We’ve signed the Menopause Workplace Pledge!

Many women quit their jobs, reduce their hours, and pass up promotions due to the menopause. Debbie Atherton our Executive Director of Governance, People and Communications shares how we are improving our support at work to help change that.

Everyone going through menopause will have their journey –three in four women will experience symptoms and for one in four these symptoms will be severe. 

At Progress Housing Group we want to ensure people affected by menopause are adequately supported and that we can truly consider ourselves a menopause-positive workplace.

To support us in these goals we have signed up to the Menopause Workplace Pledge organised by the Wellbeing of Women, who offer access to information, resources and webinars, to help guide us.

The Pledge

By signing the pledge we commit to the following:

1. Recognising that menopause can be an issue in the workplace and women need support.
2. Talking openly, positively and respectfully about the menopause.
3. Actively supporting and informing our colleagues affected by the menopause.

The workplace pledge is a long-term commitment to develop awareness, understanding and a supportive culture and means we will take at least one action a year – big or small – in the five key areas of the Action Framework.

The Menopause Workplace Pledge Action Framework

The five key areas are:

1. Listening to what colleagues need 
2. Encouraging open conversations across the organisation 
3. Providing adequate adjustments, policies and support for colleagues experiencing the menopause 
4. Raising awareness of menopause both internally and across our networks 
5. Making information about the menopause widely available across the organisation.

Small changes can make a big difference in the workplace.

Our Meno Movers network group, set up and run by our colleague volunteers, is a source of connection and camaraderie for our colleagues experiencing menopause, or supporting someone who is.  Last week on World Menopause Day, four of our colleagues, who are also part of our Meno Movers network, participated in a panel discussion to help shed some light on the menopause experience. The session was well attended by our female and some of our male colleagues and it was great to see people offer support and advice to one another. We also have a Menopause Toolkit which is a useful guide to menopause and highlights support options in the workplace, as a starting point for colleagues and their managers. 

For Progress Housing Group, we feel becoming a menopause-positive workplace increases staff retention, improves productivity, happiness, and well-being, and ensures a more diverse workforce. Also, it’s just the right thing to do.

You can find out more about the Menopause Workplace Pledge here or our equality, diversity, and inclusion networks here.