5 Employee Benefits That Accelerate Gender Equality in the Workplace

Gender equity in the workplace isn’t just about hiring more women—it’s about ensuring they have the support they need to thrive, lead, and stay in the workforce long-term. Despite progress, women still face systemic barriers: the gender pay gap, fewer leadership opportunities, and the "motherhood penalty."

Strong employee benefits are one powerful way employers can really help uplift working women. Here are just five employee benefits that help women succeed—not just in their careers, but in their lives.

1. Carer support:

While attitudes have changed in recent times, women still shoulder the majority of unpaid caregiving responsibilities–whether it’s for children, elderly relatives, or family members with disabilities. This added responsibility forces many women out of the workforce or severely limits their career trajectories.

Here are a few data points that may be surprising:

• Women account for 65% of all caregivers in the U.S. and are twice as likely as men to cut back on paid work to provide care.
• One in four women aged 50-64 is a caregiver for an aging parent, putting them at risk of financial insecurity and career stagnation.
• Caregivers lose an average of $324,000 in wages and benefits over their lifetime due to reduced working hours or leaving the workforce entirely.

Employers that offer benefits that support carers in the workforce–like eldercare or childcare–help retain female employees and ensure they can continue to progress in their careers without sacrificing financial security.

Case study: Patagonia

According to a recent study, only 24% of women return to the workforce full-time after having children. Patagonia, in response, began offering employees on-site childcare benefits. The results?

An incredible 100% of mothers returning to work after maternity leave.

And that's not all. For Patagonia, supporting their employees with childcare responsibilities just makes financial sense. Here's how it breaks down:

• Tax benefits (costs recouped): 50%
• Employee retention (costs recouped): 30%
• Employee engagement (costs recouped): 11%
• Bottom line (costs recouped): 91%

Care support benefits don't just make ethical sense, they make financial sense.

A workplace that acknowledges the invisible labor of caregiving creates real gender equality, keeping talented women in the workforce instead of forcing them to choose between their careers and their families.

2. Financial coaching

Money is power, but financial inequality remains one of the biggest barriers to gender equality. Women still earn 20% less than men globally and often retire with 30-40% less wealth due to career breaks and lower earnings.

Financial coaching can help bridge this gap. Pairing with a provider who can offer personalised coaching sessions on salary negotiations, investment strategies, and long-term wealth planning can empower women to take control of their financial futures. 

By providing structured financial guidance, companies help women close wealth gaps, reduce financial stress, and achieve long-term security; all key factors in career longevity and progression for women at work.

3. Reproductive health support

For many women, career planning and family planning collide head-on. Without the right support, they often face the difficult choice between:

• Delaying motherhood due to career ambitions.
• Taking on massive personal costs for fertility treatments (IVF cycles can exceed £5,000 in the UK).
• Experiencing workplace stigma around pregnancy and maternity leave.

Companies that offer fertility benefits—including IVF coverage, egg freezing, and adoption/surrogacy assistance—are leading the way in making workplaces more inclusive. In fact, the number of U.S. employers providing fertility benefits has grown from 30% in 2020 to 42% today.

When women don’t have to choose between career success and family aspirations, they stay in the workforce longer and advance further.

4. Professional coaching

Women make up nearly 50% of the workforce but hold just 28% of senior leadership positions globally. Why? They receive less mentorship, fewer promotions, and less actionable feedback compared to men.

A structured professional coaching program can change this. Women who work with career coaches are five times more likely to receive a promotion. Providing benefits in leadership training, mentorship networks, and executive coaching gives women the tools to navigate workplace bias, develop confidence, and step into leadership roles.

The result? More women leaders, a more diverse executive pipeline, and a workplace where women aren’t just hired—they’re promoted, and can become mentors to others.

5. Mental health support

Workplace stress affects everyone, but the mental health challenges women face are distinctly different. Many experience:

• The "double shift" effect—balancing work with caregiving responsibilities.
• Gender bias and microaggressions—leading to higher stress and burnout.
• Higher risk of anxiety and depression—women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders as men.

Mental health support employee benefits can come in many different forms. Here are just a few:

• Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs)
• Access to psychotherapy through Private Medical Insurance (PMI)
• Online therapy apps

Companies that offer accessible, stigma-free mental health benefits create an environment where women can perform at their best, take on leadership roles, and contribute fully…without sacrificing their well-being.

And when women thrive, businesses gain: improved engagement, lower absenteeism, and a stronger, more diverse workforce.

Gender equality starts with intelligent employee benefits

Achieving real gender equality at work is about ensuring women have the support, flexibility, and autonomy to build the careers they want. That’s where an intelligent platform like Ben can help.

Intelligent benefits adapt to real needs, ensuring women get access to benefits that genuinely benefit them—whether that’s financial coaching to close the wealth gap, fertility support that removes career trade-offs, or mental health resources that recognise the unique pressures women face. When benefits are intelligent and personalised, women aren’t forced into impossible choices between work and life—they’re given real options to manage their careers on their own terms. 

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