Your Shape Talent LinkedIn Newsletter – October Edition
Spotlight on Menopause at Work
This month, we’re spotlighting a critical, and still often overlooked, conversation: menopause at work. October is Menopause Awareness Month and, at Shape Talent, we’re focusing on how organisations can move beyond policy headlines to provide meaningful, practical support for women navigating perimenopause and menopause during peak career years.
We’re sharing a powerful new blog by our Director of Research & Innovation, Priscila Pereira, reflecting on her own journey through misdiagnosis, misunderstanding, and the reality of trying to stay in leadership while managing perimenopausal symptoms.
We’re also inviting you to this month’s LinkedIn Live discussion on October 15th, and giving you a first look at next month’s launch of the third edition of our Three Barriers research.
Here’s what’s inside this month:
- New blog: “I thought I had cancer. It was perimenopause” by Priscila Pereira
- October LinkedIn Live: Menopause at Work – Rethinking Support, Policy, and Culture
- Missed it? Catch the highlights from Building Inclusive Talent Pipelines
- November preview: Join us for the launch of the 3rd edition of our Three Barriers research
- Gender Equity Strategy Labs: Final 2025 session on November 13th
- Meet the Team: Rich Littledale on gender equity, coaching, and leadership growth
New blog: “I thought I had cancer. It was perimenopause.”
When symptoms go unexplained, women are often left in the dark... and in silence. In our latest blog, Priscila Pereira shares her deeply personal story of being misdiagnosed and dismissed during perimenopause.
Her experience mirrors the reality of many mid-career women who are expected to perform at their peak while managing life-altering symptoms, without support or understanding at work.
This is more than a wellbeing issue - it’s a leadership pipeline issue that organisations can’t afford to ignore.
Upcoming LinkedIn Live Menopause at Work – Rethinking Support, Policy, and Culture Tuesday 15th October | 10:00 AM BST
Join us for a powerful panel conversation with:
- Vidya Manwani, HR Director Northern Europe, Beiersdorf
- Amy Chapman, Country Manager, Beiersdorf
- Jessica Lazarczyk, Managing Consultant, Shape Talent
Together, we’ll explore what meaningful menopause support really looks like in today’s workplace - from policy to culture to everyday conversations with managers.
Click here for full details and registration
Recommended by LinkedIn
In case you missed it: Building Inclusive Talent Pipelines – Are Women’s Development Programmes a Thing of the Past?
Last month’s LinkedIn Live explored whether women’s development programmes still serve today’s talent strategies, or need reinventing.
Sharon Peake and Rachel Schofield discussed how to turn accelerators into real leadership mobility, and why one-size-fits-all approaches are no longer fit for purpose.
Looking ahead: The Three Barriers – 3rd Edition Launch Tuesday 11th November | 10:00 AM GMT
We’re excited to announce the upcoming launch of the third edition of our groundbreaking research, The Three Barriers to Women’s Progression.
Join us for this special LinkedIn Live event as we reveal the latest insights and what they mean for your organisation’s inclusion strategy in 2026 and beyond.
Gender Equity Strategy Lab - Final session for 2025
Our Gender Equity Strategy Lab is a hands-on, practical session for senior HR and DEI leaders to assess where their gender equity strategy is working - and where it’s stuck.
Upcoming session: 13th November | 9:00 AM GMT
Each participant receives a tailored strategic review, evidence-based insights, and clear next steps to take into 2026.
Register your interest by emailing rebecca.badgley@shapetalent.com
Meet the Team: Rich Littledale, Facilitator and Coach
In this month’s Q&A, we introduce Rich Littledale, a seasoned coach and facilitator working at the intersection of leadership, purpose, and inclusion.
Rich shares his reflections on the current state of gender equity, and why career-planning conversations, when done well, can unlock confidence, clarity, and progress for emerging leaders.
Looking for more?
You’ll find our full library of blogs, toolkits, and practical resources on the Shape Talent website. And if your organisation is ready to take the next step on gender equity, we’re here to help.
Let’s shape what’s next in gender equity - together.