Written by Becky Kearns, CEO and Co-Founder FMAW
“Do we really need a formal fertility policy?”
This question comes up constantly in my work at Fertility Matters at Work. As co-founders with over 35 years combined HR experience, Claire and I understand the reluctance. Not everything needs to be a formal policy, and we don’t believe in creating policies for policy’s sake.
What we’ve learned is that for many organisations, ‘Guidance’ has proven just as effective as formal policy – achieving the same aims without the bureaucratic weight and often with a more human and empathetic tone. What matters isn’t necessarily the format but having something in writing.
Why Employees Need to See It in Writing
Fertility treatment remains deeply personal and shrouded in stigma. Our research shows that 61% of employees fear telling their employer about treatment. They’re worried about career impact, being seen as less committed, or facing unfavourable treatment from managers.
These fears have real consequences when employees don’t feel safe to ask for time off:
- 64% resort to sick leave to hide the fact that they’re going through treatment, often meaning more time is taken than they actually need
- Last-minute absences disrupt operations and cost businesses more
- 36% of those going through treatment have left or considered leaving their organisation due to lack of support
- Productivity, retention, engagement and wellbeing all suffer
The irony is that our cost-analysis based on our 2025 research revealed that allowing up to 10 days off actually costs businesses less than offering only 5 days, with savings coming from reduced sickness absence and improved retention.
What Employees Are Looking For
The first place someone going through fertility treatment will look is for something in writing. A signal – whether it’s a policy or guidance, even a line in an existing document – tells them whether it’s safe to ask for support.
But language matters enormously. We’ve seen policies that:
- Bury fertility treatment in maternity policies (hugely triggering for those struggling to conceive)
- Call it an “elective procedure” comparable to cosmetic dentistry
- Suggest it’s a lifestyle choice rather than medical treatment
These approaches can cause more harm than good. Fertility treatment isn’t elective – it’s a medical intervention people turn to because of circumstance, not choice, with 99% of employees in our survey identifying it as a significant life event.
What Should Be Included?
Whether you choose a formal policy or guidance, employees and managers need clarity on one crucial question: “How will time away from work be managed?”
We’ve seen various approaches work well:
Unlimited paid time off (in hours for maximum flexibility)
- Examples: E.ON, Cadent Gas
- Built on trust between employees and managers
Set number of days per cycle (not per year)
- Recognises IVF as a course of treatment
- Acknowledges that treatment often doesn’t work first time
- Being able to take this in hours improves flexibility for both the business and employee
Temporary flexible working arrangements
- Allows people to work around appointments
- Often means less total time away
- It’s important these arrangements are clear and don’t result in a detrimental impact on employee wellbeing (i.e. working back time resulting in feeling overworked)
What we don’t recommend:
- Requiring annual leave (fertility treatment isn’t a holiday)
- Unpaid leave (treatment is already hugely costly)
- Sick leave when someone isn’t actually sick (which can trigger absence policies and create vulnerability)
- Leaving it entirely to manager discretion (creates inconsistency)
We regularly hear from people who felt “lucky” to have a supportive manager, and from those who weren’t so lucky. It shouldn’t be down to the luck of the draw – especially when 70% of employees speak to their line manager first, which is why managers need clear parameters too. Inconsistency and a lack of clarity only fuel the silence around this topic and why having something in writing matters.
Will it Open the Floodgates?
Some organisations worry that offering clear fertility support will open the floodgates and create unsustainable costs.
The reality is that employees are taking this time anyway; no-one cancels IVF because their workplace doesn’t have a policy. You just don’t see it reflected because many feel they have no other choice but to hide it – in sickness absence, reduced productivity, disengagement, and turnover. They simply find other ways to take the time they need, often resulting in more disruption than if it were managed openly and supportively.
This isn’t an entitlement people will abuse, it’s about trusting your employees through a difficult time, providing time off in hours for maximum flexibility and helping your managers help their teams. Having something in writing – whether formal policy or informal guidance – makes the difference between employees feeling safe to disclose versus hiding treatment, taking planned time versus unplanned sick leave, and staying versus leaving.
Getting It Right
Policy or guidance provides the foundation, but creating a truly supportive workplace means building on it. Awareness-raising, manager education and training, peer support, and clear signposting to resources all work together to break down stigma and create the psychological safety employees need.
Language and tone matter at every level – in your policy, in how managers communicate, and in how you raise awareness across your organisation.
At Fertility Matters at Work, we don’t just provide templates. All our members receive in-depth policy and guidance consultancy combined with support to develop manager training, awareness campaigns, and the culture change needed to make written commitment a lived reality. We help organisations find the right approach – whether formal or informal – that truly works for their people and their organisation.
This holistic approach forms the foundation of our Fertility Friendly Employer accreditation. It’s not about ticking boxes, it’s about meaningful cultural change that creates a genuinely psychologically safe workplace where people feel supported through one of life’s most challenging experiences.
To read more about our research and cost analysis go here.