Are Maternity Benefits a Cost Center or a Workforce Strategy?

Boston, MA -- Sept 1 2026: Employers have largely moved beyond asking whether maternity benefits matter.

The more difficult question is: What do they actually deliver?

For some organizations, the answer is improved employee wellbeing. For others, it's retention, attendance, productivity, and long-term workforce stability. Yet measuring those outcomes remains surprisingly difficult.

Ahead of Women's HealthX, we asked three healthcare leaders for their perspective:

• Dr. Katherine Arnold, Program Manager, ARPA-H
• Dr. Andrea Willis, SVP & Chief Medical Officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee
• Dr. Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha, Julia A. Okoro Professor of Black Maternal Health and Founder of the Center for Maternal Health Advancement, Tufts University School of Medicine

Their responses point to a common conclusion:

Retention Starts Before Someone Hands in Their Notice

One of the most consistent themes to emerge was retention. Organizations spend significant time and money attracting talent, yet often underestimate the role maternity support plays in keeping employees once they become parents.

As Dr. Katherine Arnold explains:

For Dr. Arnold, the conversation extends beyond maternity leave itself. Flexibility around returning to work and access to childcare can have a significant impact on whether women remain in the workforce after having children.

The implication is straightforward: A successful return-to-work strategy may be just as important as the maternity benefit itself.

Workforce Outcomes Matter

For Dr. Andrea Willis, maternity and parental benefits should be viewed through a broader workforce lens.

Their value isn't limited to supporting employees during pregnancy. The impact can be felt across attendance, productivity, engagement, and retention.

Dr. Willis also highlights mental health support as a critical component of the equation.

When organizations invest in both maternal health and mental wellbeing, they create an environment where employees are more likely to remain engaged and maintain long-term relationships with their employer.

In other words: Better support can create better workforce outcomes.

The Real Question Isn't Whether or not Benefits Exist

Perhaps the most challenging perspective came from Dr. Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha.

Her argument is that employers are often measuring the wrong thing.

Many organizations focus on whether maternity benefits exist.

Fewer examine whether employees can actually use them.

According to Dr. Amutah-Onukagha, employers should also ask: #

• Can employees find the benefit?
• Can they afford to use it? Do they trust it?
• Can they access it without harming their career progression?

These questions often reveal a very different picture of employee experience.

She also points to a growing body of evidence showing that paid parental leave can improve parental and infant health outcomes, reduce stress, and support maternal mental health.

If You're Going to Invest, Measure Something Meaningful

The challenge for many employers is not deciding whether to offer maternity benefits.

It's proving their impact.

Dr. Amutah-Onukagha suggests organizations move beyond participation metrics and instead focus on outcomes such as:

• Retention after childbirth
• Absenteeism
• Disability duration
• Employee satisfaction
• Healthcare utilization
• Maternal complications
• Successful return-to-work rates

These measures can help organizations understand whether benefits are creating genuine value for employees and the business alike.