Your Organisation Needs Workplace Support Groups for Women. Here’s Why.

Dec 04, 2023

Your female employees face several hormonal transitions throughout their lives that impact their ability to perform at their best in the workplace, feel confident and continue to be an asset to your company.

From the moment they first get their menstrual period at the age of around 12 to when they finally experience menopause around 52, they experience various physical changes as a result of their hormonal cycles.

While many of these symptoms are totally normal (such as severe period pain, periods of heavy bleeding, brain fog, fatigue, headaches and migraines, they can still leave a woman struggling.

They often feel uncomfortable or in pain, anxious or stressed, disempowered and weak, and completely unable to be their usual creative, innovative and motivated selves when they’re at work.

For that reason, the British Standard Institute recently published a new set of guidelines, “Menstruation, Menstrual Health and Menopause in the Workplace standard (BS 30416)”, recommending that employers create workplace support groups. I had the privilege of serving as an advisor for these guidelines.

These aim to help women get the support they need throughout their working lives, help employers retain key talent and create a better, more inclusive future for us all.

In this article, I’ll explain what these support groups are, why they are so important for female employees and how you can ensure you create a workplace support group to provide optimal benefits to your employees while helping you get the best from your team members.

Why do women need face-to-face support?

Workplace Menopause and Menstruation support groups are a powerful tool you can use to bring female employees together, encourage them to share stories and help them access the accurate, scientifically-proven health advice they need to transition through more difficult times.

We only need to look back over human history to see why.

Research has demonstrated that women are, overall, more social creatures. Whenever there’s a stressful event or a threat, be it physical, emotional or psychological, we turn to other women for support and advice.

By sharing our problems and leaning on each other, our stress levels naturally decrease and we feel like we have taken a weight off our shoulders. This stems from prehistoric times when women would turn to the community for help during childbirth, illness or any type of stress or threat.

The same is true now. When women need support, we turn to our peers.

“Can’t women just find help online?”

Many women look for advice on menstruation, perimenopause and menopause from websites, social media posts, podcasts and other online sources like YouTube and Instagram,

We join Facebook groups, forums and other communities hoping to find the support that we crave, especially if we are unable to meet with others face to face. It just feels easier because menopause and menstruation can still be a taboo, even among women. Online groups and resources make finding advice more accessible, especially when we live busy lives.

While this indeed can be extremely eye-opening and empowering, there is a lot of harmful and negative advice out there that can really affect a woman’s experience of menstruation, perimenopause and menopause.

If they follow this pseudo-science or erroneous advice, they could be doing more harm than good and bringing down your workplace performance as a result. Creating a workplace support group ensures these women get the research-backed advice and support they need.

Besides, there’s nothing quite like meeting face-to-face to share stories and discuss problems for a woman.

When we are in a safe and supportive environment with other women who are experiencing the same, we are more likely to open up.

We can communicate better and be more honest as we make eye contact, watch their body language and subconsciously review other non-verbal queues. We know that they understand how we feel because they have likely been there too. They provide friendship, support, a shoulder to cry on and help when we need it the most.

That’s why the UK government suggests that workplaces have menopause and menstruation champions and support groups for women in all phases of their lives. It’s all about creating a supportive and inclusive environment for everyone.

What are the five key benefits of creating a workplace support group?

As you’ve seen above, a workplace support group gives women the opportunity to share their problems, lean on each other for support and better manage their menstruation, perimenopause or symptoms so they can continue to be an asset to your company.

Here’s more information on the five key benefits workplace support groups offer.

#1. You’ll provide the support your female employees need

By creating a workplace support group, your female employees will have a safe and understanding space to share their experiences, concerns, and emotions related to menopause or menstruation.

This gives them a greater sense of community, eases any feelings of isolation and helps them better deal with their hormonal journey, whatever that may be.

#2. You’ll give them the tools they need to cope better with their hormonal symptoms

When women attend workplace support groups, they’ll share stories of menstruation and menopause while sharing strategies and practical tips that have helped them to feel better.

This helps women gain valuable insight into how to navigate any challenges they face in the workplace and help ease their symptoms.

#3. You’ll help them understand their bodies and feel empowered

By attending these groups, women can access accurate information about menstruation or menopause instead of simply believing everything they’ve seen or heard online.

This can be invaluable, especially because of the huge amount of misinformation online (even in a highly-rated podcast I listened to a few days ago!). As a result, your female employees can make better-informed decisions about their health and seek appropriate support and resources.

#4. You’ll reduce stigma and discrimination

Workplace support groups are a powerful tool to boost inclusion because they promote open discussions, raise awareness and help reduce the stigma surrounding menopause and menstruation in the workplace.

This helps create a more supportive work environment for all employees.

#5. You’ll boost productivity and reduce absenteeism

When employees feel supported and understood, their overall wellbeing, happiness and sense of job satisfaction will improve. They can put the key strategies they’ve learned into place, ease their symptoms of menopause or menstruation and be better able to perform at their best at work.

As a result, their productivity will increase, their symptoms will ease and they will be less likely to call in sick or leave their position altogether. The result? You keep your key talent while helping your employees feel valued. It’s a win-win.

A few words of advice when creating workplace support groups…

While sharing stories can be a great way to connect with others, gain a sense of support and understanding and access key tools and strategies to help ease symptoms, there are two minor points I’d like to make.

Firstly, women should be able to share their stories honestly and freely, but this must be done responsibly. Female employees should always bear in mind that their account could have an impact on another person’s mental health. Be mindful!

Secondly, employers who create workplace menopause support groups should avoid recommending supplements or providing nutritional advice because this can often cause more harm than good. Instead, turn to a women’s health expert like me to provide solution-focused tools and resources.

Summary

As you can see, there are huge benefits to creating workplace support groups, especially for women who are menstruating or in their menopause transition.

By sharing personal stories in a safe and supportive environment, women can access the peer support they need, benefit from scientifically proven tips and strategies, and feel more confident and empowered.

Create a workplace support group for menstruation and menopause and you can take care of your female employees’ wellbeing, boost their health in the workplace and ensure they can perform at their best.

Do you have a workplace support group for women's health yet?

As an employer, you have a duty to prioritise the wellbeing and safety of those experiencing menopause or menstruation, as set out in the guidelines by the British Standard Institution.

Do you have a workplace support group for women yet? And if so, does it provide scientifically proven support and solutions resources for menstruating or in menopause?

If not, act now!

Optimise your menopause in the workplace strategy and you’ll boost productivity, promote employee wellness and inclusion and ensure you meet the BSI guidelines.