A Guide to Designing Inclusive Health Benefits at Your Company
Words by Morgan Ersery
Advancing Health Equity for Black Women and LGBTQIA+ People of Color
In the United States, Black women and LGBTQIA+ people of color face significant disparities in health care access, quality of care, and health outcomes. Bias and discriminatory behavior among health care providers have been identified as key contributors to these disparities. As a result, Black women are 12 times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy-related complications. This crisis persists regardless of socioeconomic status and extends to numerous conditions, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and HIV.
Creating Inclusive Workplace Wellness Benefits
Building a truly inclusive workplace goes beyond hiring practices and leadership diversity. While implementing best hiring practices, assessing leadership representation, and strengthening anti-discrimination policies are essential steps, companies must also consider how their health and wellness benefits support employees’ diverse needs.
How can you make your company’s wellness benefits more inclusive?
Listen to employees – Conduct interviews and anonymous surveys to understand their experiences, identify gaps in existing benefits, and gather input on potential improvements.
Audit health and wellness providers – Ensure that the providers you work with uphold anti-racist and anti-discriminatory policies and leadership.
Partner with inclusive organizations – Collaborate with companies and nonprofits to design, implement, and offer programs, resources, and benefits that address the unique needs of diverse employees.
Work with Womanly
At Womanly, we ‘re committed to creating spaces that empower BIPOC women and non-binary individuals—a space for release, reflection, and learning. Our mission is to share critical health resources and recommendations, from connecting individuals with culturally competent primary care providers to offering guidance on advocating for oneself in medical settings.
Founded in 2017, Womanly empowers people to take charge of their health through art and creative experiences. What began as a biannual print magazine has since evolved into a broad platform that includes health programming, informational webinars, social campaigns, screenings, counseling, and early disease detection initiatives. We have partnered with Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, Brooklyn Museum, NYC Health & Hospitals, Bumble, Henry Street Settlement, and many others to build programming and create content for their communities.
Partner with us to create a healthier, more inclusive workplace and community. To learn more, email partnerships@womanlymag.com.
