Study identifies three benefits essential to equity between men and women in the workplace
TEMECULA, Calif., March 7, 2024 — Nearly half of employees aren’t getting the benefits they need at work — and women are more likely to feel that way than men.
That’s according to a new study from Perceptyx, which surveyed more than 1,500 full-time U.S. employees about their workplace benefits package.
Overall, men were 1.5x times more likely than women to say their employer was delivering the benefits they needed. But Perceptyx found one trio of benefits that efficiently closed the gap.
“Medical, maternity, and mental health are the magic trifecta when it comes to benefits equity,” said Emily Killham, Senior Director of People Analytics, Research & Insights at Perceptyx. “When employees have access to all three, women and men feel equally that their needs are met.”
Unfortunately, most employees still lack access to two of these three benefits, and many lack the third.
- 53% of employees said they lacked coverage for mental health
- 51% lacked access to maternity leave
- 25% don’t have medical benefits at all
The presence — or absence — of the magic trifecta had major implications for women’s success at work.
Women with all three benefits said they were:
- 33% more likely to be fully engaged in their jobs than women who lack access
- 20% more likely to say their productivity and quality of work are up from last year
- 50% less likely to be looking for a job with better benefits.
While a majority of respondents had access to medical and retirement plans, less traditional benefits are still finding a foothold in the workplace, Perceptyx found. Only 23% of respondents said their employer-sponsored health plan covered fertility treatments, 16% offered weight-loss drugs, 13% offered menopause care, 12% covered travel costs for healthcare services not available in their state, and just 9% had benefits for nursing mothers.
Meanwhile, 59% of respondents said they had feelings of ‘benefits envy’ when comparing their benefits to those available to friends or other family members.
“Despite major strides, workplace benefits are still not aligned with women’s needs,” Killham said. “To attract and retain female employees, employers should make sure their benefits package is serving the workforce they have today — and want to have tomorrow.”