Seramount has named Mercy Health one of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers. This award recognizes companies that create and use best practices to hire, retain and promote working mothers in the United States.

Seramount, formerly Working Mother Media, also recognized Mercy Health, which is part of Bon Secours Mercy Health (BSMH), as one of the Best Companies for Multicultural Women, an award which recognizes commitment to advancing the careers of BIPOC and multicultural women in the workplace.

“We’re honored to receive the award that’s the gold standard for measuring exceptional environments for working parents,” said Joe Gage, chief human resources officer of BSMH. “Supporting working parents enhances employee recruitment, retention and engagement. More importantly, we respect the vital role women play on the job and at home. We’re called to prioritize benefits and programs that meet our working parents where they are and enable these valued team members to thrive. We’ll continue to provide them with supportive communities and thoughtful strategies to succeed in life and at work.”

With more than 35 years of experience examining data about what constitutes a family-friendly company, Seramount’s Best Companies list looks at everything that impacts working mothers. The list of winners includes companies that are focusing on inclusive benefits for families, including gender-neutral leave, gradual phase-back after parental leave, accessible, affordable childcare, paid time off for parents and caretakers, flexible hours, adoption assistance programs and opportunities for women to advance.

“Our ministry is committed to advancing the careers of all women who are part of our organization,” said BSMH Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Odesa Stapleton. “As a top company for multicultural women and among the 27 organizations recognized as a Leading Inclusion Index Company, we will continue to effect real, sustainable change in the areas of diversity and inclusion.”

BSMH serves communities across seven states and Ireland, with a workforce that is 81% women. More than 75% of its managers are women and 69% of its senior managers are women. In addition, 50% of its corporate executives are women, and 70% of the top 20% of earners in the health system are women.

Key areas of support for working parents include:

  • Assistance during the pandemic: When the pandemic hit in 2020, schools closed, and states shut down childcare services. Many of our frontline health care workers had to care for patients while still supporting their families. The BSMH Foundation provided a $60M “Caring for Our Own Fund” that provided restorative pay for associates affected by the pandemic and offered childcare reimbursement for school-age care. In 2020, the fund helped 24,000 workers.
  • Financial benefits: BSMH provides adoption reimbursement, tuition reimbursement, loan forgiveness and dental, vision and health benefits for associates and their families. Associates can work as few as 15 hours a week and still earn paid leave, medical, dental and other benefits.
  • Professional and personal development: For more than two decades, BSMH has sought out best practices for professional development and benchmarked the organization against industry leaders. New programs were added across all levels of associates, from basic refresher skills to advanced leadership training. Programs include nurse mentorship, leadership coaching and administrative residency fellowship to develop top, diverse talent.

The 100 Best Companies application contains hundreds of questions about leave policies, workforce representation, benefits, childcare, advancement programs, flexibility policies and more. It surveys the availability and usage of these programs and the accountability of the many managers who oversee them.