Menopause Awareness Month: A Case Study from Philips UKI
ABHI member, Philips UKI, launched their Menopause Strategy in March 2020. In this Q&A to coincide with World Menopause Month, we spoke to Karla Wellington, Health & Wellbeing Manager at Philips UK & Ireland + North America, on the impact this strategy is having for staff.
Can you tell us about the menopause strategy that Philips UKI has developed?
KW: “Learning that 1 in 4 women* consider leaving work due to the menopause, we were compelled to change that statistic. With Acas guidance released on managing the effects of the menopause in the workplace we wanted to bring this important workplace issue into our wider health and wellbeing strategy.
Upon opening conversations at Philips, we were able to see the taboo & stigma that exists both inside & outside workplaces around menopause. But encouragingly we also noticed a lot of curiosity and need for credible information on the topic and so our strategy was 3-fold: Firstly, to provide support for the person experiencing the menopause, secondly to improve the knowledge and understanding of people around them, such as their line manager, and thirdly we also looked to provide support for employees that may have a loved one going through the menopause, which of course may impact that employee indirectly.
We created a Menopause Focus Group which included employees that had varied lived experience of Menopause to help develop our plan. This working group looked at best practice and used latest research to ensure we delivered programmes that had value & meaning for our employees.
We took a ‘menopause friendly checklist' approach using guidance from the British Menopause Society and Henpicked to ensure we put the right awareness, education and support in place. We captured the voice of employees through bespoke surveys and collected data on our events to drive future decision making. We launched an employee Menopause Network and provided educational resources for employees and line managers. This was underpinned by new HR Guidance, plus Line Manager & Employee training."
How has the programme been received?
KW: ‘’We’ve had many encouraging conversations and grateful responses over the past 2 and a half years. Reflecting on where we have come from, our early employee survey found that over one-quarter of respondents said that menopausal symptoms caused them moderate difficulties with work. In addition, over half had not wanted to discuss symptoms with their line manager and what is really striking, was one-third felt they were not able to take time off work due to symptoms. We knew this was not unique to Philips but reflective that menopause and its impact was rarely discussed or treated as an unmentionable topic.
Since the program roll-out we hear that for those experiencing menopause it has been incredibly helpful for them to know that this topic is being talked about and taken seriously by Philips. The training has increased understanding about menopause and through this education has created allies. Our Menopause Network has expanded outside of the UKI and as a result we now welcome global colleagues into our Tea & Talk & training events. Here are a few quotes from colleagues":
- ‘This is a great place to share the subject that can often cause us great stress and embarrassment.’
- ‘Wow - thank you ladies for sharing these experiences - I now feel that I'm not alone.’
- 'Who would have thought we'd be bonding over menopause! But I couldn't be more grateful for the network.’
It is great to hear that those experiencing the menopause now have that support network in place. How are you supplementing that support in terms of messaging to all colleagues, and those who will never directly experience the menopause?
KW: “This has been an interesting challenge for us, because even for those who have been through the menopause, their experience may completely differ. Largely we see that it’s a health topic that even women* tend to not speak about it until they are experiencing it (the menopause transition typically occurs between the ages 45 and 55, but certain circumstances can trigger an early menopause). This is not surprising considering the lack of education in schools and the culture of silence around something that ironically half the population will experience in their lives. We are sharing employee stories to help increase levels of understanding and continue to bring this forward and an important inclusion & diversity issue.
The survey that we conducted at this start of this journey told us that 80% of Managers have never discussed menopause with a direct report, with almost half of them feeling that they were not equipped and/or comfortable with discussing it. We are ensuring Line Managers can access dedicated training, and can confidently signpost to resources that can aid discussions. The feedback from Line Managers has been positive that the training has enabled them to be informed and provide appropriate & timely support.
From a wider business case perspective, there are compelling reasons beyond the corporate social responsibility & duty of care to support menopause in the workplace. If women* suddenly feel they need to drop out of the workforce due to menopause symptoms, then that is an enormous amount of capability and knowledge leaving your business & a high cost of recruitment. But organisations that can foster inclusion where individuals receive tangible & practical support, can maintain that talent. Through our programmes we have seen hugely positive and affirming responses from employees when they feel connected and supported through what can be a difficult time. This 'heart-shaped data' strongly confirms we need to keep going on this journey to transform culture, ensuring no individual is left behind. That should resonate with any business leader.”
There are many smaller companies within the industry who may be starting to think about how they can support their staff with the menopause. What top tip could you suggest to help get some of those companies started on this journey?
KW: “There are fantastic resources are already out there at no cost & these are only increasing as menopause sees growing media coverage. Start with best practice and guidelines available from ACAS, CIPD & Womens Health Concern. Look for case studies of what other organisations have implemented to learn from their success and challenges. We sought help from several other organisations when writing our HR Guidance Document for example. Success will also depend on investment & buy-in from leaders in your organisation, so ensure you consider their advocacy & support in communicating & rolling out your programmes.
Most significant is to understand and mobilise the voices of your employees. Lived experience of menopause can be powerful in bringing different perspectives, so plan that journey together by establishing a focus group to help shape your own strategy."
*The terms ‘woman’ & ‘women’ are used, however this is inclusive of and recognises that people from different communities can also experience symptoms because of hormonal changes.
Karla Wellington is a Health & Wellbeing Manager at Philips UK & Ireland + North America (IGTD business)