How Canadian employers are redesigning benefits to support women at every life stage

Priya ended up paying more than $15,000 out of pocket, reinforcing her belief that workplaces often view women’s health benefits narrowly, focusing only on maternity leave while overlooking any needs that arise before, during and long after a pregnancy.

Read: Claims for fertility drugs rose 12% among female plan members over five years: report

Her experience isn’t unique. According to the 2024 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey, more than half of employers offered fertility drug coverage, but fewer than one in five extended it to clinic-based treatments like in vitro fertilization or egg retrieval.

Awareness is growing, but many employers are still catching up. The shift toward inclusive benefits now spans the full spectrum of women’s health — from early family planning to menopause — with mental health needs at every stage.

Fertility focus

In contrast to Priya’s employer, Hanna Zaidi, vice-president of payments strategy at Wealthsimple Technologies Inc., began exploring egg freezing in her mid-30s and had a very different experience.

Read: Canadian employers expanding fertility benefits to include egg freezing

“There are three parts to it: medication to induce ovulation, the retrieval procedure and the storage fees. Wealthsimple covered the medication and I used my health-care spending account to offset storage. Without that support, I’m not sure I would have done it.”

Canada’s benefits gaps

This support, paired with education and accessibility, has helped Wealthsimple stand out in the broader conversation around equitable benefits. Diana McLachlan, the organization’s chief people officer, says inclusivity is built into the company’s benefits design. “We build foremployees the same way we build for clients. We listen, we build and we iterate. Fertility, mental health and caregiver flexibility are all foundational to that approach.”

Alongside fertility drug coverage, gender-affirming care, flexible leave policies and employee resource groups that influence benefits decisions, Wealthsimple also invests in education. A recent workshop on hormone tracking, perimenopause and menopause drew about 100 employees. The company also offers enhanced postnatal support, providing employees with access to recovery resources that combine traditional care with modern tools. “It sends a message our company is willing to invest in people at every stage, not just when it’s convenient for the business,” says McLachlan.

Read: Employers can support caregivers with enhanced benefits, inclusive conversations: experts

Demand for investment in fertility benefits is growing. In 2024, fertility drug use among female plan members rose 14.57 percentage points, according to Manulife Financial Corp. In addition, while 53 per cent of its plan sponsor clients covered fertility drugs, fewer than one per cent covered clinic treatments like IVF or egg retrieval, which can cost more than $20,000 per round.

“Many patients need multiple rounds and while drug coverage helps, it’s not enough,” says Jennifer Foubert, head of product for group benefits at Manulife Canada. “Expanding women’s health coverage is a statement of inclusion that empowers women and families to pursue their dreams of parenthood.”

In addition, more women in their 30s and 40s are taking proactive steps to secure their desired futures, including egg freezing or IVF, says Dr. Vera Kohut, a family physician and medical director at Serefin Health. Without coverage, the cost can be overwhelming, she adds, noting employer support removes a major barrier, reduces anxiety and allows employees to focus on both work and health.

Reframing menopause in the workplace

When Paula*, a 52-year-old news producer at a Toronto broadcast network, started experiencing unmanaged menopause symptoms, including panic attacks, poor sleep and brain fog, she felt like she was “falling apart” at work.

When she confided in her boss, she was told to try yoga or take a vacation. With no accommodations or educational sessions offered by her employer, she scaled back to part time to cope. This experience is far from rare, according to Sandra Vlaar Ingram, chair of the Menopause Inclusive Workplaces Committee at the Menopause Foundation of Canada.

Read: More than hot flashes: Women raise awareness about menopause symptoms and work

“Ninety-five per cent of women will experience one or more of the 30-plus symptoms of menopause, yet half say they’re unprepared and a third report these symptoms negatively affect them at work,” she says, sharing the results of a 2023 report by the foundation. “Symptoms don’t pause during office hours, yet negative stereotypes about women and ageing, along with persistent stigma, remain. A quarter of women hide their symptoms, two-thirds wouldn’t feel comfortable speaking to a supervisor and nearly half would be too embarrassed to ask for help.”

The report also found a quarter of Canadian workers are women aged 40 and older, with those aged 45 to 55 — when most reach menopause — the fastest-growing segment. Three-quarters want men0pause support at work, yet one in 10 leave the workforce due to unmanaged symptoms, costing the economy an estimated $3.3 billion a year in lost earnings and productivity. Vlaar Ingram emphasizes that more than five million women aged 40-plus represent a critical talent and leadership pool employers can’t afford to lose.

At Ikea Canada, menopause is addressed the same way the company approaches mental health — by embedding it in workplace culture rather than treating it as a stand-alone benefit. “It’s about making support part of everyday conversations, not something employees have to go searching for in a handbook,” says Tanja Fratangeli, the company’s chief people officer. “When people see leaders speaking openly about stress, burnout or hormone health, it reduces stigma and normalizes asking for help.”

Read: 40% of U.S. employers offered fertility benefits in 2022, up from 30% in 2020: survey

That cultural shift starts with leadership, she says, noting managers receive training and tools to guide conversations about menopause. That support was life changing for Sandra Bradley, a fulfillment coordinator at Ikea. “I didn’t even realize I was going through menopause at first. I felt terrible, but I kept it to myself because I didn’t want to seem weak. Once Ikea opened the door to talk about it, everything changed. “Even small changes — like knowing I could adjust my schedule on bad symptom days or step away if I was having a hot flash — made me feel respected and in control,” she adds.

The impact goes beyond retention. IKEA’s annual employee survey found staff take pride in working for an organization breaking the menopause taboo. “When women in their prime feel seen and supported, you improve health outcomes and strengthen your workforce,” says Fratangeli.

Madeline Toubiana, director of the Perimenopause Project at the University of Ottawa’s Telfer School of Management, calls perimenopause a major workplace blind spot, affecting nearly every cisgender woman yet absent from most policies. Her research found almost 60 per cent had left or considered leaving their jobs due to related challenges. It isn’t always about costly benefits, she adds, but about creating an environment where women can speak up without fear of judgment.

Closing the mental-health gap

While fertility and menopause have gained attention, mental health remains a critical and often underfunded pillar of women’s health benefits.

At Vancouver City Savings Credit Union, it’s a core part of the total rewards strategy. This year, the organization increased its mental-health coverage to $10,000 per year per employee and broadened the list of eligible practitioners to improve access. Flexible working arrangements, virtual health services and an employee assistance program — including childcare and elder-care support — also help employees balance work and home life.

Read: How 5 employers are designing mental-health benefits that cater to a diverse workforce

Ivana Afonso, Vancity’s director of total rewards, says flexibility and personalization build trust and engagement, reduce stress, improve retention and foster a more committed workforce.

The 2024 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey shows why these investments matter. While 89 per cent of plan sponsors and 73 per cent of members agreed their workplace supports mental wellness, more than a quarter of employees disagreed. Among plan members who rated their overall health as poor, 74 per cent also rated their mental health as poor and 63 per cent said they experience high stress levels.

For Kohut, those numbers point to an opportunity. “If you make people feel supported in managing their mental health, they’re far more likely to stay and to be productive and engaged while they’re with you.”

Supporting younger workers

Generational shifts are also reshaping expectations, says Kohut. “This generation is vocal about what matters to them. If you support them early, you build loyalty. If you don’t, they’ll move on.”

Younger workers want more than basic health coverage; they expect mental and reproductive health benefits from the outset, not added as an afterthought. “Wealthsimple built mental-health support into the fabric of our benefits from day one,” says McLachlan. “By listening to employees and adapting based on their needs, we make sure care is accessible anytime, not something they have to go searching for later.”

Read: 77% of millennials reporting burnout symptoms: survey

For Lauren*, a 26-year-old retail employee, the reality has been different. Limited mental-health coverage meant her employer paid for only one therapy visit a year, leaving her to cover the rest at $150 to $180 each. She skipped dental visits for several years and paid for prescriptions out of pocket rather than navigating a confusing claims process.

“It’s not worth the hassle to prove I need the support just to save a small amount of money,” she says.

Looking ahead

Canadian women want benefits that reflect the realities of life throughout their careers, from early reproductive planning to midlife transitions and later-career health needs. This means employers can no longer rely on a one-size-fits-all approach. Extending drug coverage to include fertility treatments, expanding mental-health benefits and offering flexible accommodations for symptom management can help employees remain engaged, productive and committed through periods of personal and professional change.

“Women shouldn’t have to choose between their health and their job,” says Kohut. “Employers are starting to understand investing in women’s health is not just the right thing to do; it’s a smart business strategy.”

Read: Survey finds 75% of women want benefits to specifically support their health

As more organizations adopt inclusive policies, benefits that once seemed progressive may soon become baseline expectations. The future of workplace health and support lies in recognizing that women’s needs are dynamic, intersectional and are influenced by age, culture, socioeconomic status and lived experience.

Sonya Singh is an associate editor at Benefits Canada and the Canadian Investment Review:

*The names have been changed to protect the sources’ identities.