better we can support our colleagues, friends and family.
Explore the support available
Please take a moment to visit the Menopause Support area on our intranet to see what is already available. If you are experiencing symptoms – or supporting someone who is – please know that support is there. You can always talk in confidence to your People Partner or HR Department.
We would also love to hear from you. If you have ideas, feedback, or suggestions that could make these resources more helpful, please get in touch with Becky Cudby, Organisational Development Partner at [email protected].
