Keeping the conversation going & breaking the stigma
In October 2021 Lloyds Banking Group launched improved menopause guidance – but our joint work didn’t stop there. We’re continuing our work with the Group to remove the stigma from the word menopause and to improve awareness and support.
That’s why we’re using January as ‘menopause activity month’.
Raising awareness
Menopause affects us all, not just women of “a certain age”. All of us – in one way or another. That's why we invited all members to join us for a joint awareness session with the Bank Workers Charity (BWC) on Monday 17th January. The webinar looked at both the perimenopause (the transition into menopause) and the menopause.
During the session, Heena Patel from BWC examined the silence that often surrounds the subject and provided guidance on where to get specialised support. We also looked at the astonishing impact of the menopause at work, and how some employers are becoming menopause friendly.
Here are some statistics Heena shared about menopause and work:
- 90% of organisations don't have a menopause policy
- 14 million work days a year are lost relating to menopause
- 1 in 4 women experiencing menopause are leaving work
- 75% of menopausal women felt the couldn't talk to their line manager about the real reasons for their absence from work
We’d really appreciate your feedback on the webinar. It only takes a few moments to complete, and we welcome all comments Tell us how we did
Further support
- You'll find a wealth of support on the Bank Workers Charity menopause page
- Bupa has a range of information available on their menopause support page
- Menopause Support have a range of resources on their website
Building a support network
We’d like to build a network of advocates across our membership who can support those going through the menopause. We’ll be asking members and reps to express an interest in becoming an advocate after the January menopause events. To support this, we've teamed up with Menopause Support to run a training session for our reps which was held on Wednesday 26th January.
The workshop was designed to equip reps with the knowledge and confidence to support colleagues and members who may need help coping with menopause symptoms in the workplace.
The training covered:
- an overview of menopause
- the most common physical, mental and cognitive symptoms
- the possible effects and challenges of symptoms
- helpful resources you can use to support women in the workplace
Missed out? Watch the recording
Download the transcriptMen supporting women
It’s just as important that those who won’t experience the impact of the transition in their own health and wellbeing show empathy and support for those that will.
That’s why we’re inviting our male reps and members to complete a short survey.
The results will help us to understand the perceptions of men in the workplace; what you already know and what support is needed. So please share the survey link with your male colleagues.
Those who complete the survey before 5pm on Monday 31st January will be entered into a prize draw to win £50.
If you can't complete it before then, don't worry. The survey will remain open and we'd really appreciate your feedback.
Accord's ED&I Group
The Accord Equality Diversity & Inclusion group’s aim is to maximise our members' potential, regardless of background, and ensure everyone is treated with dignity and respect. It’s a place where diversity is celebrated, without prejudice or judgement. It’s a chance to collectively learn from our experiences and enrich all our lives.
The group get involved in a broad spectrum of events across the year. If you’re interested, why not get involved — email us at [email protected] or register to join online.
