World Menopause Day, celebrated annually on 18th October, raises awareness around menopause and the support options available. This year’s theme focuses on Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT), highlighting its importance and the current debates around its use. As an employer, it’s vital to create a supportive environment for those experiencing menopause, ensuring they feel heard and valued in the workplace.
Accelerate Procurement: our menopause support strategy
As a majority female owned business, World Menopause Day is a date that we feel particularly passionate about supporting.
We believe that women often face this challenge at the peak of their careers, frequently without support and awareness. We are passionate about inspiring good business practice to help keep women in the workplace: we believe that the menopause should be given the same level of importance as parenting and other Diversity and Inclusion issues.
Accelerate are one of the founding brands for GenM, the menopause partner for brands who’s mission is to improve the menopause experience for all. We believe that the menopause is not soley a gender, workplace, or diversity and inclusion issue. Instead, it is a sum of all parts that affects all of society, either directly or indirectly. By purposefully uniting brands, organisations and employers under GenM, we can all come together and pledge better support and connect with those impacted, ultimately improving the menopause experience for all.
Outside of our work with GenM, we also head up a small support group which takes a “bookclub approach” with a focus on policy and experience in the workplace.
Women in business
As an organisation in general, we are champions of women in the workplace. We support mentoring programmes for Women in Procurement and Women in Leadership, including 30% Club, a formal mentoring program that we are involved in as mentors. We are also a member of the WeConnect network which allows big corporations to do business with Women-owned businesses.
Why Menopause Awareness matters in the workplace
For many women and individuals experiencing menopause, it can be a challenging phase both physically and mentally. Symptoms can include hot flashes, sleep disturbances, mood swings, and difficulty concentrating, often affecting work performance. Being an empathetic and supportive employer can greatly enhance staff well-being, morale, and productivity. It also builds a more inclusive workplace culture, demonstrating that all employees’ needs are important.
Practical ways to show support as an employer
1. Educate and Create Awareness
Provide educational resources for employees and management about menopause. Encouraging open conversations can help reduce stigma and foster a culture of understanding.
2. Develop a Menopause Policy
Establish a menopause policy that outlines support available to affected employees. This could include flexible working hours, access to wellness rooms, and more frequent breaks.
3. Offer Training for Managers
Equip managers with the necessary knowledge and tools to handle conversations around menopause sensitively. Understanding symptoms and offering adjustments can make a significant difference.
4. Adjust the Work Environment
Simple changes like controlling office temperature, offering fans, and providing a quiet space for relaxation can improve comfort for menopausal employees.
5. Promote Access to Healthcare
Inform employees about their healthcare benefits, including access to hormone therapy and counselling services, which can be beneficial for managing symptoms.
Looking beyond World Menopause Day
While World Menopause Day is an excellent starting point, continuous support is key. By actively addressing the needs of menopausal employees and incorporating supportive practices into your workplace culture, you create an environment where all staff can thrive.
Menopause support in the procurement sector
Being a majority female owned organisation gives us a unique view in the consulting world and creates conversations that go beyond facts and data with a more human touch.
We believe that menopause support deserves to be more than just policy: we work to help brands to recognise there is currently a very large group within the workplace with unmet needs.
Our aim is always to help businesses embrace diversity of thought to help unlock their full potential. There are so many benefits that come with embracing diversity: smarter ideas and solutions created by people from different backgrounds and experiences
If you’d like to discuss a working partnership with Accelerate, get in touch today.