Have you noticed that employers are talking a lot about support for menopausal women and during fertility treatment at the moment? It seems to be quite the trend among “progressive” companies. There’s even a trend for making workplaces dog friendly. Why are companies becoming dog friendly before they become human friendly?

Considering the current statistics around pregnancy and how pregnant women are treated in the workplace, it’s kind of surprising to see such trends emerging. 77% of women said in a recent report that they had a negative (possibly discriminatory) experience during pregnancy, maternity leave, and/or on returning to work. Over three quarters of women! That’s HUGE.

We’re concerned that priority is shifting away from the basics and diluting the support available for pregnant people. Companies need to get the basics right and pregnancy is a huge leaky funnel for companies. It’s costing companies a lot of money!

So what’s going on?

The current reality of pregnancy in work

The data on this is very clear. The majority of workplaces aren’t pregnancy friendly.

In one UK government & EHRC report, 10% of pregnant people were actively discouraged from attending antenatal appointments. 4% stated they left their jobs because of risks in the workplace not being dealt with appropriately.

The same report showed that one in five mothers reported that they experienced harassment or negative comments related to their pregnancy or flexible working from their employer or colleagues. One in nine mothers felt forced to leave their job. (One percent of those were dismissed or made compulsorily redundant, and the others were treated so poorly by their employers that they felt they had to leave their job.)

In another report by That Works For Me, 40 of the 848 respondents were made redundant whilst on maternity leave.

The situation is unacceptable. Employers need to do better.

Fertility support in the workplace.

With advancements in reproductive technology and the increasing availability of fertility treatments, many women are choosing to delay pregnancy until later in their careers. Employers who provide fertility and menopause support can help these women balance their personal and professional goals by offering resources and accommodations which could then make it easier for them to conceive.

Companies like Natwest, Centrica and law firms like Clifford Chance and Cooley are part funding IVF treatments for their employees. They’re also offering flexible working to accommodate appointments and to support the emotional rollercoaster IVF journey. Don’t get us wrong, we think this is great!

This is indeed a positive step but it needs to be followed up with inclusivity for the actual pregnancy and then ongoing for parents. Policies for flexible working, remote working, opportunities for progression (and so on) are necessary to demonstrate that this isn’t just jumping on a bandwagon. Companies have got to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

Menopause support in the workplace

As more women delay pregnancy, perhaps prioritising their careers or dealing with the cost of living crisis, menopause and the onset of age-related fertility decline become increasingly relevant in the workplace.

1 in 4 women consider leaving their job due to menopause, and 1 in 10 do. Around 8 out of 10 women experience menopause symptoms while they’re at work. Menopause can be tough on your employees, with hot flushes, anxiety, night sweats, and brain fog making day-to-day work seem impossible.

Often simple workplace adjustments can help, and employers should provide these for women who need them. Employers who provide support for menopause can help their employees manage the physical and emotional challenges associated with this transition and maintain their productivity on the job.

Looking after mid-life women is important, but by placing a priority on menopause support are workplaces forgetting about the families working there too?

Period positive workplaces

In a report by Bloody Good Period, 89% of respondents had experienced some form of stress in the workplace because of their period and over a quarter reported never feeling supported by their employers. 4% of respondents never have free access to toilets and breaks, and an additional 11% said they do “only sometimes”.

In light of this and other reports, and on top of our own lived experiences, we understand that it is incredibly important for workplaces to change the way they’re doing things and break the stigma around periods. Simple changes to policy, practices and infrastructure could make your organisation easier to navigate for those who menstruate. We know that this improves individual wellbeing, impacting productivity and progress for your employees. All of which is awesome and we support!

But when a company is saying it’s period positive and waving around a new award, where does that support end? When they conceive? Do pregnant people not deserve support too?

Dog friendly workplaces

Recent surveys have shown that 65% of UK pet owners believe working alongside their dog improves their mental health and wellness. And research suggests that having dogs in your workplace may actually reduce stress levels, boost employee performance and worker engagement. So welcoming dogs into your workplace might provide a low-cost way of making their employees happy and perhaps even more productive.

The decision to allow dogs into the office seems to be focused on how you wish your business to be perceived. Are millennials and Gen Z employees seeking dog friendly workplaces only nowadays?

It seems odd to us that some companies are making a big deal out of dog friendly policies before they’ve nailed their parental leave policies…

How can supporting these issues help the future of pregnancy at work?

Fertility, period and menopause support in the workplace could have a significant impact on the future of pregnancy at work. By raising awareness of these issues and incorporating a more inclusive approach, companies will be laying the foundations for a healthier happier workplace for pregnant people.

However, if employers are supporting fertility then they also need to support parents throughout pregnancy, and maternity leave. As long as the company is actually doing that and not just virtue signalling, then there shouldn’t be a problem. But if the pregnant person who’s gone through IVF and has been accommodated well to conception, yet following on from that has a dreadful run up to maternity leave and then an awful return to work - due to lack of understanding and support - that cannot be good for a company’s profit margin.

85% of women leave the full-time workforce within three years of having children. Nearly 20% leave the workforce altogether, most often because their company won’t offer flexible work options or they can’t afford childcare. Something needs to change.

Employers need to be creating inclusive, family friendly workplaces for ALL their employees.

Our conclusion!

It's great that some companies are supporting fertility, periods, menopause, and even becoming dog friendly, but we’d argue that most workplaces are still not pregnancy friendly.

Overall, we believe that fertility and menopause support in the workplace could play a critical role in promoting gender equality and empowering women to achieve their career and family goals. By providing these resources, employers can create a more inclusive and supportive work environment, which can ultimately benefit both the employees and the organisation as a whole.

But it’s going to take a seismic shift! Employers need to make the journey - from trying to conceive through to juggling parenting and work - a hell of a lot easier. And that is done through policies, culture change and training managers better.