At Churchill Group, over 50 per cent of our colleagues are female, and our biggest female demographic is aged 40 to 45. During that time, many women begin the natural transition into perimenopause and menopause.
As a proudly employee-owned company, improving our menopause support is a major step in fostering a supportive and friendly community that all our team members are proud to be a part of. This includes ensuring our leaders are equipped to support colleagues no matter their struggle
What are the effects of menopause in the workplace?
Menopause symptoms are varied and differ from person to person. They can include:
- Hot flushes
- Brain fog
- Sleeplessness
- Changes in mood
For some, these symptoms are debilitating, and without proper support in the workplace, some women choose to leave the workforce altogether. According to a 2019 survey by BUPA, almost 900,000 women in the UK left their jobs due to menopausal symptoms. This results in potentially reduced career opportunities for those employees who leave their jobs, as well as businesses losing out on top talent, making menopause support at work a crucial issue for both employees and employers.
How is Churchill improving menopause support?
Getting accredited
We are currently working towards a Menopause in the Workplace Accreditation, helping to develop our workplace menopause policies and support systems so that no one in our business suffers alone.
Workshops for business leaders
In 2024, we held a 2-hour workshop for 20 leaders in the business to raise awareness around menopause. Going foward, we will continue to deliver educational sessions like these so that leaders can take a proactive approach in discussing and advocating for menopause support.
Advocate workshops
As part of our new menopause workplace policy, we began train-the-trainer (TTT) menopause advocate workshops aimed at educating managers, team leaders and HR professionals on menopause, including its symptoms and its impact in the workplace. Once all trainees have completed the third session, this cohort will be menopause advocates who can educate and empower managers, frontline teams and all colleagues to create a supportive environment for those experiencing menopause. We aim to have 70 per cent of management teams trained by October 2025.
What our workshops cover
Over three sessions, team members will cover the following areas:
- What menopause looks and feels like and how it can affect people
- How to deliver menopause awareness sessions themselves
- Reasonable adjustments for menpause symptomse e.g. agile support, microbreaks, delayed start times or additional workwear items
Our menopause support at work
From 2025, we have implemented a number of policies and tools for managers and team members to use.
- A colleague toolbox talk which discussed policy, practical guidance examples and supportive conversation frameworks for managers. This talk is the first of many that will help embed menopause awareness throughout the company – showing frontline colleagues our internal policy and who they can turn to for support and guidance.
- A dedicated inbox for all employees who are experiencing symptoms and would like some additional support or guidance.
- Personalised support for employees experiencing symptoms, formulated by both the team member and their line manager. The could include contacting their GP, organising a change in their working arrangement or uniform, or any other support they need.
Our aims for the future
The mental health and safety of our colleagues is hugely impacted by the workplace culture we cultivate. At Churchill Group, we don’t take that duty of care lightly, and we want to make sure every person feels best equipped to help and be helped by each other.
That’s why we’re working towards securing Menopause in the Workplace accreditation as one of several ways of ensuring that every colleague is fully supported.
Eager to be part of an organisation that truly supports and invests in its workforce? Apply to join our team now and discover what makes us truly unique.
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