Although we try to keep our work and personal lives separate, it’s not always possible. Challenging life events, like trying for a baby or receiving fertility treatment, can have a serious impact on how we feel - which can have a knock-on effect on all aspects of our lives, including our jobs.

As many as 15% of couples have difficulty conceiving, but we’re still hesitant to talk about the topic, especially at work. Yet experiencing fertility issues can lead to grief, anxiety, depression and stress. Fertility treatments can be physically invasive and mentally demanding and often require recovery time, but many worry about telling their employers.

Three in four people don’t feel they have an open environment to discuss fertility at work, according to a survey of 1,031 people by the employee healthcare platform Peppy. More than half of those struggling with fertility issues said expensive and hard-to-access fertility support has had a negative impact on their mental wellbeing, especially LGBT+ employees. A further 45% said they felt uncomfortable talking about it at work.

Worryingly, this lack of understanding and support is forcing people out of their jobs. Of those surveyed, 43% of millennials – a generation of common reproductive age – said they would consider changing jobs due to a lack of fertility or baby loss support.

The message is clear: fertility can no longer be considered a marginal issue – and should instead be a fundamental part of an employer’s approach to employee wellbeing. So what can employers do to support employees through their fertility journeys?

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Open, safe conversations at work

Being able to talk openly about fertility without fear of judgement or repercussions is essential. This allows people to be themselves, which is important for building psychological safety – the shared belief among workers that it’s OK to be honest – within a workplace.

Becky Kearns, co-founder of the organisation Fertility Matters At Work, says fertility support should be an integral part of workplace culture. “Work is a huge part of our identity, but so is our reproductive journey, and it can be impossible to separate the two,” she says.

“The impact of fertility issues can encompass physical, financial and psychological effects. Support stems from an open and safe workplace that enables employees to bring their whole self to work and thrive.”

Education

“In terms of education, it’s critical for staff to be educated and leaders upskilled in key areas of healthcare if employers want to effectively remove taboos in the workplace and create a truly inclusive environment,” says Francesca Steyn, vice president of clinical at Peppy and chair of the Royal College of Nursing’s fertility forum.

“Examples of educational steps might include: inviting fertility health experts to present to and speak with employees, or hosting guidance sessions for managers to discuss how best they can support their team members dealing with fertility issues at work.”

It can also be signposting staff to helpful organisations like Fertility Network UK and Fertility Matters.

Bringing fertility into company policy

It’s also important for employers to bring fertility – including issues like infertility and baby loss – into company policies. “They should urge HR leaders to engage with workplace-related fertility research and to consider its potential for informing company policy,” says Stein.

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Companies also have to implement policies that affect employees at every level. “Fertility treatments have a physical and emotional impact, which can last a long time,” says Stein. “This means that companies need to establish workplace policies that allow for paid time off and flexible working, to meet the needs of employees that need to take time off work.”

Rather than a blanket approach to wellbeing, it’s important for employers to recognise that everyone’s experiences – and therefore, their needs – are different.

“Ultimately, employers need to realise that equating fertility with infertility is not the right way to approach fertility benefits,” she says. “This is a reductive way of thinking about a complex area of health, and fertility benefits should encompass many stages of life and support men, women, transgender and non-binary people going through fertility journeys.”

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