Monash University, in partnership with MacKillop Family Services, has developed a new online portal to help workplaces – staff and managers – navigate the journey of pregnancy and having a new baby.
The Health in Preconception, Pregnancy and Postpartum (HiPPP) portal is an online portal for workplaces that provides a one-stop shop for resources and information about pregnancy and having a baby.
“This is believed 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,” says Dr Briony Hill, project lead at Monash University.
Co-developed with direct input from MacKillop staff and management, Dr Hill says the HiPPP Portal provides a simple, accessible solution to common pregnancy planning and return to work issues that might be difficult to navigate.
The portal has been up and running at MacKillop Family Services since March this year and MacKillop Human Resource Change Manager, Donna Meechan, says her organisation is ideally positioned to be piloting the portal, as 76% 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,” says Ms Meechan.
“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,” she says.
Both staff and managers can access the portal 24 hours a day. It includes information and resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as LGBTIQA+ employees and those living with a disability.
There are reportedly plans in the pipeline to expand the HiPPP Portal to other workplaces in the future.
