With an overwhelming need for clearer fertility policies and lines of associated communication to be put in place as a support mechanism within workplaces, educational training provider Fertility Matters At Work (FMAW) highlights simple ways businesses can become fertility-friendly.
Following the Fertility Treatment (Employment Rights) bill being read in parliament in June, and lesbian, bi women and trans people no longer facing additional barriers to accessing IVF, fertility is becoming a more prominent topic in the business world.
With this in mind, Becky Kearns, Co-Founder of Fertility Matters At Work (FMAW) shares five steps to becoming a fertility-friendly workplace:
Educational training
Raising awareness of fertility issues in the workplace is an important educational piece for all employees; however, it’s particularly pertinent to offer training for line managers. Research conducted by FMAW¹ found that line managers are crucial to the provision of appropriate support, but managers often lack training, guidance (from either internal policy or HR) often leading them to deal with these situations in their own.
The managers who seemed most able to offer the appropriate level of support to employees were those with significant management experience and who viewed the issue as an extension/element of managing staff health/wellbeing more generally.
Educational training could be conducted in the form of workshops, participating in online webinars, and having access to inclusive comprehensive learning materials.
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Flexibility and support
In response to FMAW’s 2022 survey¹, one participant said: “Having someone in the organisation that actually understood about the fertility journey, someone who is there for both managers and employees to go to for guidance and support would make a huge difference.”
With a breadth of similar responses, providing a social support group for employees who have gone through a difficult journey or who are currently experiencing IVF struggles can be a key resource in dealing with emotional challenges.
A report by Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU)¹ also found that without training, some managers reported ‘stress, upset, feelings of powerlessness, and/or extra work when dealing with this issue.’ This was compiled by uncertainty over how long reasonable
adjustments/time off could be provided if an employee needed multiple cycles of fertility treatment and how to balance this with the needs of the business.
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Fertility counselling
While some fertility clinics offer counselling, it’s often very expensive, and the content and number of sessions vary. During fertility counselling sessions in clinics, the MMU Report found that there was often little scope for discussing work/career concerns, yet balancing work and fertility can be a huge stress factor. With this in mind, businesses could consider offering workplace fertility counselling where there is an opportunity to talk through specific workplace concerns.
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Workload considerations
As The MMU Report highlights, there is a considerable amount of ‘work’ involved for both men and women ( can we just use the term ‘people ‘ here?) in navigating a complex fertility journey which may include identifying fertility problems, dealing with underlying health conditions, liaising with doctors, attending appointments, and undergoing treatments, among other things.
These all take up time and energy and can be emotionally charged. With this in mind, organisations should plan fertility related appointments alongside the employees day to day workload. If this is planned into time management systems at the start of the week, managers will receive clear expectations of what their direct reports can realistically deliver.
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Clear policies and communications
Using the above considerations and implementing them into a dedicated fertility workplace policy, as well as reviewing current HR policies, will ensure employees feel supported and secure at work.
A respondent to FMAW’s 2022 survey commented: “Although they supported me with the flexibility, they were quick to say they have ‘no legal obligation’, and I felt like my flexibility could change or be stopped at any point. A clear policy on fertility treatment would be helpful if backed by law.”
Ensuring your business has a fertility policy that meets employees’ needs is crucial. In FMAW’s survey, less than 2% of employees said their company had a fertility policy that met their needs.
The MMU Report found that ‘having a (fertility) policy is generally beneficial, to give legitimacy to the issue, but there is a need to go beyond a prescriptive policy and apply more personalised responses along the lines of ‘reasonable adjustments’ in equality legislation. The nature of the policy, and its operationalisation, needs to be carefully considered, to recognise the sensitivity of the subject and concerns around privacy and confidentiality.’ Experts at FMAW suggest ensuring that a fertility policy is clearly communicated to employees when instated and that it’s not located under maternity policies or other policies that relate directly to any type of parental leave.
Reviewing current HR policies, systems and communication in their entirety should also be at the top of a business’s agenda. For example, The MMU Report found ‘sometimes, elements of broader HR policies, systems and paperwork around absence management, selection or promotion. are not fit for purpose (or adapted in practice) for accounting for complex fertility journey issues, and could add to an individual’s emotional challenges.’
Becky Kearns, Co-Founder of FMAW comments on becoming a fertility-friendly workplace: “If businesses implemented a dedicated fertility policy whilst also reviewing their current HR policies, it could positively change a person’s whole fertility journey and ultimately ensure clear and open communication between managers and employees. In turn, this will benefit the business in terms of employee retention and engagement.”
“We are encouraging employers to sign up to be one of the first 100 companies to be fertility-friendly. Already we have welcomed a number of leading British businesses, which has highlighted to us how many organisations are eager to support their employees and put fertility-friendly policies in place. One organisation we’re really proud to have as a member is Selfridges, a high-end department store chain, voted one of the best in the world.”
For more insight on how to become a Fertility Friendly organisation and for more information on the FMAW 2022 survey findings, please visit: https://fertilitymattersatwork.com/report/