Informing employees and colleagues about your fertility journey
Time off for clinic appointments, side effects from fertility treatments and the emotional toll procedures may take, are all important considerations when thinking if, when, how and who to tell at work.
You are under no obligation to tell your employers or colleagues about your fertility journey but it may be useful to inform some people.
Who:
Employers may need to be aware of absences and colleagues may find it useful if there is likely to be an impact on their workload. Each role and each organisation will be different – think who might need to know, and who you’d feel most comfortable telling.
When:
There’s no right or wrong time to inform employers or colleagues – only when feels right for you.
How:
How you tell people will depend on a number of factors, including the role of the person you’re telling (formal HR or a close colleague whose work load may be impacted by your absence), your relationship with them and the specific stage in the process you’re at. Either a written email or in person talk is completely up to you.