Chances are, you’re reading this because you find this topic interesting, you’re an HR leader or manager looking for resources for your employees, you’re going through your own maternity journey, or somewhere in between. Whatever the case may be, you are not the first person nor the last to be in this position of seeking maternity benefits. In fact, 88% of employees stated they would consider changing jobs for the opportunity to gain access to family-building benefits. Though some may not feel ready to make such a significant decision, there are smaller steps to follow in order to drive change within your workspace.
We’re here to support you in navigating the process and providing what you need in order to craft an email that you can find here to send to your HR team and leadership. It all begins with understanding and knowing your organization, and knowing that leaders who are committed to supporting their employees want to hear from you and your input. Here are some tips and ideas:
Lead and prepare yourself with evidence-based information.
Lead with data, as evidence-backed information is critical for gaining support. Fortunately, public health resources provide readily available data to help you make a compelling case for maternity benefits. Sharing the right information, especially statistics, boosts your credibility and supports your reason why you’re there in the first place, and plays a critical role in making business decisions. Emphasize and highlight that maternity support is vital to fostering a healthy and productive workforce. Here’s a good place to start:- Only 11% of organizations offer maternal care tailored to improving outcomes for Black women, though 20% are considering adding such coverage
- Nearly half of Gen Z women worry about their fertility, with 62.7% prioritizing family-building and maternity support when selecting a new job
- Living in a maternity care desert increases the risk of preterm birth by 13%
- Postpartum depression contributes to 20% of all maternal deaths, with suicide as the leading cause during pregnancy and postpartum periods
- 84% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable with better support and access to care
Find or create a community.
On top of familiarizing yourself with stats to support your conversation with HR, searching for others within your organization who support what you’re doing may be incredibly helpful. Working together with others can bring multiple perspectives and ideas you wouldn’t have thought about before where the organization can improve. There’s power in collaboration, so showing up together can strengthen your plan.When it’s time to talk with your HR team and leadership, showing that you took the initiative to bring others in the company together will demonstrate that it’s a team effort and an opportunity people want to bring to the organization.
Feel confident that your HR team and leadership are eager to hear what you have to say.
By taking all that you have read so far and digesting it, you can branch out and do further research to deepen your understanding or find additional resources to support your data. Demonstrating your commitment and willingness to contribute for the long term will help ensure a successful outcome and leave a lasting impression on them.Now that you’re ready and are a pro, it’s time to reach out to HR. To make things easier, we’ve drafted an email for you. All you need to do is copy, paste, add your organization’s name throughout, then press send!
