The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) has warned that employers could risk losing talented staff if infertility policies are not put in place. The CMI warning comes after research by Totaljobs and The Fawcett Society recently revealed that one in five employees quit their job due to poor treatment from employers relating to fertility issues. A total of 3.5 million people are reportedly affected by infertility each year, impacting talent retention across businesses of all sizes and sectors.
Lack of awareness is at the crux of it all. Like the menopause, IVF and assisted conception are topics that are not openly talked about, especially not in the workplace. This is due to a reluctance, quite understandably, among employees to disclose to their employers what they are going through. This hesitance is partly because the journey is so personal and partly because they don’t know how the information will be received and how they may be subsequently treated.
Will they still be seen as being a hard worker? Could they be at risk of being perceived as no longer committed to their job? Will they be expected to use their annual leave days to attend appointments? And will they be allowed to attend appointments during work time? These are just some of the questions employees will need to navigate as they embark on their assisted conception journey.
Infertility remains a taboo subject matter
Unfortunately, the lack of openness that currently exists among employers and employees, means that infertility is very much a taboo subject within sector-wide working environments.
This creates an unwanted ripple effect with unforeseen outcomes. Employees may feel like they have no other option, but to leave their job because they don’t feel able to open up and share what they are going through with their employer.
Meanwhile, some employees may choose to hand in their notice because, after speaking to their employer, they felt unsupported and potentially judged by the organisation.
A lot of these resignations can be eliminated by implementing a robust infertility policy that tackles all of these grey areas and leaves no room for suspicion on behalf of employers or doubt on behalf of employees.
What do good infertility policies include?
The most effective policies cover areas such as employees’ entitlement to taking time off and how it is logged, for example annual leave or something else, and the provision of adequate places for them to take and store their medication every day.
Some policies also focus on what happens if employees are unable to come to work because they feel too poorly or are coming to terms with bad news.
And, as obvious as it may sound, it’s crucial employees know who they can speak to, in confidence, to make sure their employer is kept updated. Left unaddressed, all of these unknowns can collectively generate considerable distress, which can contribute to employees deciding to leave.
A clear sign
Implementing an infertility policy is a clear sign to potential and current employees that, as an employer, you understand and will support their situation.
With infertility reportedly becoming an increasingly widespread workplace issue, employers must consider how they want to address it and implement the relevant policies and necessary processes to reinforce their approach. This includes equipping managers and senior team members with the relevant knowledge and tools, for example a dedicated infertility policy. Afterall, they will invariably be the first port of call for employees.
All-round clarity
The last thing employers should do is implement an infertility policy for policy’s sake. All policies should be implemented and clearly communicated organisation-wide. Where possible, employers should look to involve their employees, which will help secure employee buy-in and develop something that works for both parties.
The importance of being supportive and adaptable to employees’ needs; whether that be by allowing them to book half a day off at short notice to attend an appointment or being more sympathetic to them taking a sick day because their latest round of IVF has failed, should not be underestimated by employers.
Unfortunately, there is the risk that some employees may try to take advantage, but having a dedicated fertility policy in place will provide much-needed, all-round clarity and, more importantly, help employers hold on to valuable talent.
