Business can help with menopause - Margaret Logue

World Menopause Day takes place every year on 18 October and individuals and businesses use this day to shine a light on and break taboos around menopause.
Margaret Logue, Bottling Production Operator at Diageo based in GlasgowMargaret Logue, Bottling Production Operator at Diageo based in Glasgow
Margaret Logue, Bottling Production Operator at Diageo based in Glasgow

Awareness days like World Menopause Day give an opportunity to openly discuss issues that otherwise might not get recognised. But we should not forget that for women experiencing menopause, every day can be “menopause day”. And until recently, it was a word that was under-discussed or simply ignored by many.

So, it’s right that businesses now play their part by putting in place the support mechanisms that allow their female employees to not just survive a major milestone in their lives – but to ultimately thrive.

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I experienced menopause in a previous job, alone and with no support mechanisms. It doesn’t have to be like that any more. Employers – including Diageo, my own – are leading the way with their commitment to diversity and inclusion. Menopause support is the latest in a series of progressive changes that many are making.

As well as being a Unite the Union representative I am also proud to be one of Diageo’s global menopause advocates. Due to the personal experiences of myself and my daughter, I help guide teams on what going through menopause entails.

This is why I’m so passionate about highlighting Diageo’s excellent Global Menopause Guidelines, ‘Thriving Through Menopause’ which we introduced in 2021. They’re in place to ensure that menopause is talked about openly and encourage all employees to build their understanding of how menopause impacts women in the workplace and in their personal lives. The guidelines are now live in over 40 countries, as evidence of the genuinely helpful resources and support which can be made available to women by their employers.

Diageo are also the first global company to make the balance+ menopause app available to all employees worldwide. The app is designed to offer unparalleled access to specialist medically approved content to help optimise their mental health, nutrition, sleep, physical health, sexual health and skin and hair.

I’ve been able to share some of the materials and tools from the app with my daughter, who is experiencing early menopause after sadly being diagnosed with breast cancer. This has helped her greatly with a whole range of symptoms, such as brain fog.

But to effectively address the taboo associated with menopause, we need everyone to talk about it, including our husbands, sons, brothers, and male colleagues. This is my key message when training my colleagues and I’m increasingly impressed by the response and willingness to engage from all.

While it is true that some managers can be hesitant to attend mandatory training, many are now sharing stories of how it has helped them to support family members in a similar situation – describing this as a “lightbulb” moment for them.

Today, we are seeing the menopause lightbulb being turned on and that can only be a good thing, but we need to make sure this continues to shine brightly. We need all business leaders recognising the positive impact this can have for all their employees, family and friends. As a Unite the Union representative, the biggest thing I would love to see is more workplaces taking on board what Diageo has done.

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By putting in place these effective support mechanisms, we can all make sure that menopause just becomes another word in the dictionary.

Margaret Logue, Bottling Production Operator at Diageo based in Glasgow

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