AW Hainsworth has implemented menopause training for its managers as part of its commitment to wellbeing in the workplace.
The UK textile mill launched the initiative to boost awareness of menopause symptoms, as well as to review and improve its HR policies and practices so that consistent support can be offered to staff who need it. The company also wants to ensure managers have the required tools and knowledge to help those experiencing related problems.
Phil Pickard, a team leader at the Leeds, Yorkshire-based business, took part in the training and was able to help a colleague as a result.
He said: “The training really opened my eyes and helped me to understand how if someone going through menopause doesn’t have support, it could be critical to their wellbeing. It also gave me guidance as to how I, as a man, can speak to my female colleagues about this and offer support as best I can.”
Introduced through a partnership with law firm Pannone Corporate of Manchester, which has developed a manager training framework, the provision is just one element of the company’s wider plans to invest in employee wellbeing over the next five years.
The business has also spent more than £20,000 on mental wellbeing support, forming an alliance with Unmasked Mental Health of Halifax which allows employees to take part in talks and presentations during monthly sessions. Through the training scheme, more than 10% of AW Hainsworth staff have qualified as mental health first aiders in the past year.
Amanda McLaren, managing director at AW Hainsworth, said: “By removing the stigma around mental illness and putting strategies and signposting in place, alongside the qualified support offered to us by our partners, I am hoping we can make a positive difference to many of our colleagues’ lives.”
To enhance its employee wellbeing support, the company has also created and improved its shared spaces and internal communications, as well as introduced long-service awards and free period products for staff.
