Reducing turnover: How maternal and midlife health benefits retain your top talent
Women leave the workforce at high rates during pregnancy, postpartum, and (peri)menopause. Complications, untreated mental health needs, and unmanaged hormonal symptoms quietly push high performers out. For employers, that means lost expertise and real replacement costs.
This is where women's healthcare benefits become a retention strategy. When employers provide proactive, preventive care during these pivotal life stages, they help employees stay healthy and stay in their careers.
The cost of losing talent
Turnover costs extend beyond recruiting fees. Managers absorb extra workload while teams lose years of expertise. Replacing one mid- or senior-level employee can cost up to 200% of their annual salary. Pregnancy, postpartum, and (peri)menopause tend to overlap with peak career years, so when employers don't support these life stages, they're losing some of their most valuable people.
Why maternity is a critical retention period
Pregnancy and postpartum come with symptoms that can impact work. Traditional care is often difficult to access, and appointments have to be scheduled during the workday. It's no wonder women feel pressure to step back from work.
On average, 1 in 4 women exit the labor market in their first year of motherhood. Employers lose high-performing talent by missing the moment when support matters most.
How Pomelo reduces turnover during pregnancy and postpartum
24/7 virtual access to maternity and pediatric experts removes the barriers that push women out of the workforce.
During pregnancy: When an employee is managing severe morning sickness or gestational diabetes, they can get timely virtual support and don’t have to wait days for an in-person appointment. With Pomelo, care is available when they need it, so they can stay present at work.
The postpartum transition: Returning to work is hard even under the best circumstances. A mother dealing with feeding issues or postpartum anxiety can access real-time lactation and mental health support from anywhere, reducing the risk of extended leave or a permanent exit.
Ongoing pediatric care after birth: A sick baby throws a workday into chaos, and mothers are twice as likely as fathers to take their children to doctor visits, pulling them away from work or into PTO. With Pomelo, when a baby wakes up with a rash or a fever, mom can schedule a virtual visit after-hours or late at night, on her schedule.
By adding Pomelo to your benefits, you move beyond checking the box on maternal health to offering a retention tool that reduces claims spend and helps keep experienced employees in the workforce.
How longitudinal women's health affects retention
Women's health in midlife, particularly (peri)menopause, is an overlooked turnover driver. Symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, sleep disruption, anxiety, and chronic pain can affect performance. When women can't find expert care or feel unsupported at work, they may reduce hours, shift into less visible roles, decline leadership opportunities, or exit the workforce earlier than planned.
Organizations lose their most experienced leaders, mentors, and decision-makers: talent that's costly and slow to replace. Expert care helps women manage symptoms and stay fully engaged in their careers.
Ensuring leaders don't have to choose between their health and their careers
Pomelo's on-demand, evidence-based virtual care helps women manage (peri)menopause so it doesn't derail their careers.
Restoring focus: An employee dealing with insomnia and exhaustion gets personalized care right away to help her regain the energy and clarity to do her best work.
Providing treatment: An employee struggling with hot flashes or brain fog consults with specialists and get access to treatments like HRT to ease those symptoms.
Pomelo can turn a period of potential turnover into one that demonstrates an employer's commitment to employees through every stage of life.
Where standard benefits fall short
Most employer benefits assume employees can manage their health outside of work hours and navigate complex systems on their own. Health coaching, resources, and a strong digital experience aren't enough. Driving healthy outcomes and sustained productivity requires accessible, continuous medical care and follow-up.
How Pomelo helps employers retain women through critical life stages
Offering Pomelo as a benefit signals a commitment to high quality women's healthcare, and pays off in a healthier workforce and fewer costly exits.
Across all 50 states, our multidisciplinary team:
- Operates at full licensure to diagnose, treat, prescribe, and remotely monitor, ensuring patients get the care they need in each visit
- Delivers 1:1 care based on each patient's health history, risk, goals, and care journey, so no information slips through the cracks
- Reduces risk, manages complications, and improves outcomes
Better health drives better retention
The most effective retention strategies treat health as foundational to performance. Benefits must be comprehensive, evidence-based, and longitudinal, supporting women throughout their careers. When women's health is a priority, female employees are positioned to grow, lead, and drive organizations forward.
Learn more about how Pomelo can help your organization retain valuable talent.
