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Sponsor Spotlight BY Ade Akin | April 25, 2025

The Action Catalyst: Unleashing the Power of Workforce Data

Renya Spak did exactly what most of us do the last time she opened an email addressed “Dear valued customer.” She hit the delete button immediately. Spak, the chief growth officer at Well, used that familiar annoyance to illustrate a simple truth during a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s Seattle conference. Generic messaging won’t cut it if you want real employee engagement, she says.From Generic Emails to Magic Nudges“Ugh,” Spak exclaimed, recalling the last time she received a generic promotional email. “As a loyal subscriber, you may be interested in our latest generic promotion that has absolutely nothing to do with your preferences. Click here to learn more.”Spak then contrasted that experience with a hyper-personalized offer she once received from a running-shoe retailer. “Hey, Renya, we saw you’ve been buying running gear… want first dibs before they sell out?” That led to a click and purchase. AI-powered personalization has emerged as a powerful tool in the marketing world, but organizations have been slow to adopt its use when interacting with employees. “It’s painful to imagine that benefits and well‑being still feel like dial‑up in a 5G environment,” Spak said.A Three‑Step Framework for PersonalizationSpak laid out a simple framework to personalize employee benefits in ways that encourage engagement:The first step is leveraging people analytics. You already have the dashboards, the models, the culture,” Spak told the crowd. From pay‑equity studies to performance‑prediction algorithms, HR and people analytics teams have amassed data that makes it easy to treat employees as individuals rather than anonymous line items.Next, foster cross-functional collaboration. Employee benefits, HR, and analytics should be merged. This might mean partnering with your wellness vendor to create parental-leave policies for grandparents or exploring pet-care stipends, modern perks that meet real employee needs.Then deliver precision nudges. Spak says the hardest part of personalizing employee benefits isn’t building the programs, it’s driving sustained engagement. “When employees actually use those benefits, productivity improves, retention increases, and costs go down,” Spak said.Data‑Driven Personalization PilotsSpak shared three real-world pilots from Well’s customers to drive her points:Healthy-food coupons via Instacart Health, was the first example. Well identified employees who were likely to have limited access to healthy food choices by combining ZIP-code analysis with biometric data and claims. Employees who engaged with health coaches through their benefits packages earned coupons for fresh groceries delivered through Instacart Health. Participation soared because the solution and incentive met an urgent, personal need. Another example was from a logistics firm with a large Spanish-speaking workforce. They noticed low engagement when outreach was delivered solely in English or Spanish. A breakthrough emerged with a Spanglish version, which was received as more authentic and human. “We saw 2.5 times higher engagement in Spanglish,” Spak said, “because we spoke to them in their language—both literally and culturally.”Lastly, a healthcare provider struggling with 100% annual turnover among its phlebotomists and rising non-urgent visits needed a solution. Well combined clinical insights and opinions on telehealth, with claims data to identify clinicians who were open to virtual care and ideal times to reach them. The information was used to deploy personalized messages to team members, highlighting the convenience of telehealth and providing direct connections to familiar providers. Early engagement metrics exceeded expectations with a significant uptick in scheduled virtual visits and a drop in avoidable ER usage. These pilot programs underscore a compelling statistic: 93% of employees consider the ability to customize their benefits a must-have or nice-to-have; 72% say personalization increases loyalty, while 40% say it boosts job satisfaction, according to a recent MetLife study. It all depends on getting the right message to the right person, at the right time, in the right tone, with the right incentive.The Importance of TrustTrust is the foundation that allows organizations to turn workplace data into personalized engagement. Spak reminded attendees that while HR teams fret over data privacy, employees rarely raise concerns. In contrast, every Request for Proposal (RFP) process brings data‑governance questions. “People will share their data if it’s used for their benefit,” Spak said, echoing a recent Deloitte finding that 90% of workers feel the same.The data and technology needed to personalize employee engagement at scale are already available. The challenge is cultural—building cross‑team partnerships, establishing governance, promoting engagement, and moving beyond one‑size‑fits‑all communications. The payoff is significant and measurable for those willing to adapt: stronger employee engagement, healthier behaviors, and measurable results, says Spak.Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Well, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. Ade Akin covers workplace wellness, HR trends, and digital health solutions.(Photo by Josh Larson for From Day One) 

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Sponsor Spotlight BY Christopher O'Keeffe | April 21, 2025

The New Era of Workplace Giving: Meeting Donors Where They Are

While 94% of major corporations offer charitable giving programs, only about one in five employees participate in them. The lack of employee engagement programs often leaves corporations without a seamless solution for integrating charitable acts into daily workplace activitiesThis “generosity gap,” as philanthropy experts call it, represents billions in potential charitable dollars left on the table. This reveals a fundamental disconnect between corporate giving structures and employee expectations in today’s socially conscious global landscape.“Today’s workforce expects technology experiences to mirror what they encounter in their personal lives," said Sam Caplan, VP of social impact at Submittable during a From Day One webinar. “When a company’s giving program feels disconnected from their values, or when it’s just hard to navigate or engage with, we know that they’re much less likely to participate.” Submittable solves the long-standing problem of revolutionizing outdated technology and approaches that treat charitable giving as a separate, often cumbersome activity rather than a seamless extension of everyday work life, says Caplan.“When we force donors into unfamiliar paradigms, and then we kind of scratch our heads afterwards to say, why are we struggling with engagement? It’s because we’re forcing them to do things outside of their normal flow of life,” said Chris Battles, principal product manager at Submittable.New workplace giving technologies are making charitable contributions as simple as tapping a phone or clicking a button. Submittable’s platform lets employees accumulate donation funds through recognition programs, wellness challenges, or personal contributions, then easily direct those funds to causes they care about, all without leaving their workflow, the speakers shared. This especially matters in cases where timeliness matters, like during natural disasters, says Madison Silver, senior product marketer at Submittable.Small Acts of Generosity Build Company CultureThe business case for modernizing these programs extends beyond philanthropy. Companies report that well-designed giving programs boost employee satisfaction and retention, particularly among younger workers who increasingly expect employers to provide platforms that support personal social impact goals. In a global economy where talent acquisition remains challenging, the competitive advantage of charitable modernization becomes paramount to bottom line success.Industry leaders emphasize several key principles for successful program modernization. First, personalize the experience by offering flexible giving options that align with employees’ values and lifestyles. Next, remove friction by making giving as easy as buying coffee or sending money to a friend. Then, integrate giving with existing programs, connecting it to rewards, recognition, and other HR initiatives. Enable giving in the moment by providing tools that allow employees to contribute whenever they’re inspired. Finally, celebrate small contributions, recognizing that even modest donations can have a meaningful impact.“We’re turning everyday moments into opportunities for impact, and in doing so, we’re not just recognizing employees, we’re empowering them to become philanthropists,” Caplan said.As the boundaries between work and personal life continue to blur, particularly in hybrid work environments, companies that successfully integrate giving opportunities into the daily experience of employees are finding that generosity doesn’t need to be taught, it simply needs to be enabled.The most innovative organizations are shifting from treating charitable giving as a separate initiative to embedding it into the everyday work experience. This transformation aims to close the long-standing generosity gap that has challenged corporate philanthropy leaders for years.Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Submittable, for sponsoring this webinar.Chris O’Keeffe is a freelance writer with experience across industries. As the founder and creative director of OK Creative: The Language Agency, he has led strategy and storytelling for organizations like MIT, Amazon, and Cirque du Soleil, bringing their stories to life through established and emerging media.(Photo by Ruslana Chub/iStock)

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What Our Attendees are Saying

Jordan Baker(Attendee) profile picture

“The panels were phenomenal. The breakout sessions were incredibly insightful. I got the opportunity to speak with countless HR leaders who are dedicated to improving people’s lives. I walked away feeling excited about my own future in the business world, knowing that many of today’s people leaders are striving for a more diverse, engaged, and inclusive workforce.”

– Jordan Baker, Emplify
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“Thank you, From Day One, for such an important conversation on diversity and inclusion, employee engagement and social impact.”

– Desiree Booker, ColorVizion Lab
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“Timely and much needed convo about the importance of removing the stigma and providing accessible mental health resources for all employees.”

– Kim Vu, Remitly
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“Great discussion about leadership, accountability, transparency and equity. Thanks for having me, From Day One.”

– Florangela Davila, KNKX 88.5 FM
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“De-stigmatizing mental health illnesses, engaging stakeholders, arriving at mutually defined definitions for equity, and preventing burnout—these are important topics that I’m delighted are being discussed at the From Day One conference.”

– Cory Hewett, Gimme Vending Inc.
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“Thank you for bringing speakers and influencers into one space so we can all continue our work scaling up the impact we make in our organizations and in the world!”

– Trisha Stezzi, Significance LLC
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“From Day One provided a full day of phenomenal learning opportunities and best practices in creating & nurturing corporate values while building purposeful relationships with employees, clients, & communities.”

– Vivian Greentree, Fiserv
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“We always enjoy and are impressed by your events, and this was no exception.”

– Chip Maxwell, Emplify
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“We really enjoyed the event yesterday— such an engaged group of attendees and the content was excellent. I'm feeling great about our decision to partner with FD1 this year.”

– Katy Romero, One Medical
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“The From Day One Conference in Seattle was filled with people who want to make a positive impact in their company, and build an inclusive culture around diversity and inclusion. Thank you to all the panelists and speakers for sharing their expertise and insights. I'm looking forward to next year's event!”

– Kayleen Perkins, Seattle Children's
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“I had the pleasure of attending From Day One. My favorite session, Getting Bias Out of Our Systems, was such a powerful conversation between local thought leaders.”

– Michaela Ayers, Nourish Events
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“Inspiring speakers and powerful conversations. Loved meeting so many talented people driving change in their organizations. Thank you From Day One! I look forward to next year’s event!”

– Sarah J. Rodehorst, ePerkz
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“I had the distinct pleasure of attending From Day One Seattle. The Getting Bias Out of Our Systems discussion was inspirational and eye-opening.”

– Angela Prater, Confluence Health
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“From Day One did an amazing job of providing an exceptional experience for both the attendees and vendors. I mean, we had whale sharks and giant manta rays gracefully swimming by on the other side of the hall from our booth!”

– Joel Stupka, SkillCycle
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“Last week I had the honor of moderating a panel on healthy work environments at the From Day One conference in Atlanta. I was so inspired by what these experts had to say about the timely and important topics of mental health in the workplace and the value of nurturing a culture of psychological safety.”

– Alexis Hauk, Emory University