We recognize that while over 60 percent of our Fifth Third Bank employees are women, they represent only 23 percent of our executive and senior leaders. Our data showed that in the year women take maternity leave, they left the bank at twice the rate of all female employees.

The Fifth Third Bank Maternity Concierge program was designed to assist women with the unique challenges they face during pregnancy, after the baby is born and especially upon their return to work. This Maternity Concierge program is offered at no cost to the employees – from bank tellers to executives. It provides an environment and culture where working mothers can not only succeed, but also excel.

The benefit begins at pregnancy and women work directly with a concierge specializing in maternity needs, who can help with everything from finding photographers to shopping for items such as robes and nursing bras for the woman’s hospital bag, identifying daycare options and helping to select a pediatrician.

We know that women returning from maternity leave are at a critical point in their careers, no matter how long a woman is on leave. As a company, we feel it’s our responsibility to help with that transition; we want to offer support during this critical time.

Starting in August 2017, Fifth Third Bank introduced a new parent-bonding leave, which is four weeks paid leave for both new dads and moms, in addition to the maternity leave. Also included is a new service for nursing moms, free shipment of breast milk during business travel.

More than 180 women have used the concierge service in its first four months. The average satisfaction for employees using the program is 4.95 on a 5-point scale.

The program is still in its early stage; while we have received a lot of positive feedback, we don’t yet have hard data on its effect of retaining women.

Jule Kucera, Chief Diversity Officer