Professional and Technical sector advice and information

Businesses in the professional and technical sectors encompass a wide range of industries such as legal firms, engineering companies, IT consultancies, architectural practices, accounting firms, marketing agencies, and more.

It’s important to recognise and address the unique impact of menopause on employees in these fields. This information provides practical insights for individuals and organisations, from new start up businesses to established corporations, striving to foster a culture of inclusivity and support in their workplace.

Top tips

  • Look at ways to cool the working environment, for example provide a fan, move a desk close to a window or adjust the air conditioning.
  • Provide easy access to cold drinking water and washrooms.
  • Make sanitary products available in washrooms.
  • Encourage employees to discuss concerns at one-to-one meetings with their manager or supervisor and/or HR or occupational health.
  • Don’t make assumptions – everyone is different, so take your lead from the individual.
  • Discuss possible adjustments to tasks and duties that are proving a challenge.
  • Allow someone to move around or stay mobile, if that helps.
  • Allow someone to temporarily work from home if they have very heavy bleeding.
  • If working from home or in a hybrid arrangement, encourage shorter meetings, with frequent breaks in between.
  • Have agreed protected time to catch up with work.
  • Provide a quiet area to work.
  • Recognise someone may need to take short-term absence if they have difficult symptoms.
  • Approach performance conversations supportively and positively.
  • Take any health issues fully into account where there is underperformance on the part of an individual.
  • Signpost to an employee assistance programme or counselling services if available.

Hear from Kate James, Lloyds Banking Group, on how she has supported staff using her own experience of early menopause

Kate James’ journey to creating a menopause-friendly workplace at Lloyds Banking Group started when she set up a menopause support group for colleagues back in 2016 after she experienced an early menopause. She also helped design and launch the Group’s Menopause Proposition in 2021.

Kate said, “We want to encourage all our colleague’s experiencing menopause to stay within the business and we’re doing that by providing medical care, wellbeing support and flexibility to those who need it, as well as training to empower all our people to be more informed and comfortable talking about menopause, removing stigma so no one feels embarrassed or ashamed.

But it’s also really important for us to be a menopause-friendly employer. That way we can attract new talent into the business as well.

Menopause education, information and support can help improve employee satisfaction and retention, and in doing so create a culture of inclusivity within your organisation where everyone can thrive.”

Lloyds Banking Group supports colleagues, as an accredited Menopause Friendly Employer through it’s Menopause Promise which

  • Provides access to medical care, wellbeing support and flexibility when it’s needed.
  • Aims to break the taboo around the menopause so that all colleagues feel comfortable discussing it and how their experiences may be affecting them.
  • Provide education and training to everyone to allow them to engage in meaningful conversation and support the ‘normalisation’ of the topic.

In practice this means colleagues have access to:

  • A dedicated Menopause Hub with extensive information and resources
  • Expert-led virtual events on diverse menopause experiences
  • A virtual support community which includes a coffee club, podcasts and drop-in sessions – so no colleague feels alone
  • Online eLearning module
  • Practical support such as cooling products and uniform adjustments for branch colleagues
  • Workplace adjustments guidance
  • Access to Bupa Menopause Plan and 24/7 nurse helpline
  • ‘Menopause on the Road’ roadshow events across the UK