Worcester Business Journal

2 Worcester Business Journal | June 26, 2023 | wbjournal.com the spectrum of life – those that are parents, those trying to have children or who are pregnant, to support for those that are navigating menopause. Check your workplace culture. From returning to work after maternity leave to taking time off to do those college visits—and everything in between—it's important to make sure women feel supported throughout their entire parenting journey. Organizations should help educate the entire workforce about the need for understanding, which can help to alleviate the stress that comes with balancing being a worker and being a caregiver. Encourage flexibility and customized solutions, like flexible scheduling options, that allow women to put their families first. Creating communities within your organization to support women and new parents, such as Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), can also be a way for moms to come together and share advice and resources. Ensure that your benefits package is modern – and helpful at all life stages. It's especially important during transitional times, like before or after maternity leave, to remind your working moms of the ways your organization's benefits package works hard for them so they can worry less. Aside from flexible schedules and mental health benefits, remind them of any non-traditional benefits such as childcare services or reimbursements. These are tremendously beneficial for helping employees balance work and family. From a financial standpoint, a growing family come with many expenses. When it comes to health care costs, take time to educate your employees on how pre-tax funds from HSAs can help them pay for qualifying family planning expenses, postpartum care, well-child visits and more. And for aging mothers that may be part of an ever-growing "Sandwich Generation," considering offering support in navigating this stage of life through caregiving support services and flexible work arrangements. Being a working mom – or dad – can be challenging. But when employers commit to supporting their working parents, everyone reaps the benefits. Point32Health is a nonprofit health services organization, guiding and empowering healthier lives for all. Together, our family of companies help our members and communities navigate the health care ecosystem through a broad range of health plan offerings and tools. And when it comes to your health plan, Harvard Pilgrim and Tufts Health Plan have you covered with a wide variety of mental health benefits to choose from. When you think of the ideal candidate for a current open position in your organization, what do you picture? This hypothetical employee probably possesses some of the following skills – they're hyper-organized, a proficient multitasker, highly efficient, calm under pressure, and an adept problem-solver. Maybe they also have some leadership experience or are great at time management. You may not realize it, but you just described the skills of a working mom. Working moms find a way to balance their personal and professional lives and aspirations, all the while sharpening their skillsets to help them tackle everything on their plate. And while they often make it look easy, being a working mom comes with its own set of challenges, both physical and mental. As an employer, it is in your best interest to not only hire working moms, but to find ways to support them and their mental health. Here are a few places to start. Educate on flexible physical and mental health access and support. For moms juggling new transitions and busy schedules, having flexible resources is vital. Make a point of promoting the mental health tools you have available, such as virtual resources that provide around-the-clock access to licensed health professionals and other self-management tools. Accessing self-service support, or even just knowing it's an option, can help moms prioritize mental well-being. Communicate what mental health benefits and coverage options are available, especially when it comes to access channels, such as teletherapy. There are additional tech-enabled support resources, such Ovia Health, that provides daily tips, health data tracking and messaging with medical experts for mothers across How Employers Can Support Working Mothers and Their Health

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