Schlegel unterstützt Kinderwunschbehandlungen

Erster Mittelständler in Deutschland: Unternehmen erweitert betriebliche Krankenversicherung um Baustein „Reproduktiven Gesundheit“

What do infertility, the menopause and preventive care have to do with an industrial company? At first glance, perhaps very little – but in reality, quite a lot. These issues play a major role in the daily lives of those who are affected and are therefore also relevant to businesses. As a result, Georg Schlegel, based in Dürmentingen, has become the first medium-sized company in Germany to expand its corporate health insurance to include a “Reproductive Health” module.

The inability to conceive is a sensitive and highly personal issue that causes great distress for many people. Hormonal changes in mid-life also weigh heavily on many employees and place a significant emotional burden on them. “This doesn’t stop at the workplace door,” says managing director Christoph Schlegel. This is why the decision was made to provide targeted support to employees in these situations. “We want to support our employees even during sensitive phases of life.”

For over four years, the company has offered supplementary health insurance (bKV), funded by the employer and complementing statutory health insurance benefits. This has now been expanded to include the “Reproductive Health” module. To this end, Schlegel is collaborating with the Heidelberg-based start-up ONUAVA. “This improves access to medical care and provides financial relief for our employees on their path to parenthood,” says managing director Wolfgang Weber.

Men’s and women’s health

The programme offers more than just financial support. Specifically, it includes the subsidies for fertility treatment and elective egg freezing for personal rather than medical reasons. Insured employees also gain access to a digital platform offering medical advice on all aspects of women’s and men’s health, including pregnancy, menopausal symptoms and preventive care. Appointments with specialists can usually be booked online within a few days. Confidentiality is a key aspect here: use of the service is completely anonymous, and the employer does not find out who makes use of it. Companies addressing reproductive health is also significant: according to the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, around one in ten couples in Germany experience involuntary childlessness. Many women suffer from menopausal symptoms, which can affect their day-to-day working lives. In men, prostate cancer is often detected at a late stage, frequently because screening is postponed.

In the US, this topic is already well established in many companies. In Germany, however, it is still in its infancy. “So far, only a few companies in Germany offer their employees fertility-related benefits,” says Katharina Jung, Managing Director of ONUAVA. Schlegel is playing a pioneering role in this respect within the SME sector.

A logical step

For Schlegel, this is a logical step. As a family-run business, strong focus is placed on employee’s wellbeing, the company states. At the same time, the expansion is another building block in its HR strategy. Working conditions are a key factor in the competition for skilled workers: according to a survey commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, 90 per cent of people consider family-friendly policies to be as important as salary. Schlegel already offers flexible working hours, part-time arrangements and remote working where possible. By expanding the supplementary health insurance scheme, the company is taking a further step forward. “This strengthens our employees while enhancing our attractiveness as an employer, with the aim of retaining skilled workers and attracting new ones,” says Christoph Schlegel.

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