Empower her: Voluntary benefits and women’s health 

As a working mother with two young boys, I navigate balancing my family’s needs and my own health alongside managing a busy career. I’m looking for all the support I can get from my employer. In today's competitive work environment, the significance of employer-sponsored health benefits cannot be overstated, particularly for us women.

Addressing women's health issues in the workplace is not just a matter of compliance or corporate responsibility; it is a strategic business decision. And when women feel their unique health needs are met, they are more likely to contribute positively to their teams and organizations overall.

Voluntary benefits allow employers to provide comprehensive women’s health support cost-consciously. There are a range of solutions employers can implement to provide female employees with options to address specific needs, at different life stages, from across the spectrum of well-being.

• Pregnancy and reproductive health. Access to family planning, maternity care and fertility treatments can significantly impact a woman's ability to balance work and personal life. According to a Mercer survey of about 700 organizations, the majority of large employers (62%) will offer one or more women’s reproductive health benefit in 2025, a significant increase over the prior year. Supplemental health benefits that can be offered on a voluntary basis help members access fertility treatment (including IVF), inpatient hospitalization during labor and delivery, menopause support, and more.
• Family advocacy and caregiving. Familial needs are an important consideration in a benefits strategy – especially for female workers, who tend to shoulder the biggest share of caregiving duties. Employees in the growing “sandwich generation” must tend to childcare needs for little ones at home while ensuring aging parents are taken care of. Caregiving services help navigate childcare and elder care management, while legal services and solutions that package life insurance with long-term care give access to longevity tools, such as financial and medical powers of attorney, estate planning, financial security for home care needs, etc.
• Emotional and mental health. Easy, affordable access to counseling and mental health resources can help women manage stress and maintain focus at work. Supplemental health plans can provide a way to expand coverage for mental health conditions, substance use disorders, outpatient care and intensive treatments.
• Family cyber protection. Most of us lead very connected lives – working remotely some days, ordering groceries and dinner, keeping in touch with family and friends. But few of us have effective safeguards in place. Identity and cyber protection goes beyond identity threat measures. It can extend protection for the entire family through features such as VPN and device protection, social media monitoring, parental controls, etc.
• Preventative and wellness care. Early detection is the key to successfully treating cancer, but it’s easy to put off the preventive care visits and screening tests. Wellness benefits under supplemental health policies provide set financial benefits to encourage employees to prioritize important annual healthcare visits to help ensure health today and for years to come.

By prioritizing women's health through innovative voluntary benefit strategies, employers enhance their well-being and cultivate a sense of belonging within the workplace. Now is a good time to reassess your total reward strategy to ensure that it effectively supports women's health. Taking a proactive approach can lead to a healthier workforce and drive productivity and engagement.