Some of the ways staff could work flexibly throughout fertility treatment are:
- Compressed hours
- Late starts
- Early finishes
- PPA at home
- Team teaching
Why do teachers need to work flexibly throughout fertility treatment?
It’s not as easy for teachers to work flexibly throughout treatment due to the nature of the job.
- Teachers are unable to use annual leave for appointments
- Teachers can’t swap shifts.
- Teachers can’t make up time during holidays or after school.
Support from employers really is important. Many teachers who feel a lack of support to attend their appointments often quit.
Tips for teachers who would like to work flexibly during fertility treatment but are unsure where to start
Lucy Rose, co-founder of Flexible Teacher Talent @FlexTeachTalent, recommends teachers consider what flexibility they need and organise a meeting with the headteacher as far in advance as possible to make these requests.
Of course it isn’t always possible to give much notice when going through fertility treatment, but if you know that in the next year you will be starting treatment making plans early will work in your favour.
Tips for school leaders regarding flexible working during fertility treatment
In a 2016 study conducted conducted by Middlesex University and Fertility Network UK, 85% of people reported that day to day treatment affected their work.
The same study also found that taking more days off during treatment was associated with greater stress.
Accommodating flexible working will not only keep disruption to a minimum, it will also keep staff in school as they feel supported and understood during a very stressful time in their life.