New garda policy calls for staff input to enhance menopause support across all ranks

Gardaí across the country are being asked to shape the force’s ground-breaking menopause policy.

The move, announced at the launch of the Menopause Workplace Excellence (MWE) Awards 2024, comes 12 months after the force launched its first-ever menopause guidance document.

The guidance, which was recognised by judges at last year’s MWE awards, supports female staff by raising menopause awareness across the ranks. 

Now, Garda Human Resource managers have said they will be asking all staff for suggestions about practical supports for menopausal employees struggling to overcome symptoms.

Speaking at the online launch of MWE 2024, Vivienne Horkan, programme manager at the Garda National Wellbeing Office (GNWO), said they will be carrying out a survey of its 18,000 staff for ideas on how An Garda Síochána can become a more menopause friendly employer.

The health-needs assessment is being rolled out over the next twelve months as part of the Garda’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2021-2025.

Vivienne said: “We will measure and compare awareness of menopause in the workplace and ask for suggested additional supports needed, taking into consideration the policing sector environment."

Questions will focus on a number of issues including shift work, uniforms, and outdoor work. 

Launched last year, the MWE awards honour organisations for creating “supportive environments for women experiencing menopause”.

Vivienne said it was “privilege” to be a finalist at last year’s awards because the recognition highlighted the efforts the police service was making in this area. 

“There are currently recruitment campaigns to attract talent and having being selected as a finalist showcases the importance of supporting women’s health in the workplace, for current and new colleagues."

The MWE are organised jointly by the Menopause Hub, Ireland’s first-ever clinic solely dedicated to helping menopausal women, and workplace accreditation service Great Places to Work.

Great Place to Work CEO Cathal Divilly said a change of language was needed to encourage more men to become involved in health awareness drives at work.

“This cannot be seen as a female thing, this is something that your teammate is going through,” he said at Tuesday’s web launch. And we really need to be conscious of the language we use. If you are doing a workshop around mental wellbeing, and advertise as ‘mental health talk, room six’, men are not going to go to that workshop.  However, if you advertise it as ‘Your colleague needs you: how to be a better teammate’, you will absolutely get more men,” added Vivienne who is judging this year’s awards.

Fellow judge Norah Casey said the calibre of the entrants to last year’s awards was second to none.

“There were certain organisations I expected to be great and to come forward with the progress they’ve made, but there were others that really surprised me,” the former Dragons’ Den star said.

To find out more about this year’s awards, which will be held at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Frederick Street, Dublin, on October 10, visit HERE.

Entries close on July 31.