Fidelity Global Women at Work: Unlocking the Benefits of Balance

Fidelity’s global workplace research is helping business leaders discover the benefits of balance, for them and the women that work for them. The right benefits offerings help women create balance with their life inside and outside work.

Our research shows that nearly half (44%) of women in the UK surveyed said they are satisfied with their job overall and 18% say they are likely to leave their company in the next six months¹, so understanding what women want may help employers retain, engage, and empower a significant segment of their workforce.

Leveraging the power of benefits beyond the tangible may help employers with retention. Our research shows that reasons to stay at a company go beyond tangible benefits

While compensation and other core tangible benefits, like health coverage and retirement contributions, remain important, women value several aspects of their work beyond their base compensation packages.

When looking to stay at a company, intangible benefits and other elements of workplace culture may be key drivers of retention for women.

Importantly, work/life balance and other psychological benefits, like building a feeling of connection with others at work or having a sense of autonomy, rank highly among the most commonly selected reasons to stay at a company².

Work/Life Balance - paid time off, paid sick leave, work/life balance, stability, job security, and manageable workloads
Connection - the need for belonging, acceptance and affiliation with others at work.
Autonomy - the need for volition and choice in the initiation and regulation of behaviour at work.
Competence - the need to feel skilled and capable, with opportunities to grow and develop new capabilities.
Purpose - the need for meaning, coherence, and alignment between personal goals/values and one’s work.

Our research shows that the top reasons women say they would stay in a job include a variety of benefits across these areas³.

Benefit area	Top reasons to stay	% of UK female respondents who endorse this as a reason to stay at their company
Work/Life Balance	Stability and job security	94%
Work/Life Balance	Paid time off/vacation /sick leave	94%
Connection	Positive/supportive relationships with colleagues	93%
Work/Life Balance	Work/Life Balance	93%
Work/Life Balance	Manageable workload	93%
Connection	Positive/supportive relationship with manager	92%
Competence	Ability to use skills at work	92%
Purpose	Meaningful or fulfilling work	91%
Core Benefits	Workplace retirement plan	91%
Work/Life Balance	Paid extended leave	87%

Benefits in balance support employees in various stages of their lives and across all areas of well-being. Employers could consider reviewing how their benefits offerings meet employees' core psychological needs - for autonomy, connection, competence, and purpose. Ensuring you are considering psychological benefits, in addition to tangible benefits, may help to retain and engage female employees.

To learn more about how benefits can retain, engage and empower this segment of the workforce, explore the global findings and see how the UK compares to other markets.

^1,3 The Fidelity Global Sentiment Survey 2024
² The Fidelity Working 9-to-Thrive Report (by following this link you will be taken to fidelityworkplace.com this website is subject to separate terms and conditions)

This information is for scheme sponsors’, trustees’, their advisers’, and consultants’ use only and should not be relied upon by individual investors.

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