How to support a colleague who is childless not by choice

The F Word at Work

Welcome to another episode of The F Word at Work, as we continue our 'How To' series, which aims to provide insights for HR professionals, managers, and colleagues on how to support those facing specific family-building challenges.

This episode coincides with World Childless Week which provides an amazing community of support for those who are childless not by choice and is a resource we'd highly recommend you add to your signposting.

The childless not by choice community are often-overlooked in the workplace and at FMAW, we are doing a lot of work with our members to change this. For this episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Helen Gallagher to the podcast. Helen is a coach providing 1:1 coaching, business consultancy and workplace coaching specialising in support on being childlessness not by choice.

She is also the host of the Happy and Childless podcast, where she engages in powerful conversations about the experiences of those who are childless not by choice. Her advocacy work sheds light on the unique challenges faced by individuals in this situation, especially in the context of workplace policies and support.

Here’s a glimpse into our conversation:

• Helen discusses the importance of recognising and supporting those who are childless not by choice. She highlights how family and parental leave policies can unintentionally emphasise what these individuals are not, rather than offering inclusive support.

• Helen shares her personal experience of trying to build a family and the emotional and practical challenges she faced. Her story provides context for her advocacy and her drive to address these issues publicly.

• Helen talks about her decision to become an advocate and the timing of sharing her experiences openly. She reflects on how this has shaped her work and her podcast.

• We explore practical advice for organisations on how to support colleagues who are childless not by choice. Helen offers insights into creating an inclusive and empathetic work environment.

• Helen provides a sneak peek into some of the key discussions on her Happy and Childless podcast, encouraging listeners to explore further resources and conversations on this topic.

Thank you to Helen for joining us and sharing her invaluable insights. We encourage you to listen to her podcast for more in-depth discussions on this important issue.

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• Listen to Helen’s podcast here – Happy and Childless

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Thank you again to our series sponsor Apricity