Fertility treatments such as IVF are becoming increasingly common. But a study by UK-based organisation Fertility Matters at Work suggests that nearly two-thirds of respondents do not feel comfortable speaking to their employer about support during the process. Our guests, Becky Kearns – CEO and co-founder of Fertility Matters at Work – and Suzy Jackson, COO of RVO Health, say both employers and governments can help change that.
Kearns says many women undergoing IVF report taking unpaid sick leave to keep up with medical appointments and treatment. "This was having a huge impact on individuals, but also on the workplace as well, because we know that short-notice sickness absence is going to disrupt an organisation and a team more than having an open conversation about flexible working, which is what we advise."
Without support, Jackson warns, "we are going to see more and more people dropping out or falling behind, because of a culture of not feeling like people can speak up about what they're going through, and the logistical and practical support that they need at the time."
Kearns works to help organisations become “fertility friendly”. "That means that there is a clear policy or guidance in place, something in writing, to show employees what they are entitled to (...) There's a big piece of work around breaking down stigma and raising awareness and creating a really safe culture that allows people to feel psychologically safe to share that they're going on this journey and to know that it won't impact their careers."
Jackson says there are broader lessons to be learned about how the healthcare industry treats women. "I think women's health has started to get a lot more attention in the last couple of years, but there's a long way to go. I think we have a generation of extraordinary women who are quietly managing some of the hardest medical experiences of their lives, while leading teams and closing deals and running companies, and they deserve more than silence. I think women's health deserves a lot more investment."
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