The menopause is a hot topic just now, and for good reason too.
The best employers look after their people, and support them through any challenging or important periods in their lives. Whether it's pregnancy, illness, bereavement, caring responsibilities, the list goes on; and Menopause ought to be on it too.
The Menopause can be a hugely important time in a woman's life and it can certainly be challenging. Some women breeze through it, whereas others can have a really tough time physically, psychologically or both.
It doesn't help when the subject isn't talked about so much. It's kept off the radar, or whispered about at best. There can be a reticence to raise the issue, and a sense of embarrassment; with those 'going through the change' being left to supposedly morph into a complicated new being, on their own.
And it can be tragic if a mentality builds within an organisation which sees 'women of a certain age' as being past their use by date, or they're thought of as a burden, or a liability; with managing them out being the only priority. Not surprisingly, court cases are increasingly showing that this is not a wise move for employers to take.
As employers, we should talk about the Menopause, or at least consider it when looking at our own practices, policies and working culture.
For many women, the Menopause is a very private time in their life, and can involve some extremely challenging symptoms. This isn't the platform to highlight any detail, but suffice to say, a sensitive approach may be needed.
Employers can make a real difference, by making it possible for any challenges being faced by an employee to be discussed confidentially, and by being open to a degree of flexibility.
Sometimes, adjustments can be relatively simple; and for me, being someone who can melt butter at 100 metres, a readily available desktop fan is literally a life saver!!
If you'd like help with your own approach, policies and practices, please drop me a line: hello@helmpositiveworkplaces.co.uk