UK employees feel more pressure to work during fertility treatment than other countries, survey finds
Two fifths (42%) of UK employees undergoing fertility treatment feel pressure to remain at work during the process, an international survey has revealed. The poll, jointly conducted by Fertility Matters at Work, This Can Happen and Ferring Pharmaceuticals, found that UK workers felt this pressure far more than those surveyed in Australia, France, Japan and Poland. More than a third (38%) of UK workers said they had considered leaving their jobs because of how they were treated.
Zoe Sinclair, founder of This Can Happen, said the disparity in workplace support needed urgent attention. She also highlighted the role of line managers, alongside HR teams and employee networks, in creating an environment where staff feel they can speak openly without judgement.
“If they are equipped with tools to respond empathetically and consistently, that will go a long way to help” she added.
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