• Swindon & Wiltshire News
• Monday December 5 2022
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Law firm Gardner Leader appoints its first menopause champion

Thames Valley law firm Gardner Leader has appointed senior associate Hilary Messer as its first menopause champion.

The appointment marks another milestone in the award-winning law firm’s continued investment in health and wellbeing support initiatives for its growing workforce, as it continues to attract and retain the best legal talent in the region.

After more than trebling in size in the last ten years, Gardner Leader now employs upwards of 180 staff, 75 per cent of whom are female.

The role is thought to be one of the first in the legal sector and follows the appointment of Gardner Leader’s wellbeing champions, Fiona Curnow and Niamh Minihane.

The firm understands the importance of a happy workforce, and the vital role it plays in providing quality of service and bringing clients peace of mind.

Gardner Leader has built a reputation within the industry as a firm which invests in its employees’ wellbeing and has previously won the LawNet Excellence in Employee Engagement award, and the Best Employer and Best in Customer Service categories in the Newbury Weekly News awards.

In its most recent employee engagement survey, the firm had an employee net promoter score of +70.

As menopause champion, Hilary’s responsibilities will include raising the profile of menopause awareness in the workplace, and encouraging staff to talk more openly about it.

Hilary will be lending advice on how best to lay out workspaces, how the firm can help members of staff who may be suffering from symptoms, as well as being on hand to provide confidential support and guidance.

Having received a champion accreditation from The Menopause Experts UK programme, Hilary will be running sessions for all members of the Gardner Leader team, regardless of gender, where they can learn about menopause symptoms and mechanisms for support.

Hilary said: “Menopause remains a taboo subject both within and outside of the workplace. Generally, people are unaware of the symptoms or how best to support those that may be suffering from them.

“As a menopause champion for Gardner Leader, I am looking forward to helping to raise the profile for menopause in the workplace, and increasing people’s overall understanding of the transition that women go through and how it can affect them. Having a team that is more engaged in conversations around menopause will help us as a firm to better understand so we can offer the support that’s needed.”

Recently reported by Rest Less, there are 5.1 million women aged 50 and over who are either currently working or looking for employment. With people looking to work later into life, employers need to be mindful of life transitions like the perimenopause and menopause and the consequential symptoms of these.

Derek Rodgers, managing partner of Gardner Leader, added: “Ensuring our staff feel valued, supported and a part of a wider community is essential. Hilary becoming the Gardner Leader menopause champion is another important step in building this sense of community and togetherness amongst the team.”

An award-winning law firm, Gardner Leader offer services to businesses and individuals and has offices in Newbury, Thatcham, Swindon, Maidenhead, Windsor and London.