Male fertility must not be neglected in business employee benefit schemes

Fertility is not just a female problem, but you would not know it by looking at how most workplaces treat it. 

Male factor plays a role in around 50% of fertility struggles and yet men are often forgotten about in these journeys until late on in the process. What this looks like in practice is finding out results in the workplace, in-between meetings, last minute days off work and, above all, a feeling of guilt for something that can be incredibly anxiety-inducing. 

This is an area where employers can do more to help. Male fertility has been stigmatised for years with very little having been done to raise awareness of the benefits of testing men proactively, which has led to knock-on effects of stress for couples and often leaving men not knowing what they can do or who they can ask. 

Investigating male fertility is comparatively less invasive than investigating female fertility, and in many cases it is quicker and can also be improved through relatively simple lifestyle interventions. 

It is not uncommon for couples to go through fertility treatments without their employer even knowing. But by neglecting male fertility in employee benefits schemes employers risk greater absence rates and eventually attrition of staff. Menopause alone is estimated to cost the UK 14 million working days a year. There is no equivalent number for male fertility, which is part of the problem. 

The majority of millennials now say that they would move jobs for better reproductive health benefit schemes. In light of this, schemes that cover both male and female fertility services are thankfully becoming more of an employee retention tool for employers, rather than a nice to have, but men are not always aware of what is on offer. 

Employers that offer fertility services to their female employees should review what they provide to their male staff to ensure full coverage is available. Fertility services do not only cover traditional IVF. They may include remote testing, fertility counselling or surrogacy services. By offering coverage for males and females, employers are able to be far more inclusive in order to provide the full range of fertility services that may suit any of their employees’ needs and could also save unnecessary costs. 

For HR and business leaders, it is not difficult to make significant changes that will make a big difference for the people in your business. Explicitly call out female and male fertility in benefits communications, as men will not always assume they are included and are unlikely to ask. Secondly, check that your provider covers diagnostics and testing, and not just treatment. Ensure that access is discreet and clear without requiring conversations with a line manager. You can also lean on your employee benefits providers to share education, communication and even host sessions to discuss topics that you may not feel qualified to talk about.