Shifting the dial on fertility support in the workplace
With one in three women suffering reproductive health problems at some stage in their careers, employers can no longer ignore the need for additional support and provisions.
Professor Geeta Nargund,
Medical Director,
abc ivf and CREATE Fertility
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The theme for the last National Fertility Awareness Week last November 2024 was the impact of infertility on mental health and wellbeing. The week marks an important reminder for employers to reflect on the structures and policies they have in place to support those facing infertility and consider the emotional and mental toll infertility can take.
Whilst leaps and bounds have been made in raising awareness of the difficulties of infertility, there is still work to be done and the professional services sector has the potential to pioneer policies and cultures that ensure infertility doesn’t exist as a barrier to career progression and success. Given one in three women suffer reproductive health problems at some stage in their lives, employers can no longer afford to ignore the need for additional support and provisions.
Policies of change
Disappointingly, many employment contracts still list fertility treatment as having the same leave allowances as cosmetic surgery. Coupled with there being no statutory rights to paid leave for fertility treatment, many women are forced to take unpaid leave or cut down on working hours to undergo what is an essential medical procedure, not a lifestyle choice. It is vital medical needs are treated as what they are: needs.
Fertility treatment is necessary for same-sex couples, couples facing infertility and single parents looking to conceive and employers should take responsibility for supporting staff through these treatment periods.
Furthermore, there is currently no compassionate leave offered for miscarriage before 24 weeks. However, firms can do their bit to lessen the stresses of reproductive health challenges by making policy changes such as introducing paid leave for both miscarriage (before 24 weeks) and employees undergoing fertility treatment.
Policies in action
Promisingly, several law firms have already begun taking action to support employees along their fertility journey. For example, Burgess Mee was the first to appoint its own fertility officer; Slaughter and May offer fertility and menopause support to employees; and more recently, Osbornes Law offers free fertility testing to all employees and partners.
Providing paid leave, offering to cover the costs of fertility treatments and fostering a culture of acceptance and openness are all important steps towards better supporting staff facing infertility.
Improving fertility support is one way to improve our gender health gap – particularly pressing given it’s believed the UK has the largest gender health gap in the G20 and the 12th largest gender health gap in the world. For too long, women’s health has been overlooked, ignored or downplayed with just two-per-cent of medical research public funding spent on pregnancy, childbirth and female reproductive health.
“When it comes to reproductive health, it’s vital to have a transparent and inclusive workplace culture. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, with many women not wanting to speak to their line managers due to feelings of shame or being scared about discussing their health challenges with colleagues.”
Beyond policies
When it comes to reproductive health, it’s vital to have a transparent and inclusive workplace culture. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, with many women not wanting to speak to line managers due to feelings of shame or being scared about discussing health challenges with colleagues.
This is hardly surprising when a survey by CREATE Fertility and WorkLife Central showed just four-per-cent of employers provide appropriate training for HR or line managers in how to support employees undergoing IVF.
Training for HR directors and line managers is essential to enable them to provide reasonable adjustment options and encourage women to speak about their health challenges. Women can be reassured by the knowledge they are speaking to individuals who are educated on the topic and understand the impact menopause, miscarriage or fertility treatments have on physical and mental health.
It’s unacceptable health challenges remain a barrier to women’s career prospects. For example, if a woman feels the need to take annual leave for medical appointments or lie about her personal health situation, this could hinder her career progression. It is paramount we create an open workplace culture for women to succeed.
An economic imperative
There is also a strong economic case for improving workplace policies and support for women facing reproductive and gynaecological health issues.
A recent report published by the NHS Confederation in partnership with the CREATE Health Foundation revealed the economic cost of absenteeism as a result of heavy periods, severe period pain, endometriosis, ovarian cysts and fibroids is estimated to be almost £11 billion per annum. Similarly, unemployment due to menopause symptoms costs approximately £1.5 billion per annum, with approximately 60,000 women in the UK out of employment because of menopause symptoms.
It’s time that law and other professional services firms start taking women’s health seriously and ensure proactive policies and training are in place to avoid absenteeism and the economic cost of the gender health gap in the workplace.
Ultimately, women’s reproductive health needs to move up the workplace agenda and law firms can play a vital role in moving the dial on employment policy. The level of absenteeism is significant and points to a culture not accommodating to women’s health challenges. By building an inclusive workplace culture, with the policies to match, law firms can be the trailblazers that for which both women, and the corporate world, have been waiting.