Welcome to Menstruation Friendly – Membership, Accreditation and Training. The membership will go live in January, but in true Henpicked style, we’re talking to customers about this now to gather interest and momentum.
We wanted to give you an insight on this as soon as we could so you can start preparing to bring this into your customer discussions.
So why are we introducing this?
As with menopause:
- There is a stigma/taboo around menstruation
- Many people don’t know what’s ‘normal’
- People put up with symptoms thinking they just have to “get on with it”
- It has an impact at work – people not asking for help/time off work/facilities not in place/considerations of different working environments
- Access to healthcare/knowledgeable GPs – as an example, it takes on average 8 years to be diagnosed with endometriosis
- Story sharing is powerful – we’ve had some incredible stories shared from the Henpicked community
- Often workplace may be the only place people can access information/support
- We want all organisations to be menopause and menstruation friendly
- We want to change the way people think and feel about menstruation
- We want to create a different experience for future generations
- We want to create the reality that menstrual health issues don’t get in the way of the working life people want to have
- Our customers are asking for our help in supporting this at work
- We’ve broken the taboo on menopause at work and we want to do the same for menstruation
We will talk about this more on the whole team call next month and we are already working on the introduction of the training materials for you to deliver with your customers, the content of which will differ significantly from the menopause material, rest assured we will provide full and detailed training to help you, as there are more complexities to illustrate.
The Menstruation Friendly Accreditation (MSFA) whilst in concept is similar to MFA, the content, resources and approach will be very focussed on supporting the lived experience of individuals experiencing menstruation challenges whilst in work. There will also be a referral incentive for retailing the Menstruation Friendly Accreditation, as is with the Menopause Friendly Accreditation. More to come on that soon! 😊
This is a really exciting progression for Henpicked alongside continuing the amazing work we do around menopause. Henpicked is 10 years old this month and was always set up for ‘Happiness, Health and Wealth’ for women who weren’t born yesterday. We’ve made a HUGE difference together for menopause and this is a natural progression for us.
We look forward to sharing more with you soon, however if you have any questions, comments or observations please don’t hesitate to reach out, remembering this is work in progress, so we might not have all of the answers yet!
Since 2013 Henpicked.net has given women a space to have their say, spark discussion and bring about positive change. From 2017 there was a lot of discussion about menopause.
So we launched the Henpicked Menopause Hub: a free resource for individuals, partnered with thousands of organisations through Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace and The Menopause Friendly Accreditation to support them in becoming menopause friendly employers, so those experiencing menopause can continue to thrive at work.
"Not long after my first appointment with the GP I saw that there was a talk about menopause at work by Deborah Garlick and Henpicked and I went along. This talk was eye opening and life changing for many reasons...
I was inspired by this event to talk openly about menopause at least 3 times a day which I still do 7 years later... I have now helped a large number of women and it really is all thanks to attending the Henpicked talk all those years ago."
Ten years later, a topic we are seeing come up time and time again is menstruation.
Like menopause, half the population experience it directly. Millions experience menstrual health conditions that significantly disrupt their daily life. Many Henpicked.net subscribers shared that it's far easier for them to talk openly about menopause than menstruation.
In line with BSI's Menstruation, Menstrual Health and Menopause in the Workplace guidance (BS30416), it's more important than ever that employers consider how they can support women at any stage of life.
But it can be difficult to know where to start. Here's how we can help you...
The Menstruation Friendly Accreditation
Like the industry-recognised Menopause Friendly Accreditation, gaining The Menstruation Friendly Accreditation is far more than a tickbox, a promise or a pledge.
When you join Menstruation Friendly membership, you have access to apply for The Menstruation Friendly Accreditation, and can display your "Committed to being menstruation friendly" status with pride.
Our range of membership packages provide genuinely helpful resources to help you achieve accreditation: from monthly workshops on the accreditation pillars, to a unique portfolio of best-practice policies, and much more.
We're delighted to offer...
- Discounted prices for small organisations, NHS, charities and public sector
- 50% discount on your membership fee when you achieve accreditation
- Up to a 25% discount for dual Menstruation Friendly and Menopause Friendly membership
- Special discount for existing menopause friendly members
Menstruation Friendly Workplace Training
The industry leaders in menopause workplace services, our CPD certified training is tried, tested and trusted by thousands of leading organisations. Our menstruation friendlyworkplace training offer includes:
- Awareness training for colleagues, line managers and HR/ Occupational Health
- Practical workshops for managers, HR and Occupational Health
- Champion and advocate training programmes
- eLearning and training videos
- Specialist masterclasses on topics like Endometriosis, PCOS and more
