Aster Group is first UK Menopause Friendly employer to be reaccredited

With menopausal women becoming the fastest-growing workplace demographic [1], local housing association Aster Group continues to lead the way and is the first UK Menopause Friendly employer to be re-accredited.

The re-accreditation from Henpicked: Menopause In The Workplace, recognises inclusive employers that continue to highlight menopause awareness, education and support in the workplace.

During the re-accreditation, the panel was impressed with Aster’s commitment to delivering sustained menopause support  and how its offering has developed over the last three years.

Julie Cridland, Employee Experience Lead at Aster, said: “One of the biggest positives about raising awareness of menopause within the business, has been connecting women experiencing the same symptoms who no longer feel on their own anymore. I’ve had feedback from people who didn’t feel like themselves and were thinking of leaving work. Through having the comfort of knowing they’re working for an employer that recognises and understands what they are experiencing, and has support mechanisms in place, it has been helpful for so many.’’

Aster’s menopause support programme has been running for five years and is part of its mission to create an inclusive working environment. The Group’s commitment to ongoing training, awareness and support helps those experiencing menopause symptoms as well as colleagues supporting wives, partners, mums, friends and those in their teams. Symptoms can be physical and psychological, ranging from hot flushes and insomnia, to anxiety, fatigue and brain fog.

In the last three years, Aster’s Hot Topic community has doubled its members and another 30 experts have joined the monthly Sofa Sessions – planned meetings to discuss menopause symptoms and lifestyle support. Aster also introduced a menopause and menstruation wellness action plan to facilitate open and honest discussion between employees. Furthermore, an on demand menopause support eLearning module was made available for senior colleagues, to assist them in supporting their teams.

“I offer huge congratulations to Aster Group,” says Deborah Garlick, CEO of Henpicked: Menopause In The Workplace. “They were among the first to achieve The Menopause Friendly Accreditation three years ago and the first to achieve reaccreditation!

“I’m not surprised as this was never a tick box exercise for them. They constantly put doing the right thing for their colleagues first. Aster Group is changing hearts and minds about menopause by combining the right support with innovative ideas and passion. Superb!”

Aster’s menopause support programme forms part of The Aster Offer which is how the Group provides its colleagues with the best experience it can to enable them to be the best they can be at work. As well as making its people’s experience better, The Aster Offer also supports the business's ambition of improving and modernising its customer services too. To discover more about The Aster Offer and the current range of career opportunities available at Aster Group, visit : https://www.aster.co.uk/careers .

Menopause and the workplace - Women and Equalities Committee (parliament.uk)