The benefits of Talking 12
How to Start Talking 12
Talking 12 sessions are delivered live and in person*, so we’ll begin by discussing your company’s requirements and arranging a suitable date. You’ll need to provide a suitable room or space for us to deliver the session, then invite your workforce to join us.
Note: you won’t have to worry about limiting audience numbers, or ensure that only managers (or indeed, women) attend. We’ve designed our sessions to speak to the whole workforce, because the impacts of menopause affect everyone.
Oh, and larger audiences also help to promote lively, energetic discussions, which is exactly what we want!
On the agreed date, we will deliver a highly interactive, professionally-hosted 60-minute session addressing the following menopause-related topics:
- Symptoms and their potential effects
- Workplace impacts
- Legal obligations
- How to provide the best support
Our panel are diversely-qualified specialists who are renowned for their individual expertise. This is important because peri/menopause is famously under-researched and under-explained, which leads to misunderstanding and myth.
No company can provide effective workplace menopause support without laying the right groundwork. Talking 12 offers a powerful combination of specialist knowledge and lived experience to help you do just that.
There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions during your Talking 12 session. Our aim is that everyone leaves feeling informed and confident about peri/menopause. So much so, they want to keep the discussion going long after our panel has left!
(*Our sessions are designed for in-person interaction with a live audience. However, we can organise an adapted online session if this is the best option for your company)
What other benefits do companies get from Talking 12?
In addition to your hosted 60-minute session, you will receive:
- An additional hour straight after the session, for informal networking and follow-up with our panel over coffee.
- Access to a confidential symptom-checker, so individual employees can see if they would benefit from medical advice.
- Signposting to credible external support where required.
We can also offer bespoke ‘add-on’ health packages or clinics to complement your existing wellbeing policies, as well as a defined period of ongoing support from our Talking 12 panel.
Common questions about Talking 12
We’ve answered our most popular queries below. If there’s something we’ve missed, please get in touch and let us know!
What specific topics are covered in a Talking 12 session?
While some of the content will be guided by audience questions, we expect to cover the following topics in a Talking 12 session:
- Full medical definitions of peri/menopause
- Discussion of popular treatments, such as HRT and supplements
- Explanation of peri/menopause symptoms
- Nutritional guidance
- Real-life peri/menopause stories
- How peri/menopause affects everyone at work, not just older women
- How to separate performance issues from health-related challenges
- Employer legal obligations and how best to meet them
- Avoiding costly employment tribunals through preventative action
Can Talking 12 sessions be tailored to individual company requirements?
Yes. We’re very happy to discuss specific concerns and include them in your Talking 12 session as required. In particular, we can tailor sessions to include broader elements of women’s health.
Does Talking 12 exclusively cover women’s health and menopause-related topics?
Yes, at present. However, we plan to expand our expertise to include sessions that focus on men’s health at work and puberty in schools, and bring the clinic to your office.
What type of company benefits most from a Talking 12 session?
Our sessions are suited to any company – large, mid-sized or growing – that is serious about inclusivity and wellbeing, which includes offering the right menopause support.
How are awkward or sensitive questions handled in a Talking 12 session?
Our panel is ready, willing, and able to answer the questions people want and need to ask. It’s all part of embracing menopause as a real and relevant topic for conversation. As such, you won’t have to worry about embarrassing or uncomfortable moments. Just sit back and prepare to enjoy the discussion.
(For extra reassurance, our host is a public speaking expert and stand-up comedian, who owns hecklers as part of her job!).
Will providing menopause support help achieve wider business objectives?
From 2027, companies with over 250 employees are legally required to publish a Menopause Action Plan as part of their wider gender equality responsibilities. Voluntary adoption is strongly encouraged for smaller companies.
However, menopause support should already form part of every company’s wellbeing strategy, particularly as a lack of care in this area can lead to associated breaches of established legislation (including the Equality Act 2010 and the Health and Safety Act 1974). As such, companies will avoid expensive legal action by ensuring the right support is in place.
Going further, companies that offer menopause support demonstrate a commitment to employee wellbeing that helps attract external candidates and reduce sickness absence, as well as retaining employees with valuable experience. One-third of the UK workforce is currently aged over 50, which is a significant talent pool.
Currently, research from the CIPD shows that one in six women consider leaving their jobs due to “a lack of support in relation to their menopause symptoms”. This may have a knock-on effect on younger employees, who note that the company does not offer support for major life events and health concerns.
If you have any other questions about Talking 12, please contact us.