LJMU shares best practice on menopause policy at Westminster

LJMU played a key role at a Westminster roundtable this Menopause Awareness Month focused on sharing practical solutions to make workplaces fairer and more supportive for those experiencing menopause.

The university was represented by HR Policy and Projects Manager, Amanda Mannion, who outlined how LJMU is empowering its staff to understand perimenopause and menopause, with policy and workplace practice designed to actively support line managers and employees.

Best practice at LJMU includes:

• Working with staff networks and its Menopause Matters online group to introduce changes in practice including recognising menopause as a mitigating factor in the academic readership and professorship conferment process and arranging free practical wellbeing initiatives like menopause yoga
• Making available a document for staff to use when they go to see their GP which helps them to explain the complexity of their symptoms and to understand the types of symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause
• Providing training that encourages and enables positive conversations and practical solutions to support a menopause-friendly working environment
• Hosting monthly Menopause Cafes on campus
• Curating factsheets, workbooks and symptom checkers, among other resources, made available to all staff on its Staff Wellbeing Hub
• Undertaking and engaging in research related to menopause

The roundtable was convened by the Purpose Coalition including partners from transport, higher education, health, justice, construction, law and professional services and was chaired by Carolyn Harris, Labour MP for Neath and Swansea East and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Menopause.

Women are worth the effort — and when workplaces get menopause right, they keep skills, leadership and loyalty. That’s a win for people and for productivity.

Carolyn Harris MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Menopause

The next aim for LJMU is to gain Menopause Friendly Employer accreditation - an industry recognised mark of excellence for menopause awareness, guidance and support at work. Any LJMU staff that would like to get involved in the accreditation submission can email Amanda Mannion.

Other activities to mark Menopause Awareness Month

On Tuesday 21 October staff came together for a World Menopause Day event where insight was shared by a panel of experts prompting discussion on what more employers can do to make workplaces more inclusive, how maintaining a healthy diet can support you during menopause, and opportunities provided at LJMU to promote increased physical activity.

LJMU staff events and resources

Menopause yoga and resistance training sessions run every Tuesday lunchtime and monthly Menopause Cafes provide a supportive environment for people to come together to share experiences in an informal setting.

Staff can find all menopause resources and event booking on the Wellbeing webpages.