OneFamily has launched its first Menopause Café event to raise awareness and “help remove the stigma” around this key life stage.
The financial services group, which includes life and critical illness provider Beagle Street, said the café is a safe space for employees to share experiences, ask questions and reduce stigma in the workplace.
The event will take place at the employer’s Brighton headquarters on 14 October, ahead of World Menopause Day on 18 October. It is part of the employer’s wider Wellbeing Champions programme, which includes a dedicated menopause policy, enhanced parental leave, and hybrid working. The organisation said the goal is to foster an inclusive culture where employees feel supported through key life stages.
A major workplace issue
There are currently an estimated 13 million women in the UK who are peri or menopausal, according to NHS England. Symptoms can last up to a decade and affect both physical and mental health, often with a significant impact on working life. The Fawcett Society has found that one in 10 women aged 40 to 55 has left a job because of menopause symptoms, while 13 percent have considered leaving.
Lindsay Taylor-King, people director at OneFamily, said: “Each woman’s journey through the menopause is different and unique. Our Menopause Café is a chance for colleagues to come together, open up and talk, helping remove the stigma around this stage of life. The Menopause Café is part of our dedication to creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all colleagues, especially those affected by the menopause, whether they are going through it themselves or know someone who is.”
Real-life impact
OneFamily’s marketing and digital director Beth Tait experienced an early menopause triggered by IVF treatment in her 30s. She described how symptoms such as brain fog and severe hot flushes disrupted both her professional and personal life.
“For women at the height of their careers this is especially difficult,” she said.
“My doctor mis-diagnosed this as depression, and whilst bad brain fog can make you feel depressed, I sought spiritual healing through nature, swimming, walking and talking about it openly,” she said.
“Overall, the way through is not to hide your distress, not to pretend it is nothing and not to soldier on as though you’re OK, because often you are not. Be open about it with family, friends, colleagues and your employer.
“OneFamily really supported me through the whole process and understood how my symptoms impacted me. Just being able to leave meetings to cool down and clear my head due to the brain fog was a big help. They knew what I was dealing with and what my symptoms were, having them understand and be there for me was incredibly reassuring.
“The menopause is a natural process, as an industry we should talk more about it and the life changing effects it can have.”
With 90 percent of women experiencing menopause symptoms at some stage, according to the Menopause Charity, employer support is increasingly seen as critical for retention and wellbeing.
Tait added: “I’m lucky in many respects as I can now better support colleagues, friends and the partners of women who are now facing this as I’ve now worn that T-shirt. I suffered with two symptoms, every woman is different so you can’t generalise.”
