Welcome to another episode of The F Word at Work, in coversation with Rachel Suff, a seasoned policy and research professional with 25+ years of experience in employment and HR, has been a Senior Policy Adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development UK (CIPD) since 2014. Her role involves shaping public policy, with a focus on health, well-being, and employment relations. Rachel discussed the CIPD's Fertility Guidelines which Fertility Matters at Work consulted with them on and you'll also hear our co-founder Claire Ingle talk about that. What we discussed:The decision to develop the CIPD's guidelines issued in 2023 related to fertility issues and wellbeing.Research conducted on fertility issues and the workplace.The gap in workplace support for individuals experiencing fertility issues and the impact on employees and organizations.The positive feedback and awareness generated by the CIPD's guidelines among HR professionals.Challenges organizations face when addressing fertility-related topics, such as misconceptions, lack of understanding, and fear of saying the wrong thing.The importance of creating an inclusive and supportive workplace culture for employees facing various well-being challenges.The need for education and guidance for HR professionals and managers on fertility-related issues.The need for external signposting and resources for employees facing fertility challenges.Ambitions for the CIPD's guidelines, including closing the support gap for fertility issues and promoting compassionate workplace cultures.The evolution of the guidelines and plans to explore additional topics, such as surrogacy and involuntary childlessness.The importance of language and terminology in policies related to surrogacy.Support for line managers who may also be dealing with fertility challenges personally.The significance of peer support and a broader ecosystem of support in organizations.The advice to smaller organizations on implementing changes to support employees facing fertility issues, emphasizing culture, education, and small changes.Recognizing fertility issues as a medical condition rather than a lifestyle choice.The workplace's role in providing support and reducing the stigma associated with fertility challenges.The shared mission of improving support for employees' well-being.You can book a call to speak with us here Find out more about our services and sign up for our newsletter here.Follow us on Insta and find out what our community has to say.Join us on LinkedIn.Find us on Twitter.Finally, we'd love to hear more of your feedback, so please do leave a review in the app you are listening to - it's possible on Apple and Spotify.