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The US Supreme Court’s decision on abortion rights is having a wide ranging impact on employee benefits

Work flexibility, help with child and elder care and a greater emphasis on employee family life are all factors that need to be considered in retaining talent

The cost of childcare is significantly impacting the earning potential of women

During an informal virtual lunch and learn session hosted by REBA, reward and benefits professionals shared their top tips on how to best prepare for going on maternity leave.

Differentials across gender, ethnicity, the cost of living, childcare and hybrid working all need to be considered

For International Women’s Day 2022, here are my three data-driven tips on how we can #BreakTheBias.

Nearly four in 10 (38%) of working parents will be looking for a new job in the next 12 months, according to a survey of 1,001 people. And a key driver is the rift between what employees want and what many can access.

As 2022 began against a stormy backdrop of party politics, scientists reported sight of the ‘peak of Omicron’ – not a feature on the moon’s surface, but the tipping point leading to the easing of pandemic restrictions, across the UK.

Family friendly benefits are soaring in popularity. What are they, and why are so many companies adding them?

For many employees, starting a family is a lifelong dream and expectation. But the realities of trying to start or grow a family with the help of fertility treatment can be more complex – and costly.

When a child becomes seriously ill, although the NHS provides world-class medical care, parents often become part of the care team. This clearly has a significant financial and emotional impact on the parental challenge of balancing the demands of work.

One in six couples experience difficulties in conceiving, which equates to over 3.5 million people. This is a large proportion of our workforce and offering some level of support at work makes sound business sense for a number of reasons.

Recent times have catapulted progress towards more shared parenting and household chores. While mothers’ time spent on childcare rose from almost 7 to 10.3 hours per day during the spring 2020 lockdown, fathers almost doubled how much they spent looking after children, from just over four to eight hours per day.

Once a taboo topic in the workplace, an increasing number of leading employers are now looking to support employees with managing their fertility and getting on the road to parenthood. By understanding the impact of hormones on mental wellbeing and productivity, through to talent retention and career progression implications, employers stand to gain by being publicly open to caring about fertility.

You probably noticed the news headlines in September about Alice Thompson who was awarded nearly £185,000 in compensation. Her well-thought-out request for flexibility was turned down without consideration on her return from maternity leave.

Issues with infertility can affect a surprisingly large number people. According to The World Health Organization, 8–12% of couples worldwide experience infertility, and the diagnosis and treatment puts a heavy psychological and physical burden on most patients, both female and male. And yet this matter often remains hidden.

A BBC survey of 1,700 people published last month showed the majority of workers prefer a mix of remote and onsite working, while half of senior managers worry that remote working will damage creativity and collaboration, and the career chances of younger workers. These are all valid points, yet it’s concerning how often media commentary seems to treat the whole discussion as a binary either/or.