Supporting employees with fertility issues in the workplace

Fertility issues are often not widely discussed by employees in the workplace and research shows a variety of reasons for this. These include; the employee questioning whether it could be seen as “career suicide”. The employee may feel that they may then miss out on promotion opportunities by raising the issue. There also may be the possible embarrassment of the situation, or just not wanting to face intrusive questions!

Research by the CIPD on this topic, showed the following key findings:

• Almost half of employees (47%) didn’t tell their manager or HR they were experiencing fertility challenges. 
• 46% of employees said they felt neither supported or unsupported at work while having fertility challenges. Just under a fifth said they felt quite or very unsupported.
• 1 in 5 people experiencing fertility challenges have considered leaving their job due to their experience at work whilst undergoing fertility treatment or investigations.

So, as an employer what can you do to support employees with fertility issues?

“Fertility challenges can feel like a very sensitive and difficult topic to discuss but the onus is on employers to create a compassionate and supportive culture so that people can share their experience and seek support if they want to. By providing a framework of support, employers will also benefit in terms of enhanced loyalty and staff retention.”

Rachel Suff, Senior Policy Adviser, CIPD

Firstly, understand the topic, as this is very often misunderstood. The WHO define it as “disease of the reproductive system” but often organisations class IVF as a cosmetic procedure. Therefore fertility issues can often sit elective procedures in absence policies, rather than a medical need.

It can also often be seen as a “woman’s issue” but men are impacted too, and also the LGBTQ+ community can go through this. So, it should be looked at as a “peoples issue”.

Evidence shows there is a real opportunity for employers to improve the workplace environment for employees experiencing fertility challenges or treatments. This also sends a positive message that you genuinely care about the wellbeing of your people, which can enhance staff loyalty, retention and performance.

In terms of providing support this can be very different for different people but key steps include:

Educate your managers on the topic

Evidence shows they are key to offering appropriate support but to do this they need to understand the emotional impact of infertility on employees, the complexity of treatment options, and the importance of creating an inclusive work environment, as well as your company policy around this area.

Raise awareness around fertility

across the organisation. Encourage open conversations, education, and awareness to help create psychological safety for those going through fertility issues.

Develop a clear standalone policy supported by a supportive culture.

Thinking about where this guidance sits and is communicated is key too – for example locate this within your existing maternity policy and this could be triggering for an employee going through a difficult fertility journey.

Offer emotional support for employees with fertility issues.

This could be via access to counselling services or employee assistance programmes. This can help employees cope with the stress and emotional challenges of fertility issues.

Promote good people management practices

Practices that foster trust, communication and empathy between employees and managers will help employees with fertility issues It’s so important for employees to know that you will treat any information confidentiality and with sensitivity.

Encourage open communication

It will help employees feel comfortable discussing their fertility issues, this can be done by encouraging regular check-ins and fostering a non-judgmental atmosphere.

Provide practical support for employees with fertility issues

This could involve flexible working arrangements. In particular home or hybrid working may help. Also additional time off for medical appointments / recovery and compassionate leave to accommodate the demands and uncertainties of fertility treatment.

This could also cover providing a space to store medication and a safe place for employees to administer injections required by IVF. Also, being aware and thinking about other aspects such as taking calls, for example getting a call to confirm a negative test and then having to continue at work without any support or time to deal with this.

Finally, be mindful of daily triggers .. baby showers, new baby photos etc. The key here is not about celebrating these things but being aware and mindful. Try to ensure that there are ‘opt outs’ for employees going through fertility issues, or just give them time and space to process and feel how they feel away from everyone else.

Protection for employees going through this is quite limited currently, but it’s good to see The Fertility Treatment (Employment Rights) Bill being reviewed currently. Amongst other aspects this bill is intended to give employees going through fertility treatment the statutory right to paid time off to attend fertility treatment clinic appointments – their partner would also be able to take unpaid leave to accompany them. This also proposes to protect individual undergoing fertility treatment form discrimination in a similar way to pregnant employees.

The Fertility workplace pledge

A fertility workplace pledge has been launched alongside the above Bill designed to benefit individuals and couples going through fertility treatment. Several large UK employers have signed the Pledge which means they will:

• Implement a workplace fertility policy to increase transparency and reduce the stigma surrounding fertility issues;
• Appoint a fertility ambassador to encourage open conversations and promote internal support;
• Provide training for line managers to improve their understanding of the physical, emotional and financial impacts of fertility treatment; and
• Give staff the right to request flexible working so that they can attend fertility clinic appointments. 

We will see how effective the Pledge is and whether Parliament supports the Bill in time, but these are positive steps towards ensuring that fertility treatment (and its impact) is more understood and sensitively handled in the workplace.