Our Menopause Awareness Training Course explains what the Menopause is, how it affects people at work and what support should be considered. Participants will leave the course with:-

• A clearer understanding of what the Menopause is and how it can affect women at work.
• Insights into the impacts the Menopause can have on your organisation’s workforce and productivity
• Assistance to introduce and embed Menopause workplace policies and procedures
• Clarity on how the law views Menopause at work
• Tools with which to support Menopausal women at work
• Signposts to a wide range of external information and support resources

The course is accompanied with policy templates, an audit checklist and our 12 month post course support service. In delivering the above the course highlights the related social and legal considerations.

Background and Context
No business or organisation can afford to lose experienced staff due to mismanagement of menopausal support. Improving awareness across HR Teams and Operational Management is more important than ever before.

This half day short course, delivered by a subject expert, improves understanding and in doing so helps improve support for those who are perimenopausal (around menopausal) or menopausal.

It is estimated that there are currently 13 million UK women who are. This is equivalent to almost one third of the UK female population. With an ageing UK population, more women than ever, 8 out 10 menopausal women, will be working into and beyond menopause. A significant number of women have left work due to the impact of menopause and the mismanagement that surrounds it.

Of the 23 employment tribunals referencing menopause last year,16 cited disability discrimination, 10 claimed sex discrimination and 14 were based on unfair dismissal. One employment tribunal in Hull heard how a factory worker was reprimanded for undoing her top button, despite having told her employer she was suffering hot flushes due to the menopause. Had HR teams and operational managers had a better awareness and understanding of the Menopause many of these may have been avoided.

What all the above cases have in common is that they illustrate how the mismanagement of menopausal employees can result in expensive disputes. These can be prevented with an understanding of the menopause and by making reasonable adjustments that are tailored to an individual’s specific needs.

The cases above covered a wide spectrum of discrimination issues. Age and sex are potential reference points but also disability.

Menopausal symptoms can constitute a disability under the Equality Act 2010. Employers should therefore always investigate fully when medical reasons are raised as a cause of poor performance or attendance. Workplace policies and procedures should be applied to employees equally, failing which an employer risks a dismissal being regarded as unfair. Employers should develop policies and procedures that will support menopausal employees in the workplace.

Additionally, the growing volume of cases is increasing the pressure on government to amend the Equality Act by introducing a 10thProtected Characteristic on the Menopause in its own right. The all-party House of Commons Equalities Select Committee is spearheading this pressure.

It is imperative that all HR teams and operational managers receive appropriate training.

There are also significant benefits available from training the whole workforce via an online lecture style presentation – content can be adapted to meet your needs and time frames