Menopause matters
We’re committed to raising the profile of menopause awareness, both within our firm and in wider society. We’re speaking up, taking action, and creating an inclusive and empowering place for people going through the menopause, while also doing more to help others who are supporting those affected by it.
We want everyone to feel empowered to discuss any aspect of their wellbeing at work. This hasn’t always been the case with the menopause, and even now, it’s often regarded as a taboo subject. We believe that needs to change.
Women over 50 are the fastest growing demographic in the UK workforce. And yet one in four women have left jobs as a result of feeling unwell due to the menopause, with many struggling to manage their symptoms at work.
Over the last year, we’ve been taking steps to help our people feel more comfortable talking about it and improving access to the support they need.
In October 2021, we signed the Menopause Workplace Pledge, launched by our charity partner Wellbeing of Women, demonstrating our commitment to being a supportive and empowering place for employees going through the menopause.
The same month, we enhanced the private medical insurance provided through AXA Health to include an initial menopause consultation with a specialist, diagnostics such as blood tests, and a follow-up consultation. And in March we introduced Peppy, an app through which our people and their partners can access non-clinical support on specific areas of healthcare, including the menopause.
These new offerings followed steps we’d already taken, including adding menopause symptoms to our absence reporting descriptions in 2019.
Our Menopause Matters internal network, set up by marketing manager Louise Hymers in 2020, provides a safe virtual place to seek support, share tips and learn more through an online discussion forum and monthly virtual cuppas. The group has also played a vital role in shaping the firm’s approach to menopause support, and Louise and other members featured in a short film with the British Menopause Society and ITN Productions to mark World Menopause Day.
To make it easier for our people to access the information and support they need, we’ve worked with Wellbeing of Women and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to refresh our Menopause in the Workplace microsite, along with a Menopause Reference Guide specifically for career coaches.
We’ve discussed the menopause more openly than ever before this year.
“We believe women should feel empowered to share their experiences of the menopause with those around them as they feel comfortable, and ask for support to help manage their symptoms in the workplace as needed.”
An inclusive culture
Our Menopause Matters community is thriving and now has over 750 members, having more than doubled in size over the last year. As they continue to raise awareness, members of the group have presented to more than 1,000 people internally about the menopause.
Our Empowered Flexibility approach is helping our people to adapt where and when they work according to their symptoms. And the enhancement we’ve made to our private medical insurance has been really well received: “Having support covered through AXA is huge. Thanks for listening to our concerns and taking action quickly to help empower us!”.
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