Women’s History Month: Benefits That Make a Difference

Quick look: March marks Women’s History Month, an ideal time for brokers to help clients identify new ways to empower the women in their workforce. Here’s what work is like for women today, and how partnering with a professional employer organization (PEO) makes it easier to guide employers in offering benefits, flexible policies, and financial wellness initiatives that create tangible impact.

Women’s History Month is an opportunity not only to celebrate progress, but also to reflect on how to continue building workplaces where women thrive.

Over the years, women have made significant strides in leadership representation, entrepreneurship, and workforce participation across industries. Yet some challenges remain, from career advancement gaps to caregiving responsibilities.

By developing comprehensive benefits strategies, brokers and their clients can support women throughout every phase of their careers while enhancing engagement and long-term retention. Keep reading to better understand the realities working women navigate and how aligning with a PEO can help build workplaces rooted in fairness and opportunity.

How women impact business performance

Women bring measurable value to organizations. Beyond individual performance, their presence strengthens workplace culture, enhances leadership effectiveness, and supports stronger overall business outcomes.

Research shows that companies that prioritize gender diversity see:

• Higher levels of job satisfaction across teams
• Stronger collaboration and communication
• Broader, more diverse perspectives in decision-making
• More adaptable and supportive workplace environments

The impact is even more notable at the executive level. Businesses with greater representation of women in executive roles frequently outperform competitors in profitability, market share, and shareholder returns. For example, woman-led organizations within the S&P 500 report average shareholder returns of approximately 384%, compared to 261% for those led by men.

Understanding the modern workplace experience for women

Women today are ambitious and deeply committed to their careers. At the same time, many continue to manage unique pressures that influence their professional journeys.

McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace 2025 report sheds light on these circumstances. Across career levels, women receive sponsorship less frequently than men, and even when they have sponsors, they are promoted 15% less frequently. Additionally, women remain underrepresented across corporate roles, holding just 29% of C-suite positions. This disparity is largely due to the “broken rung,” a phenomenon where the first step into management is unequal. For instance, for every 100 men promoted to manager, just 93 women and 73 women of color are promoted.

✓ Broker tip: Consider aligning clients with a PEO to offer structured leadership training programs, mentorship initiatives, and transparent promotion frameworks. Tuition reimbursement and professional development stipends can also help women advance while reducing attrition.

Work-life balance and caregiving responsibilities

Employees with caregiving responsibilities are the fastest-growing worker segment of the workforce, with approximately 73% of all workers juggling caretaking and paid jobs. In the United States, unpaid caregiving of children, aging parents, or family members with special needs is valued at over $1 trillion each year, and women shoulder 63% of that work.

Without flexibility, these responsibilities can lead to burnout or career stagnation. Benefits that make a difference include:

• Flexible work arrangements, including hybrid and remote options
• Paid parental leave and caregiver leave policies
• Access to dependent care flexible spending accounts (DCFSAs), which provide a way to pay pre-tax for care for children and those who are mentally or physically incapable of self-care
• Employee assistance programs (EAPs) and mental health benefits to support caregivers who experience elevated stress

✓ Broker tip: PEOs simplify flexible work and leave policies, navigate Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) compliance, and access competitive employee benefits, including EAPS and DCFSAs, helping your clients support caregivers while maintaining productivity.

Financial wellness and long-term security

Financial equity remains a significant concern. On average, women earn less than men throughout their careers, resulting in sizable gaps in lifetime income and retirement savings. Career interruptions for caregiving, part-time work arrangements, and longevity differences further impact retirement readiness.

Clients can help address these disparities by weaving strong financial wellness programs into their benefits offerings and policies:

Retirement savings support

According to the American Association of University Women, women have just 70% of the overall retirement income that men do. Additionally, poverty rates are higher for women than men ages 65 and older, an especially concerning statistic considering women tend to outlive men by approximately six years on average.

Offering a 401(k) plan with employer matching contributions helps employees build long-term savings. Automatic enrollment and automatic escalation features can significantly increase participation and savings rates, particularly for staff who may otherwise delay investing.

Pay equity reviews

Although many employers have updated their pay policies, the gender pay gap persists for some organizations. On average, women earn 83 cents for every dollar a man earns, and the difference is even larger for women of color.

Conducting regular compensation audits ensures fairness and transparency. Clear salary bands and structured compensation policies help minimize bias and support equitable pay practices.

Student loan assistance

Given that women hold approximately 64% of all student loan debt, student loan repayment benefits are particularly impactful. Programs such as employer-sponsored repayment assistance or contribution matching can ease financial strain and accelerate progress toward financial independence.

✓ Broker tip: By partnering with a PEO, brokers can provide clients with access to various benefits and tools to boost employee financial well-being, like retirement savings plans, personal finance training, and programs to evaluate pay, turnover, and promotion trends across gender demographics.

Closing the gap with a PEO partner

By teaming up with a PEO, brokers can expand their value proposition and enable clients to create a fairer workplace, without increasing administrative burden. For example, ExtensisHR provides access to:

• Robust, personalized benefits such as comprehensive health insurance with DCFSA options, retirement savings plans, financial wellness training, EAPs, and student loan assistance.
• A dedicated team of HR experts to help develop flexible work policies, learning and development programs, etc.
• Risk and compliance support to maintain compliance with FMLA and other critical employment laws.
• Dashboards and reporting that deliver insights into pay equity, promotions, and more.

By helping clients implement these solutions, brokers strengthen workplaces, promote equity, and reinforce their strategic value.

Support equality in your clients’ workplaces while enhancing your own advisory impact. Contact ExtensisHR to discover how we can help you deliver tailored HR solutions.