Bidvest Noonan has signed the Menopause Workplace Pledge developed by the charity Wellbeing of Women and launched a new menopause support tool kit for employees across the group.
Menopause can be a challenging time.
Women usually experience menopause between the ages of 45 and 55, with the average age being 51, and symptoms can last several years.
However, menopause can also occur at a younger age.
The symptoms can include hot flushes, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, headaches, muscle and joint pains, and low mood.
These symptoms can be debilitating.
Menopause can also affect people from transgender, non-binary and intersex communities, and its symptoms and impact can vary among different groups.
Men, especially those in their late 40s and early 50s, can also experience ‘male menopause’ which involves the development of physical and emotional symptoms.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD) reports that three out of five working women aged between 45 and 55 who experience menopause symptoms say it has a negative impact on them at work.
Bidvest Noonan’s new menopause support tool kit aims to make the business an inclusive place workplace.
The toolkit sets out how colleagues experiencing menopause can be supported, including how reasonable adjustments can be made to working practices and working environments for affected employees to ensure their comfort and well-being.
The Menopause Workplace Pledge requires signatories to:
Mary Kealy, the company's managing director for Workplace Solutions, comments: "While the topic of menopause is not typically something that comes up in conversation at work, this can be where people find their symptoms most difficult to manage.
We feel it is important to make it easier to talk about menopause and provide support for people experiencing challenging symptoms, therefore we have also implemented the role of Menopause Champion so our people can speak freely and feel comfortable they are supported."
Emma Rahim, HR Director, says: "We feel it is important to dispel the taboo surrounding this topic.
We are working to ensure our people are well informed about the menopause and enabling them to access support and resources.
We want to ensure that our people see menopause as a natural phase and feel confident discussing their needs with us and how we can support them in the workplace."
John King, Environmental, Social and Governance Director, adds: “We are committed to ensuring we are an employer of choice and making the workplace a welcoming space for all our colleagues.
We want our colleagues to feel empowered and supported in any challenges they face”.
