The British Standards Institution (BSI) has published a revolutionary new British standard. BS 30416 aims to provide all businesses with guidance on how they can adequately support their employees who menstruate and experience menopause symptoms.
Menstruation and menopause are complex and often misunderstood but, in some cases, can have detrimental physical and mental health impacts to those experiencing them. The lack of open discussion around these topics can make it difficult for individuals to be at their best in the workplace – and for businesses to provide adequate support.
BS 30416 is a free, practical toolkit for businesses of all sizes and sectors.
Developed by experts in the field of menstruation, menopause, HR and occupational health and academics, this document aims to help organizations identify the misconceptions around menstruation and menopause. It also identifies the impact of stigma surrounding these topics on workplace cultures and support.
This standard helps businesses to take action to make their workplace more inclusive. BS 30416 contains examples of actions and adjustments that can be taken to improve employees’ wellbeing. Examples of these include:
- Physical aspects of work
- Policy guidance and practices
- Supportive workplace cultures
- Work design
- Inclusivity
- Evaluation and metrics
There are also practical annexes with checklists and tools to use such as:
- Tips for having confidential conversations
- Conversation topics and potential workplace adjustments based on symptoms
- Team management considerations
- Ideas for facilitating culture change
- Training considerations
- Further reading
The guidance will be especially useful to individuals within businesses who are responsible for managing employee workload, wellbeing, or the work environment.
This provides summary information and comment on the subject areas covered. Where employment tribunal and appellate court cases are reported, the information does not set out all of the facts, the legal arguments presented and the judgments made in every aspect of the case. Employment law is subject to constant change either by statute or by interpretation by the courts. While every care has been taken in compiling this information, we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Specialist legal advice must be taken on any legal issues that may arise before embarking upon any formal course of action.
