The CMI's survey results were exclusively provided to The Guardian, which published a report on 30 December.
More than a third (35%) of the 1,000 managers who participated in the survey indicated that their employer did not have plans to introduce a fertility policy in future.
Ann Francke, the CMI's chief executive, warned The Guardian that employers “risk losing good people” by not having a fertility policy, as NHS data shows one in every seven couples have difficulty conceiving.
Speaking to HR magazine, Becky Kearrns, co-founder and CEO of fertility training provider and consultancy Fertility Matters at Work, said: “Policies provide an important signal to employees, showing that they recognise and support those needing fertility treatment.”
More than three quarters (78%) of employees reported fertility support or a fertility policy as being 'very important' when considering a new job or employer, research conducted in 2023 by the charity Fertility Network UK showed.
HR professionals should therefore ensure that fertility policies are inclusive of anyone experiencing fertility treatment, Kearns noted.
She added: “Comprehensive policies should be inclusive in language, recognising the different people impacted and alternative paths to parenthood.”
Read more: Fertility at work: Insights from The F Word at Work live
Policies should consider the financial, physical and mental health aspects of managing infertility too, according to Mary Knight, vice president of corporate values and communications for the biopharmaceutical group, Ferring Pharmaceuticals.
She told HR magazine: “A great first step to managing the mental health burden is destigmatising and creating a supportive environment where managers are equipped to signpost good information, and where the workplace is a safe place to talk about fertility journeys.
“It is even better if employee assistance programmes are set up to support people who may experience trauma or loss throughout their fertility journey.”
Employers could include health insurance in their policy to make the cost of fertility treatments accessible to employees, Knight continued.
She added: “The cost of fertility treatment can be too high for individuals to pay themselves, and NHS coverage is very much determined by where you live.
“More companies are looking at insurance-based fertility benefits as part of their corporate health and wellbeing benefits offer. It is something to explore.”
HR leaders should ensure that policies allow for people to have paid time off while experiencing fertility treatment or difficulties, Joeli Brearley, founder of the maternity discrimination campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed, told HR magazine.
She said: “The basics of a fertility policy should include paid time off for appointments and paid leave for pregnancy loss.
"The policy should also be supported by a robust flexible working policy, to ensure that employees undergoing fertility treatment are able to adapt their work schedule.”
Read more: Stonewall: How HR can support LGBTQ+ couples with family building
HR professionals are responsible for preventing employees from experiencing unfavourable treatment by managers or colleagues, Brearley warned.
She continued: “More important than the policy itself is an assurance that, should an employee undergo fertility treatment, they will not be treated unfavourably by their manager. Policies are not worth the paper they are written on if employees feel unable to use them.”
A third (33%) of employees who have undergone fertility treatment reported having considered leaving their job due to treatment they faced at work at the time, according to survey findings published jointly in September 2023 by the jobs board business Totaljobs and the gender equality charity the Fawcett Society.
Communicating policies with employees should ensure that employees feel safe to raise their experiences and seek support from their employer, Kearns explained.
She commented: “To ensure that employers attract and retain talent, employees need to be aware of such support. It’s no good if it’s buried within other policies. Family policies in particular need to be accessible.
“Awareness-raising events, story sharing and building peer support are great ways to raise awareness and educate. Also a ‘Fertility Friendly Employer’ badge such as the Fertility Matters at Work accreditation, allows employers to amplify support offered even further, helping to attract and retain talent.”
