A third of employees have considered leaving a job because of poor family benefits, new report finds
87% of respondents believe family benefits are highly valued by employees.
Family benefits policies are more important than ever, according to a new survey from Maven, a family-planning organization that works with companies to provide reproductive and family benefits to their employees. Their survey of 1,100 employees and 600 HR professionals showed that almost two-thirds of employers are planning to expand family benefits offerings within the next three years, as 87% of them believe family benefits are highly valued by employees. And for good reason: according to Maven’s data, more than a third of employees have left or contemplated leaving a job with poor family benefits, and nearly two-thirds have missed out on work due to family health concerns.
“The lines between ‘home’ and ‘work’ are increasingly blurred,” Mary Ainsworth, the EVP and Chief people Officer at Medallia, says in the Maven report. “The best employers are ranking family-friendly benefits as an essential component of their value proposition. Medallia’s family-friendly benefits are integral to our efforts to create a more diverse and inclusive culture.”
Among the family benefits explored by the report include reproductive health benefits, which have recently been called into question due to the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. According to the Maven report, 41% of employees say they thought their employers could provide better reproductive health benefits. In fact, nearly 1 in 10 employees say they’ve contemplated switching jobs to work for an employer that offers better reproductive health benefits. Luckily, companies seem to be cued into this demand, with 71% of respondents saying they were adding or planning to add more reproductive health benefits to their offerings.
When employees were surveyed, Maven found that their biggest family planning priorities were as follows:
- Paid parental and caregiver leave
- Caregiver support
- Preconception support
- Fertility and family-building support
- Reproductive health support
On the other hand, employers are prioritizing the following:
- Parenting and pediatric support
- Maternity and postpartum care
- Global parity for family health benefits
- Reproductive health care, including menopause
- Fertility and family-building support
“Employees’ needs and values have shifted over the past couple of years,” notes Gail Beauregard, the VP of Global Total Rewards & Human Resources at Boston Scientific, in the Maven report. “Anticipating employees’ needs at work and home sets them up for success.”