Do you want to know what it’s really like to work with me?

ACAS kindly agreed to provide a Menopause in the Workplace Case Study and share how our work together has helped to enhance feelings of belonging and inclusion throughout the organisation.

What made you decide to work with Julie?

As part of our tendering process, we approach 3 suppliers.  All three delivered similar sessions aimed at staff and managers.  What we liked about your submission was the detail each session would cover, along with the bespoke session with HR.  I had also done my homework and had spoken to a couple of colleagues in the Fire Service how gave great feedback in relation to the work you have been doing with them over the last three years.

How did attendees feel after the workshops?

We have received really tremendous feedback following the sessions your delivered for us.  Our post course questions asked specific questions around the learning and 97% of learners said it met their learning needs, 99% said it met its intended objectives, 96% were satisfied with the learning and 97% said they would recommend this learning for others.

Here are a couple of comments we received.

“Facilitator was very knowledgeable. Came away knowing and understanding more about the menopause and how it has affected me.”

 “I felt the presenter was very knowledgeable and willing to listen to us all as well as share experiences. We were given some useful information regarding HRT and lifestyle changes.”

 “Helping people to talk openly about menopause is a really positive step. Thanks for actively arranging and promoting sessions like these”

 “The facilitator was confident and comfortable talking with an inclusive approach – it was very empowering, and they made it feel like a safe space to talk about issues affecting females, their partners, transgender and non-binary colleagues, those with different ethnic backgrounds etc. All these topics can be shied away from with a fear of saying the wrong thing, so it was great to get the facts”

What are the benefits for ACAS as an organisation?

At ACAS we know from our own research that a third of employers do not feel well equipped to support women going through the menopause.  We therefore wanted to ensure that when we launched our own menopause policy we wanted to have training that sat alongside that which would equip our managers to be aware of how menopause could impact on their staff. Plus ensure our people knew what support was out there for them.  We wanted a training product which would cover the facts and eliminate stereotypes, give our people the confidence to have conversations around menopause and most importantly show that we as an employer that we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace.

What would you say to other organisations considering working in this area?

It is worth investing the time to educate your workforce as it makes good business sense. Research Without Barriers, for instance, said a lack of workplace support for the menopause could force more than one million women in the UK, or one in four, to leave their jobs.  Any unintended change to labour market participation among women can ultimately be a detriment to achieving equality, including in gender pay, as well as to organisational and individual health and productivity.

Again as we say above ACAS’s poll, for example, found that over a third (37 per cent) of employers are not confident that managers have the necessary skills to support staff experiencing menopause symptoms.  Regular training, not just for people managers but for all senior leaders and staff, is a core element of the solution.

ACAS’s guidance on the menopause provides further insights on how employers can embed the subject in their discourse and in their actions, including through an organisational policy and relevant training for managers.

Thank you to ACAS for taking the time to produce this Menopause in the Workplace Case Study!