Women now make up nearly 50% of the workforce, with organizations recognizing the need to support health issues that are mostly common to women. While the focus has been largely concerned with providing wellness benefits addressing reproductive and fertility issues, women's health issues extend well beyond their childbearing years.
These issues include osteoporosis, gynecologic cancers, menopause, heart disease and mental
illness that may develop during a woman's working years. According to a recent McKinsey report,women spend 25% more time in
poor health than men do on average. It makes sense for businesses to close the gap to have a more productive, stable and loyal workforce.
Forward-thinking organizations are already making strides to address female health concerns. In fact, a recent UnitedHealthcare survey reported that some 46% of employers surveyed said they are planning to expand women's health care benefits. One stage of life being addressed is menopause. The average age of menopause is 52, an age when most women are still in the workforce.
This is a time when women need to feel supported at work. Menopause support programs include introducing cooling aids, offering flexible scheduling and providing health coverage for hormone therapy to help employees manage their symptoms. Nearly half of women feel hesitant to disclose that they are menopausal and may take time off from work, causing a loss of productivity.
Update your benefit offerings
Fertility and family-building benefits have become standard in competitive benefits packages. Family-building affects both men and women. Coverage for in vitro fertilization, egg freezing, adoption and surrogacy ensures that employees can start families on their own schedule. These fertility benefits often recognize the diversity of the modern family and include single parents and same-sex marriages. Under the same reproductive health benefits umbrella, you may also find routine gynecologic care and endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome treatment as well as maternal mental health services.
Fertility is a personal journey that involves many variables, often placing a financial burden on women. Female employees whose companies provide connections to specialists may find themselves becoming pregnant sooner than they would if they had to go it alone. Behavioral health care is also an important benefit for women before, during and after their pregnancies.
It is imperative that any organization that is committed to supporting women's health educate the entire company through dedicated management training. Employers can also create women-centered support groups within the company to address issues such as maternity, child and elder care, and parenting. Expanding women's health benefits makes good business sense in helping companies attain and retain talent by valuing the health of their employees.