The Night Owl urges businesses to roll out menopause policy and tackle stigma

An independent nightclub in Birmingham is urging businesses across the UK to join its pledge in tackling stigma and prejudice in the workplace surrounding the menopause.

The Night Owl, renowned for its soul and retro music, is ensuring it provides an inclusive and supportive working environment for all staff members experiencing menopausal symptoms by creating a new policy.

Their new policy handbook states the company will acknowledge that symptoms affect women differently and encourages employees to speak to managers if experiencing side effects.

More than 13 million women experience the menopause or perimenopausel in the UK, yet there is no current legal requirement to protect employees who are experiencing the condition.

Patricia Colden, who is a HR specialist from Burley Law, which provides services for The Night Owl, explained the importance of workplaces supporting women.

Patricia said: “The menopause is a natural part of every woman’s life - It isn’t always an easy transition and can be a significant issue in the workplace for those affected. Each symptom has the potential to affect an employee’s comfort and performance at work.

“We know that implementation of this policy is the right thing to do for The Night Owl’s current and future team members.”

Menopause is when a woman’s period stops due to lower hormone levels, and usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55.

While symptoms related to menopause vary greatly, they commonly include hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety, dizziness, fatigue, memory loss, depression, mood swings, panic attacks, insomnia, headaches, reduced concentration, and heavy periods.

“Without these types of policies in place, businesses risk losing valuable employees whose maturity and experience are key to their teams and departments. They must act now,” Colden added.

The Night Owl’s policy comes after a number of celebrities attended Parliament last month (June 13) to demand greater support for the millions of women going through the menopause.

Davina McCall, Penny Lancaster and Lisa Snowdon were apart of the talks, promoting the Menopause Mandate, which calls the government to address the inequalities women face as they approach midlife.

The campaign also recognises the need to improve access to hormone replacement therapy - a medication to replace estrogen that your body stops producing while going through menopause.

Speaking to The Times, Penny Lancaster, 51, who is the wife of Sir Rod Stewart said: “It is so important that [women] are listened to - by their doctors, by their employers and by those who have the power to initiate change.

“I want to see all women who need it have access to fair and equal support and treatment.”

The Night Owl opened its doors in 2015 and was the first-ever purpose-built Northern Soul and Motown club. It has venues in both Deritend, Birmingham and Finsbury Park, London.

The club spoke about spiking in drinks and violence against women last month, ahead of their new menopause policy handbook.

External support and help for individuals and managers regarding the menopause can be found at Menopause Matters.

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