It's All About People

Welcome back

This week's edition covers -

• It’s My Birthday - and it got me thinking

• What is Menopause?

• What Impact Does this Have on Organisations?

• Statistics You Do NOT Want to Be Part Of 👇

• Supporting People Through Menopause 

• What Can We Do To Support?

• Something You Can Do Right Now

• Events Coming Up this Month 

• Dates for Next Month 

It’s My Birthday - and it got me thinking

Today is my birthday - bring on the cake and bubbles. It is not a “significant” one in terms of a particular number, but I intend to thoroughly enjoy myself.

It has started well with my fabulous daughter making me cake (coffee cake with maltesers) and buying me lovely flowers and my favourite gin - she’s a good girl that one.

This got my thinking for this week’s email, as often menopuase is thought of an issue for “women of a certain age”.

British Menopause Society states that menopause typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55​.

However, it can happen much earlier, as was the case for me before the age of 40. A combination of illness and the radioactive treatment for it, meant my body started the menopause earlier than “normal”. 

For me the first sign was very erratic mood swings which I did my best to hide. But those who know me and hopefully still love me, certainly did notice. 

The periods of feeling incredibly low for no reason were the worst – until thankfully I have a great GP who is a menopause specialist and got m started on HRT -an absolute game changer for me.

Since then, I have been determined to raise awareness in the workplace, as it can have such an impact on individual performance and therefore results. Of course I am my employer so I could adapt - but so many organisations do not do this.

We have been working with organisations in many different sectors to help develop their plan to support team members through menopause.

Why do organisations do this? It is simple and goes way beyond doing the right thing - although that is pretty important too.

They do it so they can retain key talent in their organisation, enable pepple to perform at their best and get a great reuation as an employer.

What is Menopause?

As a non-clinical person, it is basically the transition women go through when hormones change, and periods stop. 

It can have a huge effect on both physical and mental wellbeing, with up to 30 different symptoms. Some of the most common are night sweats, hot flushes, sleep disturbance and mood  changes. 

On average the menopause lasts for 4 years, but for some it is up to 12 years.

What Impact Does this Have on Organisations?

There are some more statistics below in terms of the impact it can have in terms of those affected being able to do their role effectively - and indeed stay in their role.

• ONS (Office for National Statistics) states that women over 50 make up 14.6% of the total UK workforce

• ONS show that 47.7% of UK workfoce is female

• Menopausal women are the fastest growing demographic group in the workplace (TUC (Trade Unions Congress) research).

Statistics You Do NOT Want to Be Part Of 👇

• Menopause-related symptoms cost the UK economy nearly £10 billion annually due to women reducing their working hours or leaving their jobs entirely. This figure encompasses the costs of rehiring and retraining staff as well as lost productivity

• Around 10% of women have left their jobs due to menopausal symptoms (Fawcett Society)

• 26% of women have taken time off work due to menopausal symptoms

• 22% of these taking more than one month off​

• 90% of UK workplaces do not have formal support systems for women experiencing menopause.

• 63% of menopausal women report that their work life has been negatively affected by their symptoms​

• 65% of more than 1,400 women surveyed by YouGov for CIPD said they struggled to concentrate

• 58% said they experienced more stress

• 52% felt less patient with clients and colleagues.

Statistics You Want to Be Part Of 👇

• research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) shows that nearly 60% of organizations that offer menopause support report improvements in employee productivity and morale.

• 46% of these organisations noticed reduced absence rates​

Supporting People Through Menopause 

I have deliberately put “people” here not “women”, as menopause can affect everyone at work.

The manager who does not know how to support a team member, but also needs the menopausal woman in his team to be “on the ball all the time” like she used to.

The colleagues who really do not understand the impact of menopause and just think their team member can be difficult to work with.

The team member who’s wife (who is not employed by you) is really struggling with symptoms including night sweats and lack of sleep, and the team member is desperate to help - and it is now affecting his performance at work.

What Can We Do To Support?

If you can support team members then you have a much better chance of not becoming part of the statistics above.

You get to keep key talent in the organisation, team members feel supported and therefore give their best and of course you get a great reputation as an employer.

Here are some examples of support

•  awareness training for all (so not just women) to understand menopause better and how to get and give support

•  training for managers to help them best support team members and enable them to perform at their best, and most importantly stay in the team and not want to leave

• Menopause Policy and supporting guidelines

•  Developing Menopause Champions in the workplace, who can support people and raise awareness

• flexible working options, to allow people to flex their working patterns to adapt to any symptoms that impact their ability to do a great job

• workplace environment - access to fans, quiet work areas (for when you just want to be on your own)

• if you have private healthcare or an employee assistance programme (EAP) make sure they have resources for this and people are aware they can access this

Something You Can Do Right Now

We have been running our online Menopause Café for a couple of years now - and it gets great feedback

It is free and always will be.

We welcome everyone, and we know some organisations pop it on in a meeting room and people come along and make it a lunch a learn.

We really encourage everyone, not just women, to attend. 

That’s all for this week – I’m off to tuck in to that cake.

Emma 

P.S. For those of you reading this who are members of our HR Hub (I know a lot of you are) we have lots of resources on Menopause in the “Wellbeing Zone” of the Hub.

 P.P.S.  If you are not a Hub member you can join here for only £45/month for all your HR needs.

P.P.P.S If we have not connected on LinkedIn yet, I would love to connect

Events Coming Up this Month 

Menopause Café (free for all to attend, and not just for the ladies!) – 25^th June 12pm 

Dates for Next Month 

HR Clinic (free to all, come and ask your HR questions) - July 16th 12pm 

Lunch and Learn – Animals in the Workplace (co hosted by our office dog - Daisy) - 9th July 12pm - free for all Hub members or £35/place for non-members 

Supporting Mental Health in the Workplace (free session) - 23rd July 12pm 

Excellence Unleashed - Performance Management Masterclass (free to Hub members or £150/place) - 30th July 9.30-12.30pm