Why having a workplace menopause strategy and action plan will make a difference to your business
All businesses rely on their people to deliver on their objectives and the desired results for the organisation. Women make up 51% of the population(1) and consequently a significant contribution to the workforce. Retaining talent within a business is a top priority but there are factors that impact individuals during their working lives, and these can affect their decisions to remain within the workforce. With an aging population, the number of women in the years that can be impacted by menopause (40 -60 years) is around 7 million(2) in the UK so employers should bear this statistic in mind.
Around the Globe
At a global level, reports such as McKinsey (3) Closing the women’s health gap: A $1 trillion opportunity to improve lives and economies | McKinsey provide detailed information on the evidence base and opportunities for improving economic outputs. Drilled down into some actions employers can take, the report suggests:
“Employers could consider how their workplace policies and benefits support women’s health, examine ways to better involve women in decision-making processes, provide health and wellness benefits that support women’s health, and create safe working environments in which women can speak openly about their health needs. By better understanding employee demographics, employers could invest in the areas with higher impact and potential. For example, if a workforce includes women between 45 and 55 years old, high impact could come from flexible work policies that recognize menopause.”
The CIPD REPORT 2023 is a recommended read Menopause in the workplace: Employee experiences in 2023 (cipd.org)
The report details the findings of the latest CIPD UK survey of around 2000 women employees’ experiences of menopause at work and the implications of these findings.
In addition to the employer, women are impacted in the workplace by their manager and colleagues, so these individuals need to be taken into consideration, not just those affected by menopause.
CIPD makes several recommendations for organisations to consider. For example:
“Educate and train line managers – this is a crucial part of managing menopause effectively, fostering a supportive culture and making sure employees are supported practically. Line managers should be educated about and made aware of menopause symptoms, as well as organisational support. They should be trained in how to be approachable and to have sensitive one-to-one conversations” (4)
Employers taking action on Women’s health
Private and public sector organisations are taking action. A few examples give an insight to recognition these employers have placed on implementing strategies to support those impacted by menopause during their working lives and are worth a read.
Santander
Menopause at work: how Santander is supporting women - Raconteur
Menopause in the Workplace Policy Framework For Civil Service Organisations* in Ireland
bf35f222-887c-4724-844b-643729d826bb.pdf (www.gov.ie)
*Over 26,000 women are employed in the Irish Civil Service (over 50% of workforce).
Profile of Women’s health
Since the pandemic, there has been more coverage of issues surrounding women’s health. High profile figures and celebrities have raised the importance of providing the right support to enable women to thrive during their working lives in particular. No doubt, they have played their part in lobbying for policy changes.
To support the implementation of the UK government’s women’s health strategy, the appointment of the women’s health ambassador for England Dame Lesley Regan appointed Women's Health Ambassador - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Following the launch of an initiative on Women’s health research (5) in the USA, First Lady Jill Biden and Actress Helle Berry recently attended an event to learn more about the research conducted into menopause and cognition by the team at the University of Illinois, Chicago.
Help and Support for implementing changes within your business
Small changes can start to make a real difference – I truly believe that. Having worked in many businesses, from PLCs to SMEs throughout my career, the first step to change is having a plan and actionable points to take forward. If you would like more information on how I could support you on that journey, then please connect with me to start a conversation.
References
1 Women's Health Strategy for England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
2 2023-oct-menopause-manifesto-leaflet-8261.pdf (cipd.co.uk)
3 Closing the women’s health gap: A $1 trillion opportunity to improve lives and economies | McKinsey
4. CIPD. (2023) Menopause in the workplace: Employee experiences in 2023. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
Accessed at: Menopause in the workplace: Employee experiences in 2023 (cipd.org)
5. Launch of White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research | GPC | The White House