Over half of UK businesses do not have any specialist menopause support in place for employees, according to new research.
However, this issue is rising up the corporate wellbeing agenda, with the research showing a fifth of employers (21 per cent) plan to provide support within the next 12 months. However a higher percentage (24 per cent) said no plans were underway to offer this level of help. However a higher number (42 per cent) said they would use the forthcoming World Menopause Day (18 October) to highlight this issue to staff.
Dedicated support can include practical advice on managing symptoms, access to emotional support and more flexible working arrangements.
This research, conducted by Peppy, a digital health and wellness platform, found that almost half of employers (46 per cent) offer wellbeing support which may cover some menopause symptoms, for example via EAPs, counselling services or mental health programmes.
It found 39 per cent of employers offer health and wellbeing benefits such as PMI which may cover menopause issues. It also found 32 per cent of employers offer education and/or events specifically around menopause, while 29 per cent offer dedicated menopause support from a menopause specialist healthcare professional.
Peppy CEO Mridula Pore says: “ The workforce is evolving and becoming more multi-generational. The rate at which employers are taking up menopause support is positive, as these figures suggest. Although 24% of employers are not currently planning to support menopause in the workplace, they will need to adapt in order to compete in terms of recruitment and retention.”