International Women's Day
On International Women’s Day, we honor the remarkable achievements, resilience, and contributions of women across the globe. It is a day to celebrate the progress made toward gender equality, while also reflecting on the challenges that persist.
In today’s rapidly evolving landscape of work and family life, the alignment of flexible workplace initiatives and fertility health and support have become crucial to the empowerment and inclusion of women in the workplace. In more recent years, businesses are aiming to create supportive and flexible atmospheres that enable women to navigate their distinct challenges, while also promoting inclusivity, family planning, and well-being in a modern work setting.
Flexibility for Hybrid/Remote Work
In the era of a hybrid and remote workforce, women are reshaping their professional lives while allowing an emphasis on their family lives by having the flexibility to routinely work from their homes. In 2022, 41% of women worked from home according to Bureau of Labor Statistics in comparison to pre-pandemic when 26.2% of women who worked from home.
Benefits of a Remote/Hybrid Workplace Include:
- Supports mental health
- Allows flexibility to raise a family
- Ability to adjust schedules to ensure efficiency and productivity
- Reduces the burden of caregiving
- Promotes a work-life balance
- Creates visibility for women to achieve career success and for senior leadership roles
A survey by International Workplace Group (IWG) concluded 72% of women would look for a new job if their employer no longer allowed a hybrid option. Granted, not all professions can easily allow a flexible workplace, therefore those that can offer flexible work environments should embrace the way of the future, without making women choose their career or family life.
A heavy topic that not often talked about is the demands and duties of many women to take care of their aging loved ones whether a close friend or family member. According to Family Caregiver Alliance, “upwards of 75% of all caregivers are female”. There are many levels of caregiving whether they are informal caregiving (someone assisting others with activities of daily living) or formal caregiving (a paid provider in a home or care setting). These roles often fall on females, many of whom are still dedicating their lives to their family and workplace.
Fertility Benefits
Fertility benefits have become crucial to today’s workplace environments. This comes with seeking support from employers whether that is providing access to fertility treatments like IVF, assisting in the cost of these treatments, or eliminating the stigma that starting a family will deter career growth.
Companies like Carrot Fertility and Progyny are shaping the conversation for fertility treatment. A study done by the International Foundation of Employee Benefits Plans showed only 40% of organizations in the United States offered fertility benefits in 2023. Leading into the report facilitated by Carrot Fertility, only 32% of families can afford fertility treatments, if necessary, with 75% of the respondents feeling offering fertility benefits creates an inclusive company culture.
In recent years, the topic of fertility treatment has been treated as an unprofessional topic to discuss in the workplace with 79% of survey respondents feeling uncomfortable discussing the topic within the workplace. Carrot Fertility has taken immense measures when breaking this barrier by serving those of any age, race, income, and sexual orientation. Along with Progyny, they have broken barriers by providing cost-saving programs for employers to initiate the conversation of IVF, pre-pregnancy, male-factor infertility, postpartum, and adoption with employees.
Carrot Fertility is distributed and represented in 40 states and many countries, therefore growing, and spreading the wealth of a family. Alongside Progyny adding to ‘inclusive and equitable fertility, family building, and women’s reproductive health benefits’ by creating a network of over 950 providers in 650 locations, providing quality convenience for those seeking fertility, adoption, menopause, and postpartum guidance and support.
Safeguarding Your Success
International Women’s Day serves as a powerful reminder of the progress made towards gender equality. To elevate women, employers must continue to listen and respond, and foster environments that are diverse, equitable, and inclusive. Contact a member of our Sentinel Benefits Consulting team today to learn more about building a comprehensive benefits program.
