Long story short: Make paid family leave a priority in 2022

November 19, 2021 10:09 AM

When an employee shows up at work, they want their employer to show up for their families, too.

As the lines between work and home life have blurred during COVID and employees have grown more comfortable sharing the stressors they face, they’ve also realized that they can’t do it all alone. More and more employees are prioritizing benefits that acknowledge the complexities of life and support them and their families.

With paid family leave a topic of national conversation, yet without a federal solution in place, offering these benefits is critical if employers want to stay competitive and retain valuable talent. Currently, just 40% of employers offer paid family leave for both mothers and fathers, according to Mercer. However, 42% of employers plan to expand or add child care to their benefits plan in the future, research from benefits provider Kinside found.

In this week’s top stories, executives from Metlife, Noodles & Company and Kindbody shared why these benefits are so important and how to implement them in your business strategies.

Child care benefits will still be a priority for employees next year

Employers have recognized the value that providing child care benefits to employees can have, not only for their workforce, but for their business as well, as these programs become table stakes for organizations that want to provide holistic support and retain talent.

Currently, just 6% of employers offer child care benefits, despite both parents working full-time in 63% of American households with children, according to a report by data research services firm Clutch. However, the pandemic forced employers to see firsthand what happens when a parent does have access to adequate child care and how that can impact their ability to do their jobs well. That’s why 42% of employers plan to expand or add care as part of their employee benefits going forward, according to research by Kinside, a child care benefits provider.

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Child care benefits will still be a priority for employees next year

Families are built differently today': How this CEO is taking a new approach to fertility benefits

When Gina Bartasi started to plan for a family at the age of 38, she didn’t expect it to be easy. But the process was even more complicated and challenging than she expected. After spending more than $100,000 and navigating the healthcare system without expert support, it was clear that women and families shouldn’t have to walk the

path to parenthood

alone.

In 2015, she launched fertility benefits company Progyny, and after exiting in 2017, went on to create Kindbody, a fertility benefits solution that works with employers and operates its own clinics, allowing Bartasi and her team to control the experience and cost. Bartasi spok with Employee Benefit News to discuss Kindbody’s approach to

fertility benefits

and what the future holds.

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Families are built differently today': How this CEO is taking a new approach to fertility benefits

Slow and steady wins the race: How Noodles & Company is building an inclusive workplace

Sue Petersen, executive vice president of inclusion, diversity and people at Noodles & Company, has spent nearly seven years at the organization, and has seen it make great progress in efforts to build an inclusive culture. But she knows there’s still plenty of work to do, and she advises other business leaders to think about how to build a strong foundation when it comes to DEI efforts.

Noodles & Company is seeing the impact of their efforts and continuing to push forward: In the past year, the company introduced its first-ever Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Council, joined the CEO Action Pledge to commit to building more inclusive and supportive companies, and recently released its inaugural Impact Report on its various ESG efforts. The company has also made headlines for its expanded benefits and initiatives, from financial support for surrogacy to gender-neutral bathrooms.

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Slow and steady wins the race: How Noodles & Company is building an inclusive workplace

This MetLife executive breaks down three must-have benefits for 2022

MetLife’s 19th annual

Employee Benefit Trends Study

reported that 57% of employees want benefits their employers do not currently offer. For employers, this could be the difference between an employee staying or leaving a company. According to Workhuman, 63% of employees surveyed would quit their job if another company offered them better benefits but for less or equal pay.

MetLife’s study found that increased paid leave, insurance benefits for retirees and flexible workdays were especially in demand, with nearly 80% of employees showing interest in these benefits.

Read more:

This MetLife executive breaks down three must-have benefits for 2022