A gamechanging business campaign is being launched by Dorset Chamber to break down barriers surrounding the menopause in the workplace.
Dorset Chamber is leading the way with the bold initiative to raise awareness about the issue – how it can affect women’s health and their working lives – as part of its ongoing focus on health and wellbeing in business.
The business support organisation is holding an event on July 29 called ‘Let’s talk about the menopause’ to encourage more open discussion and education about the subject.
Guest speakers at the event will include Dr Sarah Hattam, a practising GP and expert on the relationship between health and work.
It follows hot on the heels of the chamber’s trailblazing Got Your 6 (GU6) mental health initiative.
Ian Girling, Dorset Chamber chief executive, said: “This all started with a conversation I had during our GU6 sessions.
“I was speaking to someone who explained just how debilitating the menopause had been for her and how it affected her at work.
“I had a moment of realisation that no-one ever talks about it in the workplace and the affect that it can have.
“The more I looked into it, the more serious an issue I realised that it was, and that we need to start having conversations about it.
“Greater education and awareness is the key to understanding just how the menopause can impact women’s health and affect their working lives.”
Ian added: “It is particularly important that men in leadership and management roles understand the issue and adopt a culture of support which is not only the right approach in terms of wellbeing but also from a business perspective too.
“I believe that Dorset is leading the way as the first chamber of commerce nationwide to focus on this issue and hope that our event can kickstart a meaningful conversation in the county and further afield which yields real change.”
Dorset Chamber’s groundbreaking Got Your 6 (GU6) campaign to provide mental health support for business leaders and ‘Let’s talk about the menopause’ are two of its latest initiatives as it shines a spotlight on health and wellbeing at work.
Dr Hattam, founder of the workplace wellbeing consultancy Concilio Health, said: “This is an issue which will affect over half the population, but we don’t talk about it.
“It has a negative impact on work for half of those affected but rarely gets mentioned. It’s a perfectly normal phase in a woman’s life but it can also be a bumpy ride and we all need to understand it, recognise it and manage it.”
Sponsored by Lester Aldridge Solicitors, ‘Let’s talk about the menopause’ is being held on July 29 via Zoom from 9.20am to 11.10am.
It will include first person accounts, a presentation about legal requirements, guidance about workplace policies, a panel discussion and Q&A session.
To book a place visit https://dorsetchamber.co.uk/event/lets-talk-about-the-menopause/ and for more details about support available visit https://dorsetchamber.co.uk/menopause-resources/.
PANEL:
Research from the independent Nuffield Health group found:
- About 13 million women in the UK are either peri or post menopausal
- Symptoms can last up to 15 years
- Over 60% of women experience symptoms resulting in behaviour changes
- One in four women will experience severe debilitating symptoms
- Almost half of menopausal women say they feel depressed
- A third of women say they suffer with anxiety
- Approximately two-thirds of women say there is a general lack of support and understanding