An Employer’s Guide to Designing a Custom Family-Building Benefit
Family-building benefits have quickly evolved from being considered a workplace perk to a business necessity. As more organizations recognize the positive impact of these benefits, ranging from better cost-savings to improved employee satisfaction, the number of companies offering family-building benefits continues to grow rapidly, with nearly two-thirds of large employers offering or considering these benefits in 2023. However, it’s important to recognize that not all family-building benefits are created equal, and an off-the-shelf solution may not be the best fit for the needs of your organization and your employees. WIN can tailor a family-building benefit program to your specific needs, while helping your employees build the families want, all in a cost-effective way.
There’s more than meets the eye
Oftentimes, an employee population may have a broader range of needs than one might initially assume. Fertility issues are not limited to women; even organizations with a large proportion of male workers will need to support treatments and services for both men and women. Fertility preservation, specifically egg freezing, is often a desired benefit among younger female employees who want to focus on their careers while planning for their future family. However, fertility preservation can also be beneficial for those who wish to freeze their eggs or sperm before undergoing cancer treatments or gender-affirmation surgery, giving them the opportunity to have biological children down the road. WIN’s flexibility allows organizations to evaluate the needs of their entire employee population and customize their family-building program offerings accordingly.
Additionally, LGBTQIA+ employees have specific family-building needs that may not be met by a traditional benefit. Eligibility standards for fertility treatment often require a diagnosis of infertility, which single females or same-sex female couples cannot meet without paying out of pocket for intrauterine insemination using donor sperm for 6 months to 1 year. The cost involved in seeking a diagnosis of infertility this way can be prohibitive and does not apply to opposite-sex couples, creating a discouraging imbalance for LGBTQIA+ employees. By waiving the requirement for a diagnosis of infertility, all employees seeking to build their family can have a more equitable experience. WIN’s benefits are designed with an inclusive definition of infertility in mind, allowing a wider array of employees to access the treatments they need to become parents.
Customization is key
Going beyond coverage of fertility treatment and fertility preservation, WIN offers valuable add-ons to help you custom build a family-building program to fit the needs of all employees, even as those needs evolve throughout their journey. WIN’s customizable benefits include resources for preconception through return-to-work, end-to-end support for adoption and surrogacy, as well as WIN for HIM – a clinical advocacy program specifically tailored to men on their family-building journey.
Nontraditional paths to parenthood can involve many twists and turns, which can increase stress and have a negative impact on employee wellbeing and performance. For more serious mental health concerns, the expert guidance of WIN’s Reproductive Behavioral Health Care Managers allows members to develop healthy coping strategies through evidence-based techniques that can improve their mental wellbeing. Providing specialized family-building resources gives employees the tools they need to better navigate the process and manage the stressors that may turn up along the way, which can convert to improved employee engagement and productivity. Ultimately, being able to offer a wide range of family-building resources helps your employees access the support they need, while helping you build a better workplace.
Start customizing your company’s family-building benefits today by connecting with us at solutions@winfertility.com.