“For the longest time, I had misgivings about whether I would ever be able to start the family I dreamed of,\u201d Christine L\u00ea Louie, Employee Engagement & Events Manager at Salesforce said recently. \u201cThe barriers to access for non-nuclear families felt overwhelming and unreachable.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In today’s workplace, comprehensive parental benefits remain a rarity for LGBTQ+ individuals. The lack of inclusive policies and support can create significant challenges for those who wish to start a family. However, employers can play an important role in supporting new parents, particularly in regions where family care leave isn’t guaranteed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This isn\u2019t just for altruistic purposes \u2013 research shows that organizations that prioritize comprehensive parental benefits can enhance productivity and foster employee loyalty<\/a>. In other words, supporting employee wellbeing can positively impact a company\u2019s bottom line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n L\u00ea Louie joined Tableau<\/a> in 2014 as an events coordinator and supported Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and Pride employee initiatives to help create more inclusion within the company. While she achieved milestones in her career and had the opportunity to advocate for something she was passionate about, L\u00ea Louie felt she was missing something: She longed to start a family with her wife. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But knowing the steep costs and barriers to access for non-nuclear families, L\u00ea Louie wasn\u2019t sure if she would be able to make her lifelong dream a reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2019, when Tableau was acquired, L\u00ea Louie joined Salesforce\u2019s global communications team, and came across an internal company blog site for employees to learn about activities and people within the company. One post, written by her colleague Jeffrey Huang, described his non-nuclear journey to parenthood and how Salesforce provided comprehensive benefits to help him and his husband bring their son into the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Motivated by Huang\u2019s story, L\u00ea Louie and her wife explored their options within Salesforce. They searched the company\u2019s Concierge system, an internal searchable knowledge base, to gather information about available\u00a0benefits<\/a>. There they discovered Progyny<\/a>, a comprehensive fertility and family-building benefits provider, and Salesforce\u2019s robust parental benefits<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2021, with information and resources at the ready, the couple made the pivotal decision to start their path to parenthood using the fertility benefits available to them \u2013 from personalized fertility treatments to expert medical guidance \u2013 which resulted in a successful pregnancy. The couple’s joy and gratitude were immeasurable as they welcomed their long-awaited son, Jackson, into the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\nA missing piece of the puzzle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
New beginnings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n