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Being on the SurveyMonkey benefits team means putting together impactful, flexible programs that support employees and their families.
“Our philosophy is all about taking care of the whole employee,” said Julie Fernandez, Senior Benefits Analyst at SurveyMonkey.
The team’s interest in fertility benefits started with employee questions about their existing coverage, particularly around in vitro fertilization (IVF) and the restrictions that typically exist in traditional medical plans. The company’s existing plans required a medical diagnosis of infertility in order to cover fertility drugs, but it didn’t cover IVF or other fertility care — which was not inclusive of employees pursuing other paths to parenthood.
We were looking for a solution that could be global, which was extremely hard to find. Carrot was the only one that was able to support that.
The SurveyMonkey team wanted to find an inclusive benefit that would meet the needs of all employees. Fertility benefits that rely on the medical definition of infertility or only provide IVF exclude LGBTQ+ people and single-intending parents looking to form families in other ways. In addition to IVF, Carrot provides support for fertility preservation, donor-assisted reproduction, adoption, and gestational surrogacy. The breadth of Carrot’s options would benefit Momentive recruitment and retention efforts — for example, only 17% of companies with 500 employees or more offer assistance for adoption.
“The market is always changing, and we need to stay relevant and competitive to attract and retain talent,” said Fernandez. “Offering Carrot helps us meet that goal.”
It was also key that the solution solve a gap in fertility coverage for their entire employee population — not just those in certain locations.
“We were looking for a solution that could be global, which was extremely hard to find,” said Fernandez. “Carrot was the only one that was able to support that.”
Carrot’s global network of more than 55 supported countries, native language support for eight languages, and deep knowledge base of cultural norms aligned with SurveyMonkey’s Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) initiatives as well, Fernandez said. SurveyMonkey has employees in 9 countries around the world, and offering benefits parity was important to them.
“Being that we were trying to solve this gap for all our employee population, we wanted to be equal and accessible to all,” said Fernandez. “To be supportive of DE&I initiatives, it wouldn’t make sense to offer just to U.S. employees and not equitably to the rest of the population.”
Since launching in 2019, SurveyMonkey members have pursued a range of fertility and family-forming journeys using their Carrot funds. While in vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most common journey for SurveyMonkey employees overall, members have used their funds to pursue a range of family-forming goals — some of which vary based on location.
As these numbers demonstrate, every country is different when it comes to fertility and family-forming care. That’s why Carrot has relationships with clinics and experts on the ground to help members navigate care wherever they are.
Momentive employees consistently rank Carrot over 4 out of 5 stars when asked about their satisfaction with the program. And while benefits surveys are anonymous, Fernandez has received positive, qualitative feedback about the value Carrot has brought to SurveyMonkey employees, too.
“Without [Carrot], I would be in a pretty difficult situation taking care of my fertility,” said one SurveyMonkey employee in a benefits survey. “Thank you for giving us this option. I will be using it next year as well!”
Fernandez said it’s especially meaningful to hear from individual employees who have been able to expand their families thanks to Carrot.
“Our employee emails have been very touching, hearing that it’s had such a positive impact on their journey and family-forming experience,” she said.
SurveyMonkey Chief People Officer Becky Cantieri agrees. She wrote an article on LinkedIn about her experience with IVF and the company’s decision to add fertility benefits.
“This is the right thing to do,” she wrote. “I’m proud to be part of a company that not only says it’s committed to creating a diverse, inclusive environment where everyone, no matter their background or circumstance, can succeed — it’s willing to walk the talk.”
