Most organizations think fertility is a private matter. It is not. It is a silent talent drain hiding in plain sight. Employees quietly step back from opportunities, and by the time HR notices, the resignation letter has already been written.
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In this episode of @thehrldpodcast, Nick Day is joined by Jennifer Elworthy, a career and fertility coach and Director of Engagement at Fertility Matters at Work. Jen's own path into this work began in 2015, when a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, a miscarriage, and a second ectopic pregnancy left her navigating PTSD while working at a senior level in the media industry. Despite it all, with the right manager and the right support in place, she was promoted, and she now spends her career helping organizations turn good intentions into meaningful workplace policy. That lived experience, paired with the research she leads at Fertility Matters at Work, is exactly what she brings to this conversation.
Nick and Jen explore why fertility remains one of the least discussed issues on the HR agenda despite affecting one in six people globally, and why the myth that it is not happening in your business is quietly costing UK employers an estimated 217 million pounds a year. They unpack the four questions every manager should ask when an employee discloses a fertility challenge, why 87% of managers have no training despite being the first point of disclosure for 70% of employees, and why a policy sitting in a dusty folder means nothing without a culture of psychological safety to back it up. They also dig into why fertility is not a women's issue, the hidden struggles of the childless not by choice community, the often overlooked reality of pregnancy and parenting after loss, and why career ambition and fertility treatment are not mutually exclusive, no matter how well meaning the advice to just relax might be.
In a world where 38% of employees have left or considered leaving a role due to lack of support, this episode makes the case that the real barriers were never about policy documents. They are about silence, stigma, and managers who want to help but were never given the tools.
A must-listen for HR leaders, L&D professionals, and anyone responsible for building a workplace where employees don't have to choose between their career and their fertility journey.
Enjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thepayrollpodcast for more great content!
Guest and Host:
Jennifer Elworthy's Website: www.jenniferelworthy.com
Jennifer Elworthy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferelworthy/
Fertility Matters at Work: fertilitymattersatwork.com
Nick Day's LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/nickday
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Stay tuned for the next episode of the HR L&D Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!
Timestamps:
(00:01) One in Six Face Infertility, Yet It's Still Hidden at Work
(03:24) Jen's Story: Ectopic Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and a PTSD Diagnosis
(10:05) What Real Support Looks Like: Policy, Manager Training, and Culture
(13:17) Why Fertility Is Missing From the HR Agenda
(17:27) Coaching From the Scar: What HR Never Hears in the Coaching Room
(20:32) Quiet Quitting and the Hidden Cost of an Unsupported Workforce
(24:28) Why 87% of Managers Have No Training for This Conversation
(26:17) The Four Questions Every Manager Should Ask
(29:14) Fertility Is Not a Women's Issue: Protecting Career Ambition
(35:01) When IVF Doesn't Work: Supporting the Childless Not by Choice
(37:45) Becoming Fertility-Friendly: Accreditation and the Power of Storytelling
(41:28) Life After Loss, the Future of Work, and Rapid-Fire Vault Questions
