Leading employers AstraZeneca, BBC, Royal Mail, Co-op, and TSB are the latest organisations among 600 signing the Menopause Workplace Pledge.
The campaign is raising awareness of the menopause as a workplace issue, after estimates show that 1 million women have quit their jobs. Surveys also reveal that many people pass up promotions and reduce their hours due to the menopause.
Wellbeing of Women, in collaboration with Hello! Magazine and Bupa, is calling on every employer to take the Menopause Workplace Pledge to keep women and colleagues in work and help them to flourish at every life stage.
In just six months, hundreds of signatories range from FTSE 100 companies, major supermarkets, banks, and accounting and law firms to schools, hospitals, universities and even London Zoo.
Latest sign-up, Royal Mail, has launched a range of initiatives to further support the 16,500 members of its staff likely to be experiencing perimenopause and menopause symptoms. This includes new menopause training and an internal campaign to normalise conversations.
Meanwhile, Tesco, the largest private employer in the UK with 300,000 staff, has menopause guidance and training in place, and will change its uniform to incorporate a breathable fabric to help with hot flushes.
In 2019, Co-op introduced a menopause policy to its 60,000 colleagues. It has now launched a dedicated menopause support guide to over 4,500 managers across its food stores, funeral homes, legal services and insurance businesses to better support colleagues.
Helen Webb, Chief People & Services Officer at Co-op, said:
“Women make up nearly half the UK workforce and this means a large number of our colleagues will be managing peri-menopause and menopause symptoms at work. Unfortunately, many people still feel uncomfortable talking about this, and as a result, some women may suffer in silence while experiencing symptoms that affect their physical and mental health.
“It’s time to start recognising the menopause as a workplace issue that we all have a role in supporting. At Co-op, we are proud to be supporting our colleagues with policies, training and measures in place and fully back the Menopause Workplace Pledge campaign.”
The Countess of Wessex is Royal Patron of Wellbeing for Women. The campaign is calling on more employers to sign the Menopause Workplace Pledge and support their staff going through the menopause. Find out more about the campaign and how you can get involved.
You might also be interested in these resources:
Case study: Ministry of Justice UK’s Menopause Network In Action
Why It’s Time To Normalise The Conversation Around Women’s Health
Tesco Join Stellar Line-up For Make A Difference Menopause Webinar
