Olga started her HR career back in 2002 at Administrator level and worked her way up to Human Resources Manager responsible for managing the entire HR life-cycle in a fast-paced tech environment. Olga has presented at many tech events and has conducted TV and radio interviews as well as producing internal and external promotional videos to promote the employer brand.
After leaving the software sector Olga worked in the public sector in an interim Employee Relations position before moving to Phoenix Natural Gas as Human Resources Manager responsible for both HR and payroll. Here Olga digitised the recruitment process and created a health and wellbeing strategy among other things.
Still within the utilities sector, Olga moved to firmus energy as HR Manager in August 2019 where she focuses on employee engagement through an array of engagement interventions.
Olga has a BA Hons in Sociology and a Post Graduate level Diploma in Human Resource Management. She also holds a NEBOSH certificate in Health & Safety Management and is a member of the CIPD.
Olga strives to add value to any organisation she works in with the genuine belief that employers have a duty to create an environment where people want to come to work every day and contribute to the success of the organisation; just like the janitor in NASA!
The menopause is a hot topic right now and rightly so given that menopausal women are the fastest growing demographic in today’s workforce. The menopause is a natural time of ageing in a woman’s life but for many, symptoms go well beyond hot flushes or mood swings that are typically associated with this stage in life. Symptoms can be debilitating and can include cognitive, physical and psychological issues such as heart palpitations, fatigue, sleep disturbance, headaches, anxiety and poor concentration. Recent research also suggests that as oestrogen levels decline, women can be at greater risk of long Covid.
These symptoms can have a devastating impact on women in the workplace often when they have reached their career peak with many having to take time off on sickness absence while others even consider leaving their jobs due to the negative impact of their symptoms.
In order to avoid potential discrimination claims and loss of productivity we need to normalise offering menopause support much in the same way we support people suffering from physical or mental health conditions.
Line managers should be trained to have open conversations with employees about what they’re experiencing so that they can signpost them to professional help and offer workplace support such as flexible working or amended duties. Conversations around menopause shouldn’t be taboo and webinars or lunch & learns can be a great way to raise awareness and break down stigmas.
Flexible working and sickness absence policies should include reference to menopausal symptoms and should provide details on Employee Assistance Programmes or virtual GP services where available. Ideally staff should have access to medical practitioners who specialise in supporting menopausal symptoms.
The menopause can no longer be something employers shy away from or adopt a laissez faire approach to. It is vital that women are supported to thrive and stay well in the workplace. The menopause can have a wider pressures in the workplace in terms of the strain placed on working relationships where colleagues have to pick up the work of absent staff, not to mention the impact of absence on productivity.
With over 3.5 million working women over 50 in the UK, employers need to set the menopause as an important business agenda both to retain existing employees but also to attract the best female talent going forward.
Useful Reading:
CIPD – A Guide to Managing Menopause at Work https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/line-manager-guide-to-menopause_tcm18-95174.pdf
Rachel Richardson, Tughans – Introducing a Menopause Policy https://www.legal-island.com/articles/uk/features/how-do-i-handle-it/2022/january/introducing-a-menopause-policy/
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