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Approximately one in seven people in the UK experience fertility problems, with the majority of these individuals in employment.
It's widely recognised that there can be significant impacts on the mental and physical health of employees experiencing difficulties conceiving. Managing these, alongside working, can often be extremely difficult.
The CIPD has recently published a detailed guide for employers on offering workplace support to staff experiencing fertility issues. This blog sets out the key aspects for employers to consider.
The guide comes off the back of the findings of two surveys, which assessed the support provided by employers and employees' experiences with fertility issues at work.
From the 2,023 senior HR professionals and decision-makers surveyed, around 24% said that their organisation encouraged an open and supportive climate to a great extent, where employees are able to talk about issues like fertility treatment.
However, 13% of those surveyed stated that they did not encourage this climate, and 40% confirmed that the organisation didn't have a formal policy on fertility treatment and didn't plan to introduce one.
From the 300 employees surveyed, who had experiences with fertility challenges, investigations or treatment, 47% confirmed that they don't tell their manager or HR, and 26% said that they were concerned about the possible impact on their career.
The survey asked employees how helpful they found the support received from their employers, and the majority confirmed that this was helpful.
When those who received no support were asked how beneficial support would have been, the majority of people stated that they deemed employer support to be the most beneficial, followed by line management support.
The aim of the guidance is to raise awareness about the need for effective workplace support and encourage employers to view fertility as an important workplace well-being issue.
The guidance is based on the following five core principles.
