How to Advocate for Fertility & Family-Building Benefits
Millions of Americans struggle to start a family. In the modern working world, many women are waiting longer to have children, and as more and more single-parents by choice and LGBTQ+ couples opt to have children, fertility and family-building is becoming more mainstream and less stigmatized. At Kindbody, we are on a mission to make fertility and family-building more intuitive and accessible for all.
As an employer, offering a robust fertility and family building benefit solution for all employees sends an important message of inclusivity and supports a diverse workforce. A comprehensive benefits program also helps with recruitment and retention. We know that 90% of employees with fertility issues would switch jobs for better fertility coverage. In a time where building a strong corporate culture is essential to growing and retaining talent, employers should look to implementing benefits solutions that meet employees where they are, and promote inclusiveness.
HR benefits leaders can make better, more educated decisions on which programs and resources to offer by genuinely understanding their employees’ needs. As individuals, you can instigate change within your organization by advocating for yourself and your peers. Fertility and family-building benefits are becoming more popular amongst employers, with 1 in 3 companies of over 500 employees now offering a fertility benefit.
Here are some steps you can take to build the case for fertility & family building benefits:
- Gather all the facts.
Infertility and fertility issues are prevalent – so fertility and family-building benefits should be top of mind. We know that 1 in 3 women struggle with fertility over 35, and 1 in 6 couples struggle to conceive. 77% of LGBTQ+ millennials want to build a family, a 44% increase over previous generations.
- Build a network of employees to advocate for fertility & family-building benefits.
Gather colleague testimonials who share the same desire for family-building benefits to show your employer a real need to have these benefits services at your company.
- Find an internal benefits champion.
HR benefits leaders and decision-makers can help you drive your message forward into your company’s right hands to effectuate change successfully.
- Be bold and ask for a change.
Change doesn’t happen overnight, and it certainly doesn’t happen in isolation. Some employers have employee advocacy programs in place. If your company does not, reach out to your HR benefits team or HR leader and see what they can do to help push the cause forward. In the current climate, advocating for fertility and family-building benefits is something every employer who values diversity and inclusion should consider.
