It’s not just about us…
At Making Menopause Work, we believe it’s important to get the guys involved too.
Because menopause isn’t just a women’s issue. It affects everyone. In every workplace.
Men may not experience menopause in the same way that we do. But they have partners, wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, female friends, family members and colleagues who need their support. Women who deserve their understanding and awareness of the enormity of the challenges they’re frequently facing at this natural stage of their lives.
On a purely professional note, new legislation has made the production of menopause actions plans mandatory in 2027 for all organisations with more than 250 employees.
This means that employers are finally waking up to the wider workplace benefits of menopause awareness that’s culturally encouraged and embedded. And a vast number of those employers and managers are male, of course.
So it makes perfect sense – from both a business case and an individual perspective – to take a stance and show that it’s not just about us…
As you hopefully already know, at MMW, we’re on a mission is to normalise menopause in your workplace. One conversation at a time.
And that includes helping men get comfortable with talking openly about menopause too.
To help get the guys onboard – in a mutually understanding way that works for them – we’ve recently launched a new menopause awareness session especially for men.
Now, before you raise your eyebrows too much more and start shouting at your screen, let me say that we’re well aware that running separate sessions for men only may divide opinion.
We believe, however, that it’s the right thing to do right now. To offer appropriate support and understanding for all employees.
Let me explain…
Having delivered menopause awareness and training in organisations of all types and sizes for nearly a decade now, I’m still disappointed by the lack of men attending these sessions.
This is not a criticism, but an evidenced observation. And it raises the question: why are men not turning up?
There are, of course, some men who do show up and show interest. Indeed, some of these are male menopause champions – so I canvassed their thoughts on this conundrum.
These are some of the things they said:
“We want a safe space to talk about menopause as well.”
“We don’t want to offend, patronise or say the wrong things.”
“We want to discuss this in a way that feels comfortable for us.”
“We do want to support our colleagues.”
So is there anything wrong with creating separate space for men to get together to talk about menopause? Can we achieve greater understanding, more appropriate menopause support in the workplace and better outcomes for everyone by running separate sessions?
Time will tell… Meanwhile, we’re pushing ahead with this approach.
Our dedicated awareness session is called ‘Men and Menopause: Making sense of it’.
Expertly led by a male facilitator, these conversational sessions are for men who want to better understand menopause – not as an abstract ‘women’s issue’, but as a real, everyday experience that affects partners, relatives, friends, colleagues and workplaces.
Whether you’re a manager, team member or simply curious, this is your chance to learn, listen and talk openly in a safe, supportive space.
Take a look at the full details here and get in touch if you’d like to get involved or talk about organising a session in your workplace. We’d love to hear from you!