Jog Hundle is an Employment Partner at Mills & Reeve. She leads the Health and Care employment team, having specialised in the sector for over 25 years. She has been a member of the Menopause Friendly Independent Panel since 2021.  “I bring a background of employment expertise and a practical approach to guiding employers on what support to offer their workforce. The Menopause Friendly Accreditation Independent Panel is actually a sum total of all the specialisms we bring, which makes for a very rigorous, worthwhile process which assists organisations in achieving their goal of becomi ..read more

Each school presents a unique environment in terms of size, staff demographics and environment. But what all have in common is a range of busy and demanding roles. Introducing some simple and cost-effective support for those struggling with menopause symptoms or menstrual health issues can be a great way to keep colleagues engaged, happy and motivated.  Britain’s teaching staff are amongst the youngest in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) with an average age of 39. In a young and disproportionately female profession, it’s important to ensure that the career ..read more

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As more and more organisations continue to introduce menopause support into their workplaces, we are also seeing a rise in conversations about menstrual health at work.  Indeed, these are important conversations to have and responsible employers will consider introducing support in this arena, too.  What does research tell us? A YouGov survey in 2022 found that as many as a quarter of respondents experienced bad period pain which affected their ability to work. But just 11% who had taken time off had revealed the reason to their employer – showing this is still something of a stigma ..read more

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has recently published guidance encouraging employers to understand their responsibilities in terms of supporting menopause in the workplace. While we have made great progress in this area, there is still some way to go.  Currently, one in four employers have a policy in place and nearly half of employers are taking action on menopause. But Unite’s statistic that 83% of menopausal women say they have zero support in the workplace is telling. It could be the support is there and they are unaware of it, which is an issue in itself. But half of employ ..read more

Back in June 2021, Aster Group was among the very first organisations to achieve The Menopause Friendly Accreditation. Their passion and determination to change the way everyone thinks and feels about menopause, along with their engagement of colleagues in finding solutions, led them to pass rigorous impact evidence standards in culture, engagement, training, workplace facilities, and evaluation. One of their particularly creative initiatives was the ‘black cardi’. As Julie Cridland who lead the menopause support group at Aster Group explained: “We wanted to start making a difference quickly ..read more

As the leading provider of menopause in the workplace training and resources, there have been many occasions when other aspects of female health have been discussed with our Menopause Friendly employer members.   Menstruation is clearly a challenge for many women in the workplace but, much like talking about the menopause, it is often seen as a taboo subject.   This has to change!  It is hugely important that employers recognise the impact menstruation is having on people who work for them and look to support their colleagues. Breaking the taboo about menstru ..read more

We’re on a mission for all employers to be menopause friendly, make menopause a normal conversation and help those who need it get the support they need.  Fundamental to that is creating inclusive workplaces and together we’re already achieving significant milestones, transforming lives and reshaping the culture of workplaces across the UK.  While progress is undeniable, research from the CIPD highlights that one in four employers have a menopause policy and nearly a half are taking action. Although a quarter of employers have a menopause policy, Unite research reveals ..read more

Back in 2016 we couldn’t find an employer with a menopause policy. That picture has changed dramatically in the UK, with recent research by the CIPD saying as many as 1 in 4 have a policy and nearly half are taking action.  Why, you might ask. Is it really that important? The answer is a resounding yes. Most of the leading organisations who’ve committed to being menopause friendly, or have achieve The Menopause Friendly Accreditation started their journey because it’s simply the right thing to do. In fact, I’d say you can’t be a good employer who cares about their employees without being ..read more

With a membership of over 450 employers and seven years’ experience working with organisations to be menopause friendly, our colleagues and independent panel have seen a wide range of great ideas.  We’ve also seen some common errors befall employers, blocking their progress. Here are five mistakes we often hear about – read on to see if any of these apply to you or your organisation…. Employers are not always clear as to why supporting menopause matters to them. Not having a clear vision makes it much harder for organisations to know if they have achieved their goals. If e ..read more