Support working moms year round with flexible life benefits

Help parents manage workplace burnout

Balancing work and family has always been a challenge for working parents. Throw in a global pandemic with school closures, zoom lessons, quarantines, illnesses, and endless new rules to navigate… and the concept of work-life balance takes a whole new meaning.

Research shows working parents – especially moms – are more vulnerable to stress and burnout than employees who don’t have kids. About 28 percent of the nearly 10 million working mothers in the United States report suffering from burnout, according to a recent survey of 440,000 working parents, including 226,000 mothers, by Great Place to Work and Maven. 

Flexible life benefits programs give parents the freedom to choose what’s best for them

Now more than ever, it’s important for businesses to think beyond basic benefits to help parents find work-life balance. Because they help working parents thrive – at work and at home – flexible lifestyle spending accounts are gaining momentum. Benefits spending accounts are fully customizable – so the options are essentially limitless. Most importantly, life benefits programs give employees the flexibility to hand-select options that are best suited for their personal needs. 

Since 2017, Forma has been at the forefront of the flexible life benefits space, offering spending account design, implementation, and management for more than 130 customers and over 300,000 employees. Just like our customers, our team enjoys flexible benefits and uses Forma’s platform. Through four different benefits spending accounts – BeWell to support health and wellbeing, BeConnected to connect and have fun with each other, BeEquipped a one-time subsidy for office set up, and BeProductive to help cover support our remote-first teams working at home – Forma employees can choose how to use their funds to support them in the ways they need most. 

How Forma honors working moms 

Caring for others and supporting each other is a priority for all of us. With Mother’s Day coming up, we reached out to Forma’s working parents to hear about what they value most when it comes to their benefits and how they use their Forma spending accounts. Here’s what they had to say.

Satisfy the need for self-care.

“Having a flexible benefits program is a nice reminder of the ‘we’ve got you’ Forma value. The way Forma embodies that value through its benefits program contributes to the support I feel as a working parent. I use the BeWell program a lot, mostly to take care of myself as a working parent. It's nice to not feel guilty about getting a massage or getting my nails done, and to know that I could expense the childcare cost during that too if needed!” 

– Darcy Lattoff, senior customer service manager

Prioritize personal health. 

“The flexibility is key because it allows me to invest in the items or things that feel most important to me. I have been at previous organizations where the limited options weren't helpful. The BeWell account has allowed me to prioritize things in my personal life in new ways compared to other companies. With a bit of extra budget, I was able to purchase a jogging stroller that I have been eyeing. Before we had full-time childcare, I often found it difficult to prioritize my own health while working and caring for my daughter at the same time. The stroller allowed me to get workouts in with my daughter and not take up too much of my time!” 

– Leanne Pozzi, vice president, Customer Experience

Find peace of mind.

“Knowing my bills are covered and that money can be allocated to other expenses gives me peace of mind. From using the BeWell stipend to pay for childcare at the gym to the BeProductive funds to help pay for internet, phone, and utility bills, any way to save money is a win for my family of four! The program offers peace of mind knowing bills are covered and that money can be allocated to other expense!” 

– Vanessa Hernandez, senior customer service manager

Enjoy the user experience.

“It was an eye-opening experience that I can actually buy directly on the Forma app for any childcare supplies. The first time I used the Forma platform was to purchase the Owlet baby monitor. It was a surprisingly delightful experience to know that I can receive benefits from my company beyond simply base salary. This definitely opens up my perspective on what a company can do to support my life as a working parent. A company can offer different incentives to address the needs of different people, but even the same person will have different needs over time, so giving the flexibility for us to choose at our own freedom is huge.” 

– Lynn Tan, Director of Demand Generation 

Feel the inclusivity.

“We're a full-time traveling family. I love knowing I can use the extra dollars in my account for whatever comes up and it feels like the company truly supports and cares about my whole family. For example, I can use the BeWell funds for equipment and passes for outdoor adventures during my time off (from the national parks in Utah to the beaches of Florida) or for vitamins and supplements for the whole fam. We also homeschool, so I can use BeProductive funds to pay for homeschooling curricula. I was able to purchase a standing desk (for inside my semi truck!) with the BeEquipped funds, which helps me take care of myself during work hours so I'm a better mom once I am done working each day.” 

– Kathryn Nolasco, Art Director

Appreciate the adaptability.

“Fitness is important to me so I can keep up with four kids under age eight! An offsite gym just isn’t realistic in this season of life. I use Forma to pay for my digital Peloton subscription, race registrations, and Strava membership. I’d love to exercise in a social setting (and perhaps I will in 5 or 10 years!), but for now it’s home. As an added bonus, my kids see Mommy training and racing so I’m modeling fitness as part of a healthy lifestyle – and that makes me feel like a good Mom!” 

– Suzy Goodwin, Account Executive 

Go above and beyond for your team with flexible life benefits 

Flexible life benefits are a key way for organizations to show appreciation and support for their working parents and entire team. With many women playing the role of both primary caregiver and breadwinner, benefit spending accounts are a unique tool to help working moms and all employees strike a happy and productive work-life balance and avoid burnout. 

More and more organizations are realizing the benefits of giving their employees flexible benefits with true value that meet their employees where they are in all the stages of life.  Flexible life benefits programs are an important means of doing just that.