it's essential to recognise that mental health is as much a part of the menopausal conversation as physical symptoms. Practical tips: How can we support those going through the menopause? I thought it would be useful to outline some of the ways that we can support individuals within the workplace to create a better, more inclusive working environment. By fostering awareness, understanding, and open dialogue, we can ensure that individuals approaching or experiencing menopause are better equipped to prioritise and maintain their mental wellbeing and avoid the potential negative impact on their career. Please see below my ideas on ways you can support individuals impacted by the menopause. Can you implement any of the below with your team? • Increasing education and raising awareness – can you look at implementing training programs to educate employees and managers about menopause, its symptoms, and its potential impact on someone at work? • Encouraging open conversations and offering a safe space to discuss the menopause and its effects, thus reducing the stigma that surrounds this topic. • In addition to open conversations, it’s really important to also offer confidential communication channels where someone struggling can seek support if needed, without fear of judgment. • Flexible working arrangements – can you offer any flexibility to someone struggling with menopausal symptoms (e.g. fatigue, temperature, low moods, energy levels etc.). • Being aware of the temperature and ideally offering a quiet space or rest area where a menopausal individual could feel more comfortable • Signposting where individuals can get more support, such as explaining how your company can offer support (this may be via line managers, menopause champions if you have them, support groups) or sharing useful resources. • Support for line managers on how to 09 WINTER MORTGAGE NEWSLETTER support their team members in this area, helping them to be understanding and empathetic. • Encouraging health and well-being initiatives within your company, perhaps around stress management, physical exercises, nutrition or mindfulness – this can of course benefit other employees too! For most companies, this will be a journey to improve support and enhance the workplace experience for those effected – it is great to see many companies starting to take this into consideration, and I would strongly recommend asking for feedback from those who have direct experience and can help you to shape your policies. What is clear is that by fostering a workplace culture that recognises and accommodates the challenges associated with menopause, organisations can not only retain valuable team members but also contribute to the overall well-being and job satisfaction of their workforce and potentially attract new talent too. Christine Newell, our Mortgage Technical Director, Diane Jones, our Mortgage Helpdesk Manager, and I have been working hard on creating greater menopause support internally within Paradigm. We have a wealth of resources that you may find interesting or of help – if you’d like us to share these, please don’t hesitate to get in touch, you can email me at riona@ paradigm.co.uk. Finally, a note on International Men's Day (a global awareness day for many issues that men face, including parental alienation, abuse, homelessness, suicide, and violence) which takes place annually on 19th November. I thought I would share two particularly relevant resources of note that I’ve come across in the last couple of months that you may not have seen: A powerful video from Norwich City Football Club – ‘Check in on those around you’ An insightful event from YuLife - "Man Up": How to Support Men's Health in the Workplace
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