Navigating Fertility Treatment in the Workplace: Key Takeaways from Grant Thornton's Fertility Awareness Panel
On the 9th of September, Clarico founder Sorcha joined a panel hosted by Grant Thornton to discuss a subject that affects far more employees than most workplaces acknowledge: navigating fertility treatment in the workplace.
The panel followed on from Sorcha's recent article for IMAGE.ie on how employees and employers can navigate fertility treatment in the workplace, and brought together three perspectives: the practical, employer-led side of support; the health and nutrition side of fertility treatment; and the lived experience of those going through it.
What the panel covered
Sorcha spoke about the practical supports employers can put in place, including flexibility around medical appointments, manager training so these conversations are handled with confidence rather than awkwardness and support structures that exist proactively rather than requiring an employee to disclose a diagnosis to access help. As Sorcha put it: fertility treatment touches a growing number of employees, and it's often happening in silence. The organisations that get this right aren't necessarily the ones with the most detailed policy, they're the ones that build a culture of trust, where people feel able to ask for what they need without fear of judgement or career consequence.
Ciara McNulty RD, a fertility dietitian, and Dr Codruța Pandalache spoke about optimising health pre-conception and during treatment, covering both nutrition and medical perspectives for men and women. Their contributions were a reminder that fertility is not solely a women's health issue, and that supporting employees well means supporting both partners.
The panel was moderated by Ali O'Sullivan, Director at Grant Thornton, who spoke candidly about her own fertility journey. Her openness set the tone for a discussion that truly explored how difficult it can be to coordinate with the busy working lives we all lead today.
Why this matters for employers
An estimated 1 in 6 couples in Ireland experience fertility challenges. Fertility treatment is one of the most physically, emotionally, and financially demanding processes someone can go through, and many of those going through it are also managing a full-time job, coordinating appointments, medication schedules and the emotional toll of the process around normal working hours, often without their employer knowing.
Workplaces that build proactive, practical support around this don't just do right by their people during a difficult period. They retain a key valuable cohort of staff and reduce the silent pressure that drives good people to leave. They build the kind of culture where employees trust they'll be supported through what life brings.
Where to go from here
If your organisation is thinking about what employer-led fertility and return-to-work support could look like, Clarico works with employers to build practical, sustainable support structures for employees navigating fertility treatment, maternity leave and the return to work.
Get in touch to talk through what this could look like for your team.