Workplace portal for mothers created in Australia
- Charles Chau
The Health in Preconception, Pregnancy and Postpartum (HiPPP) online workplace portal was developed by Monash University in partnership with MacKillop Family Services.
Monash University project lead Dr Briony Hill claimed the portal to be the “first workplace portal globally” that has been co-developed with researchers to support the wellbeing needs of women during pregnancy planning, pregnancy, postpartum and the return to work.
The portal has been up and running at MacKillop Family Services since March this year. The organisation has over 1,400 staff around Australia.
“The HiPPP Portal was co-developed with direct input from MacKillop staff and management, and provides a simple, accessible solution to common pregnancy planning and return to work issues that are typically difficult to navigate,” Dr Hill added.
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Donna Meechan, MacKillop Human Resource Change Manager, believes her organisation is ideally positioned to be piloting the portal, as 7% of the workforce are women.
“At any one time, there are at least 50 MacKillop employees who are pregnant or on parental leave. We are a family organisation and seek to provide flexible working arrangements to support staff with families, and to promote healthy child development.”
“The HiPPP portal provides comprehensive information and support on pregnancy planning, adoption, wellbeing and self-care, leave entitlements, breastfeeding support and re-onboarding. It is a great tool to help normalise the many issues around returning to work for employees, their colleagues and managers,” Meechan said, according to The National Tribune.
