World Menopause Day: Are Scottish media employers offering enough support?
By Chloe Gardener
Until very recently, menopause was treated with secrecy. If talked about at all it would be in hushed whispers; or, at the other end of the spectrum, comedians would poke fun at “the change”.
Which is rather odd, considering every woman - or anyone with a uterus for that matter - will experience menopause at some time or other.
And while the severity of physical and psychological symptoms differs from person to person, both day-to-day life and work is likely to be affected.
So what support do our media employers offer employees going through what can be a difficult time?
Trade unions and the Scottish government publish guidance on how companies should write their menopause policies, but ultimately, it’s up to individual companies.
Reach offers an online meeting space for employees to speak openly about menopause, and even has an app to track mood and manage stress.
Channel 4 has flexible working arrangements including paid leave for employees feeling unwell with their menopause symptoms, as well as access to a cool and well-ventilated working environment with support available for anyone that needs it.
BBC Scotland’s policy advocates for making reasonable arrangements and also offers flexibility for working arrangements, plus monthly menopause groups where people can talk and share their experiences.
Newsquest uses inclusive language; specifically mentioning that transgender men, nonbinary and intersex people may also experience menopause symptoms, whilst also offering working adjustments similar to the BBC and Channel 4.
Rachel Weiss, chairperson of the Menopause Café
News UK promises to cover the costs of NHS HRT medication for their employees as well as offering support from Occupational Health consultants, with the same sort of working flexibility as the other companies mentioned.
But is this enough?
I spoke to Rachel Weiss, chairperson of the Menopause Café charity – which aims to open up discussions about menopause through pop-up cafes.
“It’s brilliant they’re doing [menopause policies] but the first step is to make it possible for people who work in the media to admit they’re suffering from the menopause,” Rachel said.
“At the moment people don’t speak up about it because of ignorance and shame.”
“If media workplaces can become more inclusive of older women, that would help. The more they can do to show they value their older female employees the more likely people are to speak up.”
Rachel suggested that employers could host their own menopause cafes, or increase internal communications to help reduce stigma and promote healthy discussion about all things menopause.
Managers, human resources staff and occupational health staff could also receive specialised menopause training if they have not been trained already.
Rachel confessed that she had mixed feelings about menopause policies. She felt that rather than individual policies for every health condition there should be a universal approach that promotes understanding, open discussion, flexible working arrangements and sympathy for any member of staff that struggles with any health condition.
Elsewhere, there are several accreditations that media companies can work towards to be accredited as a menopause-friendly employer.
Overall it seems that education and understanding are the bedrock of a healthy relationship between media employer and employee – especially when it comes to menopause.
For more support and information:
Menopause Matters (Email sessions with Dr Heather Currie, £30 per question)