Our aims:
- To raise awareness of menopause at the 秋葵视频.
- To encourage open conversation about menopause and break the taboo.
- To provide access to information, support and resources.
- And support all staff, line managers and anyone directly or indirectly impacted by the menopause.
Click on the links below to find out more.
The Menopause Team
The university’s menopause team are Anna Radley (People Directorate), Maureen Montague (Greenwich Business School), Ratnes Alahakone (Greenwich Business School) and Vanessa Roots (People Directorate). We are passionate about raising awareness of the menopause and supporting our colleagues at the university and beyond.
Scroll down for information, support and resources and to find out more about the ongoing work we are doing to become ‘menopause friendly’ at the university.
Shortlisted in Most Supportive Partner and Best Trained Workforce
2023 Menopause Friendly Employer Awards by Henpicked
University Menopause Guidance
The university’s sets out the university’s approach to supporting staff who are affected by the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause and provides the tools for line managers to support their staff. If you need to know more about the menopause and how to get support at work this is a good place to start.
The guidance also contains helpful links to internal and external resources and support.
What is the menopause?
Menopause
Menopause is the stage in a woman’s life when menstruation has stopped, following 12 consecutive months without a period. The biological change causes hormone levels to drop dramatically, in particular Oestrogen and Progesterone, causing symptoms which are wide ranging, can fluctuate and change and can last for several years. Menopause usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55 with the average age being 51 in the UK, but for some it can happen earlier or later than this, due to surgery or for other reasons.
Perimenopause
The time leading up to menopause is known as perimenopause, when symptoms can start to appear, often in the early to mid-forties.
Symptoms
The symptoms during the perimenopause and menopause can have a significant impact on some women in their everyday lives, affecting their working lives too. 8 in 10 women of menopausal age are in work and 3 in 4 women experience symptoms to some extent with 1 in 4 experiencing more serious symptoms.
There are many symptoms, both physical and psychological, including night sweats, hot flushes (sudden feelings of hot or cold spreading through the body to face, neck and chest which can also make you dizzy), low mood, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, headaches and migraines, muscle aches and joint pain, dry and itchy skin, mood swings, and problems with memory or concentration (brain fog). The type, severity and duration of symptoms will be different for everyone.
See our support and resources section for help with managing symptoms.
Whilst we often refer to ‘women’ experiencing the menopause, our colleagues who are non-binary or trans may experience the menopause and its associated symptoms whilst not identifying as a woman or female. This website and its content are inclusive of all members of staff at the university regardless of their gender identity.
Menopause Champions
Our team of 25 volunteer Menopause Champions are located across the university and provide localised support by signposting to helpful information and resources and providing a listening ear for colleagues and managers. Find your local Menopause Champion here.
Support and resources
UoG Menopause Awareness Training (online)
The Menopause Team deliver termly awareness training sessions. Colleague training is for all staff whilst the line manager training is tailored towards helping managers to support their people. Look out for email notifications for this online training and sign up via Horizon.
You can also view this 5 minute ‘Let’s talk about menopause’.
Menopause Cafes
What is a menopause caf茅?
These are very informal but informative online sessions, hosted by the menopause team, open to all university colleagues (all genders, ages, backgrounds, managers and non-managers) and anyone who wants to hear, learn or talk about menopause. These sessions usually last around an hour and focus on a specific topic or symptom, followed by open and informal chat. These sessions are always a confidential, safe and supportive space and ‘what is said in the menopause caf茅, stays in the menopause caf茅’!
Look out for a diary invite to the next caf茅, grab a cuppa and come along.
Menopause Teams Hub
Join the menopause community on our channel for regular updates on upcoming events, connect with colleagues, ask questions and share tips and advice.
Confidential support
If you would prefer to talk to someone confidentially about the menopause, you can also get in touch at menopause@gre.ac.uk. This inbox is monitored by our menopause team.
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
The university’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) offers 24/7 support to all staff and their families. Colleagues can be referred for counselling for concerns arising from menopause including stress, anxiety, and depression. The EAP website has a dedicated page with supporting materials on menopause. Further information can be found on the university staff portal.
Events
We were delighted to welcome back Carolyn Harris, MP for Swansea East to the university for a third time in October 2023, when she delivered another session on the ‘Menopause Revolution’, updating us all on the ongoing work she is doing to drive menopause awareness and change in parliament. Links to previous webinars are below.
On 13 May 2022, Caroline Noakes, MP for Romsey and Southampton also joined us to deliver a webinar to the university on her role as Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee in Parliament.
World Menopause Day - 18th October 2024
Look out for further information on our upcoming events for this year's World Menopause Day.
Scroll down for upcoming Events and further support, information and resources listed under Articles and Documents.
Academic research
We are currently conducting academic research into the impact of the university’s menopause support on colleagues, and this will inform further development of our ongoing work at the 秋葵视频. We shall report our findings in due course.