The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has recently published guidance on providing workplace support for employees who are facing fertility challenges. The guidance follows on from CIPD’s previous research which found that fertility issues remain under supported within the workplace. Just 27% of employers surveyed have a policy to support employees undergoing fertility treatment. The guidance aims to clarify the steps employers could take to support their employees in this regard.
The CIPD highlights that there can be significant impacts on both physical and mental health for individuals who are experiencing challenges with fertility or are undergoing treatment. Their previous research found that employees who receive support from their workplace are less likely to experience further issues with their mental health as a result and, ultimately, are more likely to remain with their employer.
The guidance is therefore intended to assist employers to understand the challenges employees may be facing and how they can provide support. More specifically, the CIPD highlights three key aims of the guidance:
- to raise awareness of the prevalence and impact of fertility challenges, investigations and treatment;
- to highlight the need for effective workplace support and what that might look like; and
- to inspire employers to create an environment where individuals feel able to access support if they want to.
The CIPD’s guidance offers a very detailed overview of suggested actions that organisations could implement to ensure employees are supported. Some of the key steps employers may choose to take are:
- signing up to the Fertility Workplace Pledge;
- establishing the role of a fertility ambassador who can be a source of knowledge about fertility issues and engage with employees to provide training and support;
- raising awareness through training and other communications to employees;
- training line managers in particular on the support they should provide;
- implementing a policy allowing time off for fertility treatment and tests, including paid time off if this is feasible;
- developing a dedicated, transparent and readily accessible policy or plan for supporting employees experiencing challenges related to fertility;
- making adjustments, such as offering flexible working or temporarily reducing an employee’s workload, to ease the process; and
- setting an expectation for all employees to be empathetic and understanding when considering these issues.
Source: Lexology
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