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October is Menopause Awareness Month, with 18 October designated as ‘World Menopause Day’ and this year’s theme being ‘Cognition and Mood’.
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The menopause is a natural stage of life that affects all women. Medically speaking, it is where a woman ceases to ovulate and their periods eventually stop, caused by a change in hormone levels. According to the NHS, the average age that women experience the menopause in the UK is 51, and symptoms can vary widely – with the most common being hot flushes, sleep disturbances, night sweats – and the menopause can often be perceived in a negative way. It is this way of thinking that needs to be challenged, especially in the workplace, where women can feel overlooked, embarrassed or struggle long term.
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The Office of National Statistics stated that in 2021 there were approximately four million women, aged between 45-55 in employment and according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD),‘six in ten menopausal women say their symptoms have had a negative impact on their work.’ That is a huge proportion of the workforce that require extra support.
By putting the wellbeing of menopausal employees at the fore and creating a menopause-friendly workplace, companies could reap the benefits of a happier and more varied workforce, a better retention of staff, and a company with an ethos of inclusivity.
For information on how the UoB is addressing these needs and how to become a UoB Menopause Ally, please visit https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/collaboration/equality/staff/policies-and-initiatives-for-staff/menopause/index.aspx
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Plus for some free events locally in support of Menopause Awareness Month, go to https://www.greaterbirminghamchambers.com/latest-news/news/2022/9/30/free-events-in-support-of-menopause-awareness-month/
and
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom–birmingham/menopause/
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