How to Build a Family-Building Program Without Blowing the Budget

If your workplace wants to support employees on their family-building journey but is worried about budget, there's good news: this isn't an all-or-nothing investment. In fact, the most impactful programs often start with empathy, not expense. Family-building benefits can be layered in ways that grow with your team's needs. Here's a breakdown of low, mid, and high-lift options to help HR leaders take action without blowing the budget.

Low-Lift, High-Impact: Awareness + Navigation

Estimated cost: Low or zero

Start by meeting employees where they are—with empathy and clarity:

• Educational resources: Partner with platforms or nonprofits like Fertility Matters Canada and Resolve to host webinars on fertility, reproductive health, and navigating benefits.
• Navigation tools: Tools like myStoria provide support, guidance, and care coordination—no financial coverage required.
• Internal policy audits: Adjust existing sick leave or time-off policies to accommodate fertility treatment appointments.
• Inclusive language updates: Update internal documents to reflect all family types, including LGBTQ+ and solo parents.

This tier focuses on reducing friction, not writing cheques.

Mid-Lift: Build a Formal Program

Estimated cost: Moderate

Once you've built awareness and demand, formalize your offering:

• Offer a health spending account for fertility-related expenses (like testing, medications, or egg freezing consultations)
• Provide partial reimbursement (e.g. $5,000–$10,000 lifetime max) for fertility treatments or preservation
• Add myStoria as a voluntary benefit to support emotional and logistical care

This middle ground gives employees concrete support while controlling costs.

High-Lift: Comprehensive Family-Building Benefits

Estimated cost: High

For employers aiming to be true category leaders, a comprehensive program may include:

• IVF, IUI, and egg/sperm freezing reimbursements
• Surrogacy and adoption assistance
• Oncofertility support services
• Concierge navigation and AI tools (like myStoria) that integrate with your benefits platform

Pairing financial benefits with tools that help employees actually use them is key to driving real impact.

You Don't Have to Do Everything at Once

Start small. Build momentum. And remember: offering something—even just education and support—can be a game-changer for employees who feel like no one at work sees what they're going through.

Curious where to start? myStoria can help you audit your current policies, identify gaps, and build a program that fits your goals. Book a call with us today.

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