The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has signed up to the Menopause Workplace Pledge as part of its aim to raise awareness and support women in the workplace.
The pledge was launched by Wellbeing of Women in October 2021, and has seen nearly 1,000 employers sign up since then.
According to FSB, which currently employs 210 members of staff, the pledge is part of its commitment to recognise that the menopause can be an issue in the workplace and women need support, and that talking openly, positively and respectfully about it, as well as actively supporting and informing all employees, can help.
Signing up is also part of its employee wellbeing focus, to help recruit and retain the best talent, and the FSB said that it hopes doing so will encourage its members to do the same.
Julie Lilley, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “I’m pleased that we’ve signed the pledge; women over 50 are the fastest growing section of the workforce and it’s important that women get the support they need.
“Employers and the economy are missing out on huge numbers of exceptionally talented women, and I want to do all I can to make sure that FSB isn’t going to miss out on that amazing pool of talent. We’ve always sought to recruit and retain the best expert staff team to support our small business members and this is a further step in that.”
Janet Lindsay, CEO of Wellbeing of Women, added: “It is great to see that FSB has signed the Menopause Workplace Pledge. Collectively, small and medium-sized enterprises are the biggest employers in the UK, and I hope this will encourage other companies to support their workforce and sign our pledge. It will also make FSB a better place in which to work.”