By Vickie Preston, Head of People, Mansfield Building Society

Mansfield Building Society has achieved an acclaimed Menopause Friendly accreditation as a mark of excellence in how we support people experiencing menopause in the workplace.

Menopause is period of life affecting women usually between the age of 45-55 with symptoms starting years earlier in what’s known as the perimenopause. Whilst many are at the peak of their professional careers, 25% consider quitting their role as a result of their symptoms, 14% decide to go part time and 10% actually quit their jobs.

At Mansfield Building Society, being menopause friendly isn’t just implementing a policy. It’s part of a people-first culture brought to life with commitment and compassion.

Our journey began in 2022 with menopause in the workplace training for all managers at the Society. A strong advocate from the outset was our Learning & Development Specialist, Bob Crowe, whose approach has inspired a T-shirt campaign ‘Be Like Bob’ with Menopause Friendly UK. 

The training focuses on how to support colleagues experiencing the menopause and continues annually to ensure every new manager is equipped with the knowledge and confidence needed to accommodate colleagues experiencing the menopause.

Later that same year, Mansfield also launched our menopause policy, designed as a genuinely helpful and practical guide for both managers and colleagues. Clear and accessible, it outlines what menopause might look like in the workplace and what can be done to help. 

Recognising the very real impact of menopause symptoms, we have introduced paid leave - a bold and compassionate step rarely seen, particularly in small organisations. It’s not classed as sick leave, because it’s not an illness - it’s a natural life stage, and our policy recognises that. This simple yet significant move reinforces a core Mansfield Building Society message: people matter.

We’ve also built a community at the Society, including menopause champions, who lead the way in peer support and awareness. In October 2023, we launched our Menopause Café, a welcoming space for colleagues of all genders to come together over tea, cake and open conversations. 

Feedback has been heartfelt: “Being able to talk to others that feel the way I feel… letting me know there’s nothing wrong with me… was a big reassurance.” Others valued the presence of male colleagues, saying it helped bridge understanding in families and teams alike.

In an effort to ensure support reaches everyone, Bob expanded his training into a new session: Managing My Menopause. Open to all colleagues, regardless of age or gender, it’s built to educate, empathise and empower, whether you’re personally experiencing menopause or supporting someone who is.

All of this hard work led to a moment of celebration when we were awarded the Menopause Friendly Accreditation, the only accreditation in the UK (and globally) that independently assesses against rigorous standards of excellence across culture, policies, training, engagement and the workplace environment.

Receiving the accreditation from Deborah Garlick, founder of Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace, marked a proud moment. “Mansfield Building Society is standing shoulder to shoulder with organisations like Boots, HSBC and Unilever,” she said, “and showing that it’s not just the big corporates who can lead the way. This is about meaningful, cultural change.”

There are 157 Menopause Friendly accredited organisations in the UK and only five globally. We’re incredibly proud to have created a workplace where menopause is understood, supported and normalised. You don’t need to be big to make a big difference. You just need to care. 

For more information about Menopause Accreditation with Henpicked, visit menopauseintheworkplace.co.uk. 

Find out more about Mansfield Building Society here