At Mansfield Building Society, being menopause friendly isn’t a policy. It’s a people-first culture brought to life with commitment, compassion and cake.
Their journey began in 2022 with menopause in the workplace training for all people managers. Delivered by Bob Crowe, Learning & Development Specialist, the now-famous advocate whose approach has inspired a T-shirt and admiration from financial services across the UK, the training focused on how to support colleagues experiencing menopause and has continued annually to ensure every new manager is equipped with knowledge and confidence.
Later that same year, Mansfield launched their menopause policy, designed not as a tick-box exercise, but a genuinely helpful and practical guide for both managers and colleagues. Clear, accessible and human, it outlines what menopause might look like in the workplace and what can be done to help. But Mansfield Building Society went further.
Recognising the real impact of menopause symptoms, they introduced paid leave, a bold and compassionate step rarely seen, particularly in small organisations. “It’s not sick leave, because it’s not an illness,” said Vickie Preston, Head of People. “It’s a natural stage in life, and our policy recognises that.” This simple yet significant move reinforces Mansfield Building Society’s message: our people matter.
Mansfield’s support isn’t just top-down. They’ve built a community. Their menopause champions, Bob, Jodie, Kiran, Sarah and Mandy, lead the way in peer support and awareness. In October 2023, they launched their Menopause Café, a welcoming space for colleagues of all genders to come together over tea, cake and open conversations. Feedback has been heartfelt: “Being able to talk to others that feel the way I feel… letting me know there’s nothing wrong with me… was a big reassurance.” Others valued the presence of male colleagues, saying it helped bridge understanding in families and teams alike.
In an effort to ensure support reaches everyone, Bob expanded his training into a new session: Managing My Menopause. Open to all, regardless of age or gender, it’s built to educate, empathise and empower, whether you’re personally experiencing menopause or supporting someone who is.
All of this hard work led to a moment of celebration when Mansfield Building Society was awarded the Menopause Friendly Accreditation, the only accreditation in the UK (and globally) independently assessed against rigorous standards of excellence across culture, policies, training, engagement and the workplace environment.
Receiving the accreditation from Deborah Garlick, founder of Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace, marked a proud moment. “You’re standing shoulder to shoulder with organisations like Boots, HSBC and Unilever,” she said, “and showing that it’s not just the big corporates who can lead the way. This is about meaningful, cultural change and you’ve done that.”
Deborah reflected on how far we’ve come in a decade, from a time when there wasn’t a single menopause policy in sight to now seeing organisations like Mansfield Building Society setting the standard. “There are 157 accredited organisations in the UK. Only five globally. And the majority of employers still haven’t done what you have. You are genuine trailblazers.”
Their accreditation certificate wasn’t just framed, it was baked into a cake. A fitting symbol for a team that understands support can be serious and celebratory.
Mansfield Building Society’s story is one of leadership, heart and impact. They’ve created a workplace where menopause is understood, supported and normalised. And they’re not finished yet. As Deborah put it: “We don’t just need a new T-shirt that says ‘Be More Bob’. We need one that says ‘Be More Mansfield Building Society’. ”They’ve proved that you don’t need to be big to make a big difference. You just need to care. And Mansfield Building Society does – brilliantly.
