Dentons builds on menopause awareness with OTBM’s ‘MenoVest’ simulator

Reading time: two minutes

Multinational law firm Dentons – recognised with Menopause Friendly Accreditation in 2024 – continues to build on menopause awareness in the workplace with a MenoVest™ simulator event in collaboration with award-winning agency Over The Bloody Moon (OTBM).

The MenoVest™, which is an innovative tool designed to replicate menopause symptoms, was featured in a workshop that was held at the firm’s London office on 22 January. The event was also live streamed to more than 100 Dentons’ employees across the UK, Ireland and Middle East region.

Male volunteers had first-hand experience of the challenges faced by colleagues undergoing menopause via the MenoVest™, which includes an integrated power pack that heats up and cools down at irregular intervals to simulate hot flushes and symptoms described as ‘brain fog’. The focus on hot flushes came about following OTBM’s research with Kantar, which found hot flushes are the most disruptive menopause symptom, affecting 70% to 80% of people through their menopause transition or beyond.

Dentons' Chief Operating Officer Richard Gaillard, who volunteered to experience the MenoVest, said: "When it comes on, it is very distracting and uncomfortable and makes it a lot harder to concentrate and articulate."

Most working women aged 40 to 60 have experienced symptoms associated with menopause transition and more than half have been unable to work at some point as a result, according to data from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

As part of the workshop, founder of OTBM, Lesley Salem, led a session on the signs associated with menopause and symptom management options. Those in attendance were advised on how to better manage their symptoms, how to be aware of unconscious bias and demonstrate allyship.

Speaking about the workshop, Salem said the volunteers “shared empathic reflections on how hot flushes and brain fog made them feel as well as why allyship matters at Dentons”. The founder of OTBM recognised that the firm has “lots in place to educate and support their staff”.

Karen Peart, legal delivery centre operations manager and co-chair of Dentons' menopause steering group, said: "I was delighted that we were able to bring this event to Dentons as part of our menopause offering. It is so important that we keep banging the drum and breaking the stigma of talking about menopause in the workplace. I am deeply grateful to our male colleagues demonstrating genuine curiosity and empathy – true allyship in action."

OTBM partners with organisations across the globe to support them in becoming menopause inclusive. The agency is known for its expertise in driving intersectional engagement and allyship, tailoring its approach to suit diverse cultural nuances and experiences relating to menopause.