NATIONWIDE and Young’s have today pledged to put menopause at the heart of workplace policies.
The British powerhouses have thrown their support behind The Sun’s Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign.
We’re calling on businesses to bolster policies to support women through this milestone, to ensure talented employees are not lost from the workforce.
On World Menopause Day, dozens of other businesses have rallied to show their support, with John Lewis, Morrison’s, Co-op, Severn Trent, Aviva, Hargreaves Lansdown, Sky, M&S, Diageo, Dermalogica and Estee Lauder among the brands that back our aims.
Jane Hanson, chief people officer at Nationwide, told The Sun: “We know there is more we need to do, we want to see everyone thrive so we will provide colleagues with the support they need to do their jobs to the best of their ability.
“We are proud to back the ‘Fabulous Menopause Matters’ campaign to help both raise awareness and support people in the workplace who are experiencing menopause.”
Young’s, one of the UK’s leading pub chains, welcomed the “fantastic” campaign for highlighting vital issues as they pledged “to improve the support women receive in the workplace”.
Inji Duducu, people director at Morrisons, added: “This is an important issue that has been overlooked for too long.
“We’re delighted to support the campaign.”
Liv Garfield, CEO at Severn Trent, urged business leaders to engage in more conversations around the important topic.
She told The Sun: “Half of us will go through it at some point in our lives, and we know from speaking to colleagues that the menopause can really impact workplace confidence and make elements of working life harder than normal.”
Meanwhile, Nikki Humphrey, people director at John Lewis welcomed the campaign, recognising that for “too long menopause has been taboo in society”.
She added: “When women start going through the menopause while working, we don’t want anything to hold them back.”
Aviva’s Danny Harmer, said: “Menopause is not just a women's issue – it's everyone's issue.
“We are totally supportive of the Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign.”
Our exclusive Fabulous survey revealed on average women first notice symptoms of the menopause at 47 – 18 years before the current retirement age.
It means millions of women face brain fog, anxiety, hot flushes, memory loss and other debilitating symptoms while also trying to maintain their job.
Our research found 4 per cent are forced to quit work altogether, while more than a quarter of women said menopause places a strain on their work life, and just 11 per cent said their employer was understanding.
Workshops, training, open conversations and appointing wellbeing champions are just some of the ways companies can support their staff.
But it often comes down to simple tweaks – managers can allow for flexible working hours or changing their uniforms.
While many big corporations are working to stamp out the taboo at work, thousands more businesses still need to step up and implement change.
- Pledge to join the campaign and introduce policies at YOUR workplace by emailing [email protected].
Fabulous Menopause Matters
An estimated one in five of the UK’s population are currently experiencing it.
Yet the menopause is still whispered in hush tones like it’s something to be embarrassed about.
The stigma attached to the transition means women have been suffering in silence for centuries.
The Sun are determined to change that, launching the Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign to give the taboo a long-awaited kick, and get women the support they need.
The campaign has three aims:
- To make HRT free in England
- To get every workplace to have a menopause policy to provide support
- To bust taboos around the menopause
The campaign has been backed by a host of influential figures including Baroness Karren Brady CBE, celebrities Lisa Snowdon, Jane Moore, Michelle Heaton, Zoe Hardman, Saira Khan, Trisha Goddard, as well as Carolyn Harris MP, Jess Phillips MP, Caroline Nokes MP and Rachel Maclean MP.
Exclusive research commissioned by Fabulous, which surveyed 2,000 British women aged 45-65 who are going through or have been through the menopause, found that 49% of women suffered feelings of depression, while 7% felt suicidal while going through the menopause.
50% of respondents said there is not enough support out there for menopausal women, which is simply not good enough. It’s time to change that.
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