Author: Nelli Morgulchik BA MRes
Over the last two years, women’s health has finally come to the spotlight in the UK, both in the private and public sectors - a change that has been long overdue.
This year, the UK government has begun formulating an evidence-based women’s health strategy putting women’s voices at the centre and taking counsel from the leading innovative solutions such as Hertility Health. Meanwhile, UK employers are diversifying the reproductive health benefits offered to employees, with 82% of UK employers expecting to enhance their fertility benefits programmes.
This article celebrates the trailblazing companies that are leading the way in making reproductive health care accessible through workplace policies, and specific diagnostics and treatment plans.
Reproductive Health Policies in the Workplace
Based on a recent poll by Employee Benefits, 33% of organisations are considering introducing policies supporting their employees through pregnancy loss and menopause. Household names such as Channel 4 and Vodafone are already ahead of the game.
- Channel 4 launched the world's first dedicated pregnancy loss policy in April 2021 to support both men and women affected with paid leave, flexible working and additional support.
- Vodafone joined the ranks of companies such as Channel 4 and Santander who have been building support structures for menopausal women since 2019.
Proactive Hormone Testing
Knowledge is power but for many women, their reproductive health remains a mystery, which leads to a lot of anxiety in particular when experiencing symptoms. This is why (amongst other reasons), providing hormone testing at work can help alleviate this pressure off employees and give them better insights into their reproductive health.
Hertility Health offers diagnostic at-home hormone blood tests and has already launched with a number of different corporate partners as a benefits provider, empowering female employees to get a better understanding of their health and bodies. Catching reproductive health conditions early can help save time, worry and money for any treatment that may be needed down the line.
Fertility Treatment & Preservation
In 2019, Willis Tower Watson found that a third of young workers aged 18 to 34 believe fertility benefits, such as egg freezing or subsidised IVF, should be offered by employers and this number is only rising. Many companies have already taken on their employees' feedback. LinkedIn was one of the first large corporations in the UK to offer staff fertility benefits reimbursing up to £21,000 towards IVF (~£5,000 per cycle) or adoption expenses from 2019. With our preventative approach, we believe that the requirements for IVF are reduced significantly.
This year, four large companies - bank NatWest, energy supplier Centrica and law firms Clifford Chance & Cooley - became the heroes of 2021 by launching fertility treatment benefits this year. NatWest employees will receive 5-20% discounts on these services while Clifford Chance will provide up to £15,000 for fertility investigations and treatments. Most importantly, Clifford Chance’s policy doesn’t only apply to staff but also includes their partners who want to have a child or preserve their fertility as well as single parents by choice and LGBTQ+ individuals and couples. These inclusive policies help boost employee satisfaction and retention as well as create a more supportive and empathetic work environment for everyone.
How to join the ranks of reproductive health trailblazers?
Taking the first steps in setting up reproductive health benefits at your company may be challenging without expert support. We, at Hertility Health, partner with leading companies to deliver world-class reproductive health benefits and improve access to reproductive healthcare and education. We believe in personalised plans - for you and your employees - and offer a range of corporate plans and coverage options to suit your needs, from educational workshops to female health assessments and consultations with in-house experts.To learn more about our Reproductive Health Education and Benefits for Employers, reach out to benefits@hertilityhealth.com or visit our website
