More than a third of employers do not currently provide fertility support to their employees and have no plans to do so in the future, according to new research.
Despite a growing number of UK businesses offering fertility support, 36 per cent of employers do not currently provide this support and have no plans to do so in the future, according to research from B2B digital health and wellness platform Peppy.
The study also found that 22 per cent of employers have always provided fertility support in the workplace, 15 per cent have implemented fertility support in the last 12 months, 11 per cent are in the process of arranging fertility support now, and 7 per cent will do so in the next 12 months.
The research found that employers believe that miscarriage and baby loss are the most pressing fertility issues for which employees require assistance (33 per cent). Under a third (30 per cent) of businesses stated that mental health issues associated with fertility struggles are also a critical area that requires support.
29 per cent of employers were aware that it is not always obvious who requires assistance, particularly for men or those in non-traditional families.
According to the survey, 37 per cent of employers agreed that it is challenging to support employee fertility issues due to staff reluctance to discuss the subject. A third (30 per cent) of employers find it difficult to manage how much time employees need off at this time. Presenteeism, or working while unable to do so, was also mentioned by 19 per cent of employers, and 18 per cent were concerned about employees leaving work entirely when experiencing fertility issues.
Peppy CEO Dr Mridula Pore says: “Fertility support is not just for those who will experience fertility problems, but it is also about providing support and resources for staff at this significant time in their lives when they are starting or expanding a family.
“As a growing number of employers are finding, it makes good business sense to provide fertility support for employees. If employers do not offer support, employees may need to take time off to get that support elsewhere or indeed may not reach out for any support and suffer in silence. This has potential consequences for their employer, including loss in engagement and productivity and the risk of increased absence.”
Pore added: “Fertility can be seen as a very binary issue – employees and their partners either are or aren’t pregnant. This monthly cycle of hope and despair can be particularly difficult for employers to manage. Employers need to think about providing support that not only deals with the practicalities of fertility treatment but crucially also encompasses comprehensive emotional support too. Not only offering a source of trusted professional support but also a sense of community. It’s also really important to ensure support is available to all staff so that employers are not making assumptions based on age, gender or situation.
“Fertility issues can, unfortunately, last for many years and be all-consuming for those involved. It’s really important that employers provide comprehensive support for both the practical and emotional issues surrounding fertility, or they really do risk losing their most valuable asset.”