No longer seen as a ‘nice-to-have’, but an essential part of employee wellbeing, reproductive health and fertility benefits are increasingly becoming a top priority for employers. Here’s why they should be included in your budget.

Quick facts:

• Fertility and reproductive health benefits can include a wide range of initiatives including education, healthcare provision and policy implementation.
• These benefits have proven successful for many employers looking to reduce presenteeism, absenteeism and improve retention.
• They have also been seen to drive high ROI and improve company turnover.
• Get in touch if you’d like to explore reproductive health benefits for your organisation.

The rise of reproductive health benefits 

With the dynamics of the workplace having rapidly shifted since the pandemic, more and more employees are prioritising their wellbeing and looking to their employers to provide well-rounded benefits packages. 

Fertility and reproductive health support is emerging as a key employee need within this matrix. Demand for inclusive fertility benefits is growing year on year—with up to 71% of employers looking to adopt fertility benefits within the foreseeable future. 

Additionally, the estimated global productivity loss due to employees experiencing menopausal symptoms is a staggering $150 billion a year. With around 20% of the workforce, according to Let’s Talk Menopause, being pre to post-menopausal, it’s clear to see that menopause benefits are also emerging as a vital lifeline for employers and employees alike. 

However these initiatives aren’t just a tick box for improving D&I metrics—they can drive a significant impact on your organisations’ bottom line, with some providers seeing an ROI of x6 and upwards. 

Here are the top four reasons why your organisation’s wellbeing budget should include a comprehensive fertility and reproductive health benefits package.

Improved retention and reduced turnover costs

Recent research from Fertility Network UK showed companies that are not supporting their employees through fertility treatments and journeys, including LGBTQIA+ individuals, has a significant negative impact on employee retention. 

1 in 5 employees going through fertility treatment left their jobs due to insufficient support within the last 5 years alone. With the average cost to replace an employee in the UK being around £30K, it’s no secret that the right reproductive health and fertility support can have a positive impact on your bottom line through employee retention alone.

Appealing to wider talent pools

Despite previous sentiment that fertility benefits are just a concern for millennial employees, or just for women, reproductive health issues affect employees of all ages and identities across the talent pool. 

1 in 3 Gen Z employees think fertility benefits should be a part of their package and are actively looking for employers that offer attractive, well-rounded benefits. 

At the other end of the spectrum, perimenopausal and menopausal women are seeking employers with rigorous menopause support policies—with 42% considering quitting their jobs due to symptoms. 

With job ads citing fertility benefits up by 700% since March 2022, fertility benefits are fast becoming an important factor in diverse talent acquisition at all organisational levels. This rings especially true for companies looking to attract women into senior leadership positions and improve gender diversity at the top.

Fostering a culture of care 

Fertility benefits signal to your workforce that you, as an organisation, are committed to supporting your employees beyond the scope of the office. This can demonstrate to your employees that you care about them as individuals, whatever life stage they are at. 

Creating an environment where employees feel supported through any struggles, or simply aware that they have options should they need them, helps to foster a culture of care that translates into improved productivity and overall employee satisfaction.

Upstream and downstream cost savings

Whilst fertility benefit packages might seem like less of a priority compared to mental or physical health initiatives during times of tighter budgets, the upstream and downstream savings can have significant longer-term ROI. 

Reproductive health is intimately linked to mental and physical wellbeing. Offering a well-rounded support package that focuses on education in addition to reproductive health testing and treatment can initiate preventative care, reducing longer-term costs like employee absence.

Getting started with reproductive health benefits

Reproductive health benefits are far more than simply covering the cost of IVF treatments or extra time off for menopause support. Impactful initiatives should be multifactorial, focusing on community-building and education right through to treatment support. 

Regardless of life stage or identity, all employees should feel supported across the physical and mental wellbeing spectrum.

The Hertility productivity loss calculator can help you decipher your estimated annual losses from employee reproductive health. In turn, you can accurately estimate your workforce’s needs for fertility and reproductive health benefits—the first step towards building a robust business case. 
Contact benefits@hertilityhealth.com to find out how reproductive health support can positively impact your people and business.