World Menopause Day at Version 1

Raising Menopause Awareness and Creating a System of Support

World Menopause Day is held every year on the 18th of October to raise menopause awareness, and inform women of the support available to improve their health and well-being. We know that menopause does not affect people for one day a year, it’s something that can affect women for days, months, and years at a time.

So, whilst we come together this month to shine a light on this stage of life, Version 1 has put practices in place to ensure that we support our colleagues during this time.

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What is Menopause?

In medical terms, menopause is the stage when a woman stops ovulating and her periods eventually stop. This is caused by a change in hormone levels. According to CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development), the most common symptoms experienced are:

  • Hot flushes (72%)
  • Sleep disturbances (64%)
  • Night sweats (58%)

In addition to this, many women may experience bone loss and potential weight gain. Many women experience emotional and mental symptoms, ranging from anxiety and brain fog to changes in their temperament.

With such a wide-ranging span of symptoms, menopause can often be perceived in a negative way. We believe that this way of thinking needs to be challenged, especially in the workplace, where women can feel overlooked, embarrassed, or struggle long-term. Version 1 is committed to creating menopause awareness and supporting all our colleagues around this important, and often taboo, topic.

Menopause Support and Policy Guidelines at Version 1

Version 1 is committed to creating a supportive workplace for everyone. We are taking steps to ensure that women going through menopause are supported.

In 2022, Version 1 launched its Menopause Policy Guidelines, which focus on 2 areas – how women can seek support, and how our colleagues can support women.

All Version 1 people are offered guidance on how to support and create inclusive work environments for women going through this life stage – it’s a real team effort. We want to ensure that everyone in our organisation is on this journey and that women aren’t isolated in asking for support.

"I have a perimenopause-related condition that can cause significant pain and discomfort. I never brought it up at the last company I worked for because I was too embarrassed and also thought it might be dismissed or not taken seriously. After reading about the Menopause Policy and joining the Teams Channel, I felt comfortable enough to speak to my manager. I'd had a flare-up. My Manager and I agreed that I didn't need to travel to a work event and offered other measures of support - he was so fantastic and understanding. I hope other people who have similar issues feel that they too can speak to their Line Manager, and I really appreciate Version 1's incorporation of this topic into their DIBs programme.”
- Avril Vera, Bid Manager
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Menopause Workplace Pledge

Version 1 has signed the Wellbeing of Women Menopause Workplace Pledge. By signing this pledge, Version 1 is committed to:

  • Recognising that menopause can be an issue in the workplace and women need support
  • Talking openly, positively, and respectfully about menopause
  • Actively supporting and informing employees affected by menopause

“Now imagine the drain on businesses and the economy if 13 million women leave their jobs because they just felt like they couldn’t continue.” – Davina McCall

Our Support Group

Version 1 has launched a Menopause Support Group as a space for anyone with questions, to share experiences, or simply to have a chat about all things menopause. This group is a safe space where everyone is welcome to join the conversation and help each other with questions or seek advice on any aspect of menopause.

 

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How Version 1 is contributing to Menopause Awareness

As part of Menopause Awareness Month, Version 1 is hosting its first educational session with an industry-leading expert. This session will focus on providing more information about menopause in the workplace by sharing best practices for seeking support, and also offer advice for managers and colleagues on how to support their women team members.

Version 1’s Women in Tech Group is committed to ensuring we continue the work around menopause awareness and menopause support. Watch this space for more positive changes coming from Version 1.

“The annoying thing is that nobody talks about menopause. Why is that? It happens to literally every woman in the world, and yet we’re all embarrassed about it.” – Karen Barber, former ice dancer, and Dancing on Ice judge