5 ways workplaces can support infertility
Hannah Spencer
Head of Finance Transformation
News UK
Hannah works in full time finance at News UK, looking after their large scale finance transformation programme and managing a team of 20 people. Hannah has been married for 10 years and alongside her husband has faced 8 years of dealing with infertility - including 14 miscarriages, multiple failed IUI and IVF rounds, and a life threatening ruptured ectopic pregnancy. Hannah remains childless and is passionate about raising awareness of the toll infertility can have on our wellbeing, both outside of and within the workplace. Hannah hopes that by sharing her experiences, she can help workplaces understand how they can become more supportive and inclusive of people going through infertility, fertility treatments and baby loss, as well as long term childlessness.
Infertility affects 1 in 8 couples, but as a taboo topic, its impact is often not spoken about in the workplace. There’s lots that can be done to change that.
5 ways workplaces can support infertility
My name is Hannah. After 7 years of infertility, with 14 miscarriages, 6 failed IUIs and 9 failed IVFs, culminating in a ruptured ovarian ectopic pregnancy that nearly killed me, I am childless not by choice. Being a Mum is something I so deeply wanted to be and I have had to re-define a lot of what I thought my life would be. Infertility affects 1 in 8 couples, but as a taboo topic, its impact is often not spoken about in the workplace. There’s lots that can be done to change that.
Ways workplaces can support infertility:
1.Put a policy in place which enables employees to take time off for fertility appointments. Infertility is a medical disease and its important treatment is seen in the same way as for any other disease.
2. Run Webinars if you have anyone in your business who is happy to openly talk about their fertility journey, this is a great way to let people know they're not alone and to create an open culture. This could also lead on to setting up support groups for those going through it too
3. Think about the impact of parent network events, babies in the workplace, maternity leave speeches, baby shower invites etc. If you have people going through treatment, give them a head's up in advance so they can make a choice as to whether they want to attend.
4. Practical training. Most people who haven't been through treatment don't know their IUI from their IVF, ICSI, or HyCosys. It's important managers are aware of what fertility treatments are and mean practically.
5. Wider emotional training/awareness. Often an employee's experience depends so much on a line manager reaction. No line manager is expected to be a fertility counsellor, but it's really important they are able to listen and support, rather than dismiss or provide toxic positivity.
Hannah Spencer is a Head of Finance Transformation for News UK and spoke on our Fertility and Mental Wellbeing at Work panel at the March 2023 half-day conference.
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