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HR Planning & Budgeting 2025: How To Maximize Your Employee Experience Investment

The end of the year approaches fast, and for businesses and organizations, this indicates the time to complete annual budget plans for the coming year. Decisive strategies delivering the highest ROI are driving an industry shift, placing employee experience (EX) at the forefront of organizational priorities.“We are in a new wave of focusing on our employees, which is different from the way organizations used to operate,” said Rob Catalano, chief marketing and strategy officer for WorkTango. “We need to be intentional that employee experience is important. When we create our plans and strategies we are thinking about them as well.”Emily McCrary-Ruiz Esparza, journalist and contributing editor at From Day One spoke about the importance of employee experience when approaching the budget planning with Catalano during a From Day One webinar titled, HR Planning & Budgeting 2025: How To Maximize Your Employee Experience InvestmentBoosting employee relationship management yields the benefits of higher morale, and in turn increases retention and employee engagement. A Gartner survey supports this, with these five priorities for HR leaders in 2024: Leader and Manager Development Organizational Culture HR Technology Change Management Career Management and Internal MobilityThe survey's top three priorities highlight how HR leaders are embracing change and the need for strategic agility. Happy employees drive stronger company profits. According to Harvard Business Review's study, How Employee Experience Impacts Your Bottom Line, organizations that prioritize employee experience in their budgets see revenue and profits rise by at least 50%.Organizations that fail to integrate employee experience into their current and future strategies risk falling behind, says Catalano. HR leaders must leverage technology, AI, and other digital tools to achieve the same success through robust employee experience initiatives.Rob Catalano of WorkTango led the webinar (company photo)“Technology needs to be that critical part of your strategic planning and your budget carved out for these types of things if you want to impact that employee experience,” said Catalano.Annual employee surveys don’t yield the fastest employee experience results anymore. Many employee issues aren’t identified and resolved until several months later. “No one’s going to act or do something different if you’re only getting your engagement index of how people feel once a year,” Catalano said.How To Approach Budgeting and ROIInvesting in employee experience doesn’t require a large portion of a company budget. Two thirds of companies that invested less than $10,000 saw a ROI up to 5 times. What is more important is identifying and measuring what Catalano calls the three pillars, People ROI, HR ROI, and Company ROI.Every company will determine these metrics differently as they should–ROI is not one size fits all. One company can receive a high ROI with the same plan another company used, who only saw a minimal ROI.“If we think about employee experience and all those pillars, there isn’t a silver bullet when companies are thinking of a multi threaded experience strategy. You can’t do it all, but be thoughtful. What are the right things that are employee focused versus company focused?”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, WorkTango, for sponsoring this webinar. Mary Jones is a freelance writer out of Ohio. Her work is featured in several publications including The Dallas Express, NDash, and The Daily Advocate.

BY Mary Jones | November 20, 2024

Creating a Purposeful Workplace Experience

With the major threat of the pandemic behind us, the big question is unavoidable: should we all return to the office? If you feel like opinions are sharply divided, well, you’re right!“A recent survey from McKinsey found that 52% of employees prefer a mix of both: they love that hybrid workplace, valuing flexibility, but also recognize the benefits of working in person,” said moderator Lydia Dishman, senior editor for growth and engagement at Fast Company. “And research from Gallup shows that employees who feel engaged in their workplace are more likely to want to return to the office, particularly for team collaboration and relationship building.”Deloitte reports that organizations with a strong focus on employee experience see a productivity increase of up to 20% and it also helps with turnover rates. “Ultimately, it's up to the leaders to set the policy and model what the ideal workplace situation looks like,” Dishman said during an executive panel discussion at From Day One’s October virtual conference.Corporate leaders have been saying it a lot lately: We want to make the office a magnet, not a mandate. They can make that a reality by creating the kind of experience that re-engages workers with their leaders, their colleagues, and their roles. How can employers be intentional about the workplace as a welcoming community and place where workers can fulfill their need for connection and purpose, inclusion and belonging?Encouraging In-person InteractionIt can be hard to encourage in-person interaction, even when back in the office, when employees are plugged into a post-pandemic productivity mindset of sitting at a desk, powering through tasks, and then going home. Providing team leaders with additional support can help them facilitate the organic in-office interactions that so many of us have been missing.“We’re trying to guide leaders with tools. At CSL, we’ve just launched a series of tools called Moments That Matter,” said Kim Robbins, senior director, HR change and culture at CSL Behring. “It’s encouraging leaders to coach their teams about being intentional about the work that needs to happen.” The training helps them understand the difference between moments that require ‘heads down’ focus time alone in the office or at home vs. times when they should be providing face-to-face support, such as when onboarding new hires. “Could we be encouraging people to randomly meet for lunch or come together for events? We’ve positioned all this in a framework about planning the way you work, so that people could be intentional and do some assessments for who might be missing in their network that could really help them feel that greater sense of connectivity and belonging,” Robbins said.Executive panelists from JLL, HR Media & Co., CSL Behring, and Lam Research spoke about "Creating a Purposeful Workplace Experience" (photo by From Day One) Antoinette Hamilton, global head of inclusion & diversity at Lam Research, says that employee resource groups, which first came into prominence as a way to stay virtually connected during Covid, are now another structured way to encourage organic in-person interaction. ERG’s can “be a place to connect, meet some new people, and do something for a great cause,” Hamilton said.Taking an Empathetic Approach“Empathy is a foundational principle of making a workplace someplace you want to go to,” Dishman said. Much of empathy, says Judith Ojo, CEO of HR Media & Co., comes down to open communication. “Some employees are not fond of being in the office. Maybe they can’t get enough work done or they’re constantly interrupted,” Ojo said. Make sure you understand where your employees are coming from and what they are looking for, then respond in kind. For the issues Ojo noted, creating a quiet zone, collaboration space, or wellness area for meditation can go a long way to making an employee feel comfortable, seen, and supported. Such an adaptive workspace can be helpful for fostering inclusion.Empathy can mean different things for different people, and leaders need to be prepared to take the cue from the employees. “I think listening sessions are really important. The key is you’re not trying to solve the problem. You’re listening,” said Tina Leblanc, Ph.D., head of DEI, Americas at JLL. “You listen. You pause. You come up with a solution. And then go back and say, ‘What I heard was…And these are some ideas.’ And then also ask them, ‘What do you feel we can do as a team to be more inclusive?’ That way you’re not putting your own biases [onto it].” Regular employee surveys can encourage employees to come forward.Building the Ideal WorkplaceFor many employees, Dishman says, it seems like a hybrid environment is the ideal. But making organizations cohesive and productive in a hybrid setup can seem far easier on paper than it is in practice. “Building trust within hybrid teams is really crucial to ensure collaboration and productivity,” Hamilton said. Her team does this by leaning into their core values: clear communication, mutual trust and respect, and transparency. Her organization wants its teams to feel cared about, and have created a manager track with training that incorporates inclusive leadership.Senior leaders need to communicate goals and parameters, Dishman says, so that the office continues to be a hub of connection – and so that everyone doesn’t come into the office two days per week only to spend those days on Zoom. “One thing that we have is collaborative conversations, where we bring people throughout the whole office, and even in different buildings, together,” Leblanc said. The company also encourages group lunches on Mondays, coffee on Wednesdays, and desserts on Fridays. The key is to keep thinking, ‘How do I make this more enjoyable?’ to encourage people to get up, get dressed, and commute into work. Employees should leave feeling happy and productive, says Leblanc.Hamilton says managers should be given the tools to be able to articulate the benefits of on-site work. “You’ve failed if you walk into an office and everyone is on a Zoom call,” she said. “We have to be intentional about how we work differently when we come back into in-person environments,” she said. “Managers are the catalyst for getting that done in a consistent way across organizations.”Robbins’ office encourages employees to be intentional about their meetings and not jam their schedules unnecessarily through a collaboration audit. “Do you really need to still be a part of all these meetings? Could you just only attend when there’s an agenda topic relevant to you, where you're a subject matter expert or [the] person to move this goal forward? Or could you delegate it to a junior team member to give them exposure and have greater connectivity in the office?” she said.Her organization has also invited “puppy trucks” from local animal shelters to visit so employees can play with puppies during breaks. Such activities should feel organic, and companies must be careful to avoid scheduling what feels like “mandatory fun.” Again, employees will look to their leaders to set the tone, so managers should be the first ones to dive into activities and bring the team along, Leblanc says. Let them know attendance is optional, but if they do go, ask them to bring a friend. Such participation also makes senior leaders feel more accessible. “Humanize yourself,” Leblanc said.Katie Chambers is a freelance writer and award-winning communications executive with a lifelong commitment to supporting artists and advocating for inclusion. Her work has been seen in HuffPost and several printed essay collections, among others, and she has appeared on Cheddar News, iWomanTV, On New Jersey, and CBS New York.

Constant Change Is Bad for Business Because It’s Bad for Human Performance

In the corporate world, change is inevitable and organizations that can’t change don’t last long. Oftentimes, change is considered a good thing until you talk to people on the frontlines of it.“At some point you have to recognize that there is a contradiction between the simplistic idea that change is necessarily a good thing and the lived experience of change on the front lines, which seems to be anything but a good thing,” said Ashley Goodall, a leadership expert and author of The Problem With Change: And the Essential Nature of Human Performance.Goodall spoke with Vox's editorial director of tech, climate, and world teams, Bryan Walsh, at From Day One’s October virtual conference. They spoke about how to navigate constant change in the business world.Uncertainty, Control, and Work Without MeaningGoodall has had a long career in the corporate world as an HR executive, most recently at Cisco. He's seen major change from the outside and inside and identifies three key themes prevalent in any chaotic change. The first is uncertainty. “We don’t do very well when the future is uncertain and when somebody says there’s a big change coming, that’s almost the definition of uncertainty.”The next is control. “When you take away our sense of agency, we feel helpless. There’s a phenomenon called learned helplessness, where people just phone it in, because they’ve been trained by their environment that whatever they do won’t make that much of a difference.”Learned helplessness is the psychological name for a loss of control, Goodall says, but it also goes by another name. “Quiet quitting is probably pretty close in a business context for people saying, ‘Hey, I don't know what I do here. Why am I trying?’”Bryan Walsh of Vox interviewed author Ashley Goodall, left, during the fireside chat (photo by From Day One)The last theme is having a sense of meaning. “We have a desperate need for the world to make sense to us,” Goodall said. Organizational change often disrupts the essential social connections that define how people work and identify themselves. Shifting teams or altering org charts can dismantle these "social graphs," leaving employees struggling to adapt. On top of that, humans have an innate need to make sense of their environment. When conflicting messages about the organization’s direction emerge, employees often feel lost and disconnected, unable to contribute effectively.Goodall noted that while leaders often recognize these challenges, their focus tends to remain narrow—fixing one change initiative at a time. The issue arises when multiple initiatives, driven by different leaders or consultants, pile up, creating chaos. To address this, organizations must rethink change holistically and prioritize creating a work environment that supports human connection and meaningful contribution.“And it’s the aggregation of all of this that is really pernicious, which means that organizations need to think differently about change, and more broadly about the experience of work here every day, and does it support human contribution,” Goodall said."What can leadership do when it comes to actually executing change?” Walsh asked. Goodall says there needs to be a sliding scale to determine when change is necessary. “The first thing to say to organizational leadership is, do less. Change. But do less. If we get through our collective heads that this isn’t an unalloyed good, this is something that can create harm more than it creates good, then I think you pause and set the bar higher on organizational change.”This doesn’t always happen but leadership can be proactive about “turning the volume down,” he said.“You can involve employees in telling you where the volume currently is,” Goodall said. "What would happen if a leader came in and said, I’m going to spend the next few weeks learning everything that works really well here, or everything that we should preserve, or everything that’s valuable, or everything that’s special, or everything that you really care about, so that we know what to protect. And once we’ve understood that, then we can think about how to improve things.”Leaders can help employees navigate change by anchoring on stability and framing it as a clear, process-driven outcome, while taking steps to promote consistency amid the chaos of multiple initiatives.Stability is a Necessary Precondition for Improvement“You could say stability is kind of the opposite of change. What does that look like?” Walsh asked.Goodall distinguished between change and improvement, which he says aren’t the same things and given a choice between the two, people would choose improvement. “The thing that we’re chasing in all of this is improvement. Well, stability is a necessary precondition for improvement.”People struggling in an organization amidst a sea of instability don’t lend to improvement. Goodall believes that improvement and positive change come from team environments, where employees know what’s going on and are valued. “If we are able to stipulate that organizational value, organizational productivity, organizational innovation, organizational goodness comes from humans working together.”If you have the above, then you’ll have something like stability, Goodall says.“What does stability look like? Stability looks like I have space to figure out the best use of my time. I’m given some autonomy.” For Goodall, true stability at work comes from personal confidence, strong team dynamics, and leaders who foster meaningful connections and mutual support.Digging more into that predictability and stability, Goodall talked about his use of weekly all-hands meetings, something Walsh pointed out that, in his experience, executives tend to despise.Goodall did not spend a whole lot of time prepping for these meetings. Instead, he used them as a personnel barometer. “It was a conversation for the leadership team that everyone got to tune into and ask questions of us.”“What we were trying to solve was, if you know what’s going on, you have space, you have agency, [then] you have predictability. You get to see the people leading your organizations when they’re not on script–when they’re not following the talking points that the communications team has put together for the all hands," Goodall added.The meetings would start with slides of birthdays, service anniversaries, or something random with a photo to spark conversation or a laugh. Then they would move onto business, and different teams would simply talk about what they were working on, what was working for them, areas of difficulty and challenge, what was coming up in the future, and more.And making things weekly, instead of a few times a year, gives organizations the opportunity to handle change as it’s happening, according to Goodall. All of this is "profoundly stabilizing." “We did this every week for years and years, and it became an organizational ritual, and people still talk about it. All we were doing was ritualizing stability and explaining to people what was going on.”Matthew Koehler is a freelance journalist and licensed real estate agent based in Washington, DC. His work has appeared in Greater Greater Washington, The Washington Post, The Southwester, and Walking Cinema, among others.

Focusing on Well-Being to Evolve Your Employee Value Proposition

An employee’s well-being is closely tied to their work environment, and employers must take ownership to support it. “Our job as HR professionals and as leaders is to return them to their loved ones in at least as good a position, if not a better position, than they were when they came to the company,” said Kenneth Smith, vice president of human resources at Vail Resorts.Smith joined four other executive panelists during a session about “Focusing on Well-Being to Evolve Your Employee Value Proposition,” moderated by journalist Cynthia Barnes. Getting the right perspective is everything, Smith says. Leadership must begin by understanding and connecting with team members on a personal level—because well-being is personal. “One of the most critical components of well-being is empathy, and I think that it’s important for us as leaders to understand our people, and that is a pathway to empathy which only comes from really paying attention to them and noticing them,” he said. Only then can employers truly focus on what their people need to succeed as people. Vail Resorts has adopted a core strategy, “Explore, Grow, Belong” to emphasize inclusion and belonging, which in turn fuels employee well-being. They also shifted their hiring approach, focusing less on whether employees ski and more on their skills and contributions. Because at some point, everyone is a beginner skier, Smith says. Psychological SafetyAn employee’s well-being in the workplace begins with psychological safety, says Donald Deas, director, HR business partner at the E.W. Scripps Co.“We have a different group of employees that are coming into the workforce now, and providing some psychological safety for them is critical to how we move them through the process of their personal and professional development,” he said.It all starts with onboarding, which Deas says should focus on fitting individuals into the organization’s culture by identifying what is meaningful to them, which fosters a sense of belonging. A company’s value proposition is part of a holistic package of benefits that attracts and retains employees. Beyond the typical medical and retirement benefits, what else can you offer employees? “We have counseling capabilities free for our employees,” Deas said. “We have different activities that keep them physically in shape,” as health is top of mind, he says.Executive panelists spoke about "Focusing on Well-Being to Evolve Your Employee Value Proposition"He also emphasized the need for processes to address unique employee needs while maintaining a fair approach that respects individual circumstances without confusing fairness with equality. Engagement and PurposeRecently, Discover has started having ASL interpreters at town halls and are looking at how they can bring in more neurodiverse people into the organization. It’s part of a bigger effort to help people feel included and engaged at work, says panelist Jill Coln, vice president of talent management, development and culture at Discover Financial Services.“If people are not engaged in the work that they’re doing, then that just starts to degrade their desire to be at the job, their desire to do well,” she said. Engagement goes hand-in-hand with purpose. When an employee doesn’t feel purpose in their position, it’s hard for them to feel value or well-being in the work community, says Coln.Amid an acquisition by Capital One, the company wasn’t as transparent as it could have been, which led to confusion and worry. People wondered, “What’s going to happen next, if this company buys us? Am I going to have benefits?” she said. “It’s all about communication, communication, communication.” Even if you don’t know details, Coln added, you can let employees know something is coming soon and that they will be kept in the loop.Since the merger, Discover has introduced programs called “Excelling Throughout Transformation” and “Leading Through Ambiguity” to guide leaders and employees through the changes, helping employees focus on what they can control. It helps keep them engaged and offers purpose, even amid changes. Diversity of Mental HealthFostering a healthy work environment requires a physically safe environment and a psychologically safe environment, says panelist Melissa Doman, organizational psychologist and BetterHelp business advisor. But there is another key, and that includes helping employees develop communication skills so they can feel confident in advocating for themselves. “One of the most pivotal things to employee well-being at work is actually giving people the words and the skills to talk about mental well-being at work,” she said. This helps employees gain confidence in advocating for themselves, and helps employers understand the diversity of mental health among employees. “I think a huge miss [in the workplace,] is when you have things like a Wellness Wednesday or something to bring people together, it does not take into account people’s experiences of mental health,” she said. Emphasizing that mental health should go beyond that, Doman added.She referenced David Rock’s SCARF model (Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, Fairness), suggesting it as a framework for employers to understand and meet employees’ motivational needs, ultimately enhancing their sense of purpose.Integrating WellnessPanelist Marisa Carson, vice president of talent management and organizational effectiveness at Elevance Health, agreed that employers should dive deeper in order to help address workers’ mental health.She advocates for ongoing, year-round mental health initiatives beyond designated awareness days, encouraging managers to engage daily with their teams, showing empathy and addressing mental health needs“I would encourage all of you to look at that evergreen culture of mental health at work as something that runs parallel to any other form of professional development,” Carson said. “If it is seen as this optional wellness endeavor, people will treat it as such, and it’ll only come up a couple times a year.”Of course, something is better than nothing. Talking about mental health awareness on World Mental Health Day is great. But when mental health support is integrated into the company culture, it’s more effective. “What about all the other days in the year when life is still happening?” she asked. “There needs to be consistent messaging and consistent training.” It’s an ongoing conversation, not a box to check. It’s integral, not words on a website for new hires to hear about once a year. Rather, offer training once a quarter, or whatever makes sense in your organization,” Carson said. One big piece of integrating wellness is utilizing managers, as they are those who are reaching employees every day. So keep managers trained and sensitive to the needs of their people, and companies will see better employee well-being. In today’s evolving work environment, integrating well-being into an employee value proposition is no longer optional, it’s essential. When well-being becomes an everyday priority, companies don’t just improve retention; they cultivate a more resilient, motivated workforce that’s better prepared to face challenges together. Ultimately, it’s about creating a workplace where employees can thrive personally and professionally, benefiting both the people and the organization as a whole.Carrie Snider is a Phoenix-based journalist and marketing copywriter.

Boosting Productivity and Engagement: How HR Can Show Workers the Way

A 2023 study conducted by Harvard Business School with the Boston Consulting Group found that consultants using AI to solve realistic and complex tasks completed work 25.1% more quickly. The completed work was also 40% higher quality than the control group. With the help of robust technological advancement, organizations are forging new ways to boost productivity and engagement.During an executive panel discussion at From Day One’s Philadelphia conference, HR professionals and business leaders shared insights on adapting to the digital era, empowering employees, and crafting unique strategies to drive positive business results.The HBS study highlights how organizations that successfully combine generative AI with human work in knowledge-intensive fields experience significant boosts in productivity. Such new technology is also seen transforming workplaces across multiple industries.For example, Cindy Alisesky, VP of talent acquisition, onboarding, and digital talent solutions for GSK, shared that the company integrated Microsoft Bookings to support admin work. This tool gave leaders back time for important conversations to achieve better business outcomes. GSK also integrated a new internal ChatGPT called GiGi, improving time efficiency and allowing recruiters to focus on other productive tasks.Jason Radisson, CEO and founder of Movo, shared the significant ways technology is used to organize frontline employee schedule preferences to improve productivity. He highlighted how improved work allocation sees a 30-40% employee productivity increase.Radisson highlighted that using technology to assign work to frontline employees is a game changer, allowing them to take on the jobs they want faster and with less bureaucratic procedures. This new ease and flexibility over their work has substantially improved the productivity and career trajectory for frontline workers.Tonia McMillan, vice president of HR strategy and shared services at Amtrak, spoke about the company’s Extra Board for frontline managers with open availability to complete different roles within the company. The system gives managers opportunities to work in other areas and develop new skill sets that will be advantageous when being considered for promotions.Panelists spoke about "Boosting Productivity and Engagement: How HR Can Show Workers the Way"While many workplaces are reaping the benefits of innovative software and generative AI, these technologies have yet to be fully integrated across all industries, leaving some still missing out. However, that may change by 2030 where tasks adding up to 30% of work hours could be automated because of the widespread trend of generative AI use.Learning, Development, and EngagementAriella Cohen, Deputy Managing Editor, News at the Philadelphia Inquirer, moderated the sessionStreamlined workloads free up more time for employees to take on new roles and learning opportunities. As software and AI handle complex, repetitive tasks, organizations can refine and reshape HR models, fostering more engaging and fulfilling workplace cultures.HR leaders are establishing more projects, initiatives, and programs to support skill development and maintain employee engagement.Jamaal Sebastian-Barnes, VP of talent and culture at Bristol Meyers Squibb, spoke about the launch of a new skills-based platform where employees within the organization can apply to work on different projects. They also receive training to fulfill new roles posted on the platform. This supports internal mobility as employees can advance from part-time gigs into new full-time roles within the company.Finally, Nicole Boyko, senior workforce transformation consultant at Perceptyx, emphasized the effectiveness of nudging to boost and maintain employee engagement. Using multiple listening channels and chat channels to gather employee feedback is crucial to boosting engagement, Boyko says. Managers at Perceptyx use insight from those channels with company data to strategize employee development.Changing listening strategies with new objectives to encourage participation, having discussions about employee feedback, and delivering changes using the feedback combined with accurate data as quickly as possible creates positive behavioral changes. Acknowledging the feedback, and incorporating the insight gained into action planning to facilitate coaching, leadership development, and more improves engagement. The process reinvigorates trust and confidence among workers.Undoubtedly, the integration of new software and generative AI supports HR professionals in creating newer and more dynamic programs, policies, and strategies to boost company productivity and culture.Stephanie Reed is a freelance news, marketing, and content writer. Much of her work features small business owners throughout diverse industries. She is passionate about promoting small, ethical, and eco-conscious businesses.

Embracing Change by Evolving Employee Mindsets and Skill Sets

Technical innovation is continuously streamlining processes and departments, from customer service to daily operations and paperwork, leading to the creation of new roles and a transformation of the modern workplace. As a result, this opens up new opportunities for HR leaders to develop holistic talent management programs and employee development initiatives.At From Day One’s Denver conference, Judith Almendra, group vice president of people and culture at TTEC, shared her perspective on incorporating holistic change management solutions to help employees adjust to new roles and continue to professionally evolve amid these changes.“I think it is very important for us to have to make sure that nobody’s filling in the blank with thoughts that may be counterproductive to what we’re trying to achieve, which is truly driving the business forward with our people-centric mindset,” Almendra said to moderator Elizabeth Hernandez, reporter for the Denver Post.TTEC is an international customer experience company blending human and AI interactions, providing organizations with effective customer service. The technological advancements help deliver effective solutions that can reduce the employee workload.With a reduced workload, employees then have opportunities to build other skills for other roles and achieve new career goals. For example, in 2020 the organization launched its Rewire initiative, where leaders meet and restrategize processes, people programs, and more for holistic business outcomes, says Almendra.TTEC also launched Rewiring for Success, an effective change management solution where employees can ask questions about their career prospects and get information from company leaders.“Change can drive a lot of anxiety in a lot of us, right? It can be intimidating,” Almendra said. “What does it mean for my job? Is my job at risk? [These] were some of the questions that we were getting early on that we were trying to make sure we could address in a timely and very proactive manner.”New Skills, New OpportunitiesAfter evaluating their career trajectories, employees at TTEC move forward by reinventing their skill sets or mastering new ones. Their program called I Aspire offers employees a space to share their career goals and aspirations and have TTEC facilitate their new skill development. By engaging with leaders who act as mentors, employees create new career trajectory goals and advance into new roles within the organization.Almendra recalled her career trajectory with appreciation. She is the first generation of her family to receive an MBA, and was initially an accountant. However, she faced challenges finding finance roles. Almendra needed to adapt to change and eventually joined TTEC, where she was encouraged into different roles, like communications and talent management, until landing her current role in people and culture.Judith Almendra of TTEC spoke with Elizabeth Hernandez of the Denver PostHR employees ultimately benefit from acquiring new skill sets as the modern workforce continues to transform. Taking opportunities to learn new skills and working with a mentor will open new doors, says Almendra. “I think continuous learning is so important in today’s environment, to stay relevant, to stay competitive, to stay fulfilled. We just cannot afford not to learn.” Achieving a Unified VisionHow can companies align on a shared vision of success amid workplace and culture shift? And how can leaders foster employee growth and drive expansion while staying focused on business goals? asked Hernandez. On their talent platform, TTEC Talent, leaders record their goals onto the platform and refer to Rewire to confirm they align with the company's goals. Continuing to adopt a more organic approach to business strategy, leaders from each group are encouraged to meet, define their top priorities, and list three things they can do to achieve positive business outcomes, says Almendra.With fewer rigid priorities or fixed meet-up schedules, and by leveraging a range of engaging programs and initiatives, leaders gain greater flexibility, tools, and support to achieve personal goals while driving positive business outcomes. These shifts reflect the evolution of HR, the adoption of a more adaptable employee mindset, and the expansion of skill sets to shape and thrive in new, dynamic roles.Stephanie Reed is a freelance news, marketing, and content writer. Much of her work features small business owners throughout diverse industries. She is passionate about promoting small, ethical, and eco-conscious businesses.

How to Provide Best-in-Class Menopause Support in the Workplace

Despite it impacting half the population, menopause is rarely discussed. For many women, life-altering symptoms strike just as they’re reaching the peak of their careers, disrupting them at a time when peak performance is critical. Companies must step up and provide support, or they could potentially lose 20% of these women who move to less demanding jobs.MaryAnne Hraba, RVP of employer growth at the Maven Clinic and Dr. Toni Morrissey, OB-GYN at the Maven Clinic spoke about providing best-in-class menopause support during From Day One’s October virtual conference. Jenny Sucov, health and well-being journalist moderated the thought leadership spotlight. Maven is a team of health care advocates across the world who offer personalized care via telehealth. They partner with over 2,000 employers and health plans to bridge the gaps between limited access to care for everything from fertility treatment to pediatric care, including filling the gap in traditional menopause care.Opening the DialogueSeveral years ago, Hraba started experiencing what she now knows is symptoms of perimenopause, including worsening depression and anxiety, low libido, and it became increasingly difficult to sleep. The most cumbersome symptom, especially with regards to showing up for work every day, was brain fog.“I seriously thought that I had something wrong with my brain,” she said. “It just wasn't working anymore, like having a hard time even reacting in conversations.” She had no idea what was going on with her body. “It was just so hard to get through every single day.”She went to see her OB-GYN and explained what was happening, but during the short visit was simply told that is what happens when you get older. No help or relief. Later, Hraba went down a Google rabbit hole, which made things worse. Unfortunately, only about 20% of OBs receive any sort of formal training on menopause, says Sucov.Hraba then turned to Maven for care. She scheduled a virtual appointment with one of their OB-GYNs who was trained in menopause. “I got more out of that 15-minute appointment than anything prior,” Hraba said.Dr. Toni Morrissey and MaryAnne Hraba of Maven Clinic spoke on "How to Provide Best-in-Class Menopause Support in the Workplace" (photo by From Day One)Questions about hormone replacement therapy, supplements, and a clear direction of where to go next were answered. “Finally, I was being seen and being heard, which was the first step.” She also got access to clinically vetted content she could trust, as well as community forums of other women experiencing similar issues. Additionally, she asked Maven for a local doctor who was trained to better help her and was connected with one covered by her insurance.“Fast forward. Now I’m talking to this provider in person. I’m a lot more empowered, a lot more educated, and I’m able to have that two-way conversation,” Hraba said.She still uses the Maven app for resources she doesn’t have access to locally, but when it comes to women’s health, it is going to take more than just one provider to fulfill her needs. “It's still a process. There’s no single magic bullet.” But thankfully, now that she feels better, her life—including her work life—have improved exponentially, she says. Workforce ImpactThe implications of menopause in the workplace are more far-reaching than employers may realize. “Menopause isn't just a personal health journey,” Dr. Morrissey said. “It impacts everybody around them in the workforce.”Untreated symptoms can render even the most resilient individuals less able to manage stress, leading to higher absenteeism and decreased productivity, says Dr. Morrissey. Moreover, menopause often coincides with a pivotal career phase when many women are in or approaching leadership roles. Without adequate support, companies risk losing experienced professionals and stalling diversity progress in senior positions.“Employers who invest in comprehensive menopause support aren’t just doing the right thing for their people, but they're making a smart business decision, and they’re creating a culture that normalizes conversations about menopause and provides meaningful, holistic care,” said Dr. Morrissey. How do women who go through this type of care feel? “They typically will say, now I feel back to myself.”Effective Menopause BenefitsProviding tailored menopause benefits, such as telehealth consultations and educational resources, empowers employees and cultivates a culture that normalizes and supports women's health at all stages. By integrating menopause care into their wellness programs, employers can demonstrate a commitment to their workforce’s well-being, fostering loyalty and positioning themselves as leaders in employee care.Here’s what Dr. Morrissey recommends for employers to make sure is included in menopause coverage:Access to Specialty Care: Employers should provide on-demand, virtual access to a variety of specialists (e.g., GYNs, mental health providers, sex coaches, nutritionists, career and physical support coaches) to address the wide range of menopause symptoms. Global and same-day support empowers employees to manage their health comprehensively.Education and Community Resources: Expert-reviewed resources such as articles, webinars, and community support should be available to educate employees and help them understand and manage symptoms.Personalized Care Plans: Employees need individualized care plans that consider their medical history, lifestyle, and personal circumstances. Concierge support should help them navigate care and connect to specialists and local providers as needed.Addressing menopause in the workplace is no longer optional—it’s a vital aspect of supporting employees’ well-being and fostering an inclusive work environment. As more women reach pivotal stages in their careers while navigating the challenges of menopause, companies that proactively offer comprehensive support can stand out as leaders in employee care. Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Maven Clinic, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight.Carrie Snider is a Phoenix-based journalist and marketing copywriter.

By Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza | November 14, 2024

The Flexible Workplace: Making It Fair for Employees and Effective for Companies

As remote workplaces become hybrid and hybrid ones adopt on-site requirements, how do companies ensure that opportunities are available to all? It’s a challenge for many. Workers made to return to the office may feel like they’re not trusted, and those who cannot report to HQ may feel like they miss out on opportunities afforded to their in-office peers.Distributed workplaces have their benefits and drawbacks, of course, but they can still be inclusive, equitable environments for all. This was the topic of conversation during a panel at From Day One’s October virtual conference on modernizing workplaces for a more flexible and inclusive era.Remote and hybrid work has expanded talent pools for employers and opened job opportunities for workers. But with dispersion comes isolation, said TJ Mercer, the director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at biotech company AbbVie. He misses the interpersonal connections that form naturally in a shared office environment. “I’ve worked in the organization for two and a half years and never got to see anybody out of the blue Zoom box.” There is value in the passive time before meetings start, when people sitting in a conference room swap stories about their weekends or their families. “Some of that small talk just doesn’t happen as organically or naturally [on Zoom]. And I think that people do miss that from time to time.”Seema Bhansali, VP of employee experience and inclusion at Henry Schein, a company that distributes medical and dental supplies to healthcare providers, sees the benefits of remote and hybrid work for DEI. A lot of folks need to be able to work from home to care for a family member, for example. But she too knows that staying connected is a challenge and, sometimes, a problem. “You don’t really get to see people that often. And what does that do for your wellness in terms of relationships and relationship building? That is one of the balance issues we still have to work out.”Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza moderated the session about "The Flexible Workplace: Making It Fair for Employees and Effective for Companies" (photo by From Day One)To encourage workplace camaraderie, “we bring people together, either virtually or in-person, for ‘connection days,’” Bhansali said. Their most recent connection day was spent building care kits for colleagues who were affected by Hurricane Helene. “We try to do these across the globe in different, culturally relevant ways, with some frequency.” They also gather people virtually for games and good-spirited competitions. “We try to be really intentional about how we are setting the culture,” she explained. “What do we want people to experience? And how are we making sure it’s good for folks who are in person, folks who are hybrid, and folks who are fully remote.”At insurance company Aflac, where employees living within 50 miles of an office are on-site at least three days per week, VP of total rewards Kelli Henderson encourages managers to make the most of those in-person work days. “That’s the day that you have your team meetings,” she said. “There are things that you have to be really purposeful about. It does take a little bit more time, a little bit more coordination and organization, but we have seen the benefits.”Of course, Henderson has felt resistance from employees who don’t want to return to the office at all. “We announced last March that we were going to have a 60% return-to-the-office. Our executive team really saw the importance of bringing people together, having people work together, and we got a ton of pushback from our employees.” Many equated the mandate with mistrust since they have been working fully remote for years. “We had to have a lot of conversations about the importance of coming together to be able to collaborate,” Henderson explained. The company expected some workers to leave as a result of the change, but they ultimately lost fewer than a dozen. “I think as much as you hear griping and complaining, we do work really hard to show the importance of being in the office, so people understand.”Calling the workforce back to the office must be done tactfully, said Michael Watson, senior director at AI-powered talent intelligence platform Eightfold. “It can’t just be about ‘Well, this is the way it used to be, and I’d love to see you now, and I’m the boss,” he said. Such a mandate won’t land well. “That’s not the type of organization that I’d want to work in. But if the organization said, ‘Mike, love the work you’re doing. We would love to see if it’s possible for you to come back in. Let’s have individual conversations. Let’s understand everyone’s circumstances.’” With that request, he says, he may be inclined to change his tune. Allowances should be made discerningly for those who need them: Someone might be a caregiver and needs some flexibility, and employers need to be willing to help them out. “You just can’t have a blanket policy,” he said.If you do have a distributed workforce, managers must be careful to not favor on-site workers over remote ones if their results and productivity is the same. “Those intangibles are really starting to show up,” AbbVie’s Mercer noted. But overall, he’s been pleased with managers’ cognizance, and they’ve lately seen a number of women promoted within the company.Aflac examined the experience for remote workers and found it lacking in some ways, so Henderson and her team made adjustments. “We went as far as testing all of our conference rooms because we realized that it wasn’t [a great experience] for those that were remote–maybe they could see one person or they had trouble hearing–so we really had to beef up the equipment and technology. That’s important to do if you’re going to have a mixture of on-site and off-site employees, so that everybody feels that they have the same seat at the table.”Sponsorship and mentorship can also help level the playing field within a distributed workforce. “Sponsorship is taking somebody’s career under your wing, having the conversations about them in rooms where they aren’t and don’t have access to,” Bhansali explained, proud of their practices at Henry Schein.Mentorship can be especially helpful for the youngest members of the workforce, many of whom started their careers during Covid lockdowns and have little exposure to office environments. The Washington Post reported in October that office etiquette classes are increasingly popular.“How do early career team members really get some of the unwritten rules of the workplace?” Henderson asked. The company set expectations for both technical and soft skills all workers need, then encouraged both sponsorship and mentorship to reinforce those skills and behaviors. Early career development is not the task it used to be, she says. “I think the mistake people make is they just try to use what worked and keep going, and that is not functional today.”At Eightgold, Watson helps workers create a path between where they are and where they want to be, and the appetite is there. “That’s where our business is really booming with these large organizations–just getting a grip on what skills they have, and not just skills, but what skills adjacencies they have.”“Expectations are different than they’ve been in the past,” Bhansali said. “And that’s not just about the hybrid workforce. That’s about a generational change in the workforce.” New workers expect skill development and a chance to exercise those skills, and leaders expect support. “Those layer onto the hybrid conversation in ways that folks don’t realize, but we have to put all these things together.”Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza is a freelance journalist and From Day One contributing editor who writes about work, the job market, and women’s experiences in the workplace. Her work has appeared in the Economist, the BBC, The Washington Post, Quartz, Business Insider, Fast Company, and Digiday’s Worklife.

The Role of GLP-1s in Employee Benefits

Companies that offer inclusive care benefits are not only seeing higher retention rates but are also attracting job seekers who prioritize well-being over just a high salary. With obesity on the rise in the U.S., leading to increased rates of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes, employees are looking for workplaces that support their health holistically, recognizing that inclusive benefits can be life-changing.The prevalence of chronic disease presents a challenge for employers over increasing healthcare costs. 60% of employers expect healthcare costs to surge over the next three years. Yet, it is critical to offer comprehensive care and wellness for higher retention.The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) found that workers would choose a job with benefits over a similar job providing 30% more salary but with no benefits. Consequently, employers also face more competition with other companies that provide more inclusive healthcare benefits.The growing off-label use of GLP-1 drugs, originally approved for treating Type 2 diabetes, has fueled discussions around treatments for cardiometabolic diseases. However, cultural misuse has also associated these drugs with rapid weight loss management.What are the potential risks and benefits associated with including FDA-approved weight loss drugs in care benefits? Is there an ROI of covering weight loss medication?The Reality of CardiodiabesityDeanna Critchley the AVP of Cigna led the sessionDeanna Critchley, area vice president at Cigna, provided insight into the reality of cardiodiabesity management at From Day One’s NYC half-day benefits conference in a thought leadership spotlight.There are several factors to consider when adding FDA-approved weight loss medications such as Wogovy into care benefits. While GLP-1s are automatically covered to treat Type 2 diabetes, weight loss drugs such as Wogovy are considered add-ons or buy-ups, which affects claims costs.Currently, there is no evidence suggesting a decrease in cancer, stroke, heart attack, or other emergency room visits by taking these prescriptions alone.Secondly, drugs such as Ozempic and Wogovy generally have to be taken for an extended period of time, or even a lifetime. People gain back ⅔ of their weight within two years of stopping.Cigna conducted an internal study and found that 66% of people on weight loss medications stopped taking them within 6 months due to rapid weight loss, social pressure, and significant side effects from taking the drugs.This further presents the risk of employers facing increased medical expenditures without guaranteed positive results. It can become unsustainable to find it as pharmacy claims rise. “That’s where we’re still looking at the longevity of this to see if it’s worth you as an employer covering these drugs if they’re not even going to continue taking it.”But if employees are more likely to choose a job that covers weight loss medications, companies face undeniable pressure. “You have to actually consider your benefit philosophy, how you cover it, and what type of population you have,” Critchley said.“Do you use it as talent acquisition? Are your competitors offering that? Do you offer lifestyle management programs and that’s part of your well-being philosophy?” she asked.The benefits of investing in weight loss supplemental coverage, then, lie in having long-term employee populations, the ability and foresight to invest in long-term cost avoidance, and incentivizing customers to enroll in holistic weight management programs.Utilization Management Is KeyCritchley recommended that employers not yet covering weight loss medications should first confirm with their carriers whether utilization management measures are in place. This safeguard helps ensure that GLP-1 drugs are prescribed only to individuals with diabetes.At Cigna, their utilization program confirms clients with Type 2 Diabetes and asks if they would consider taking Metformin, a more affordable and generic prescription drug similar to Ozempic.Cigna Healthcare has developed several solutions, including RxClaimsConnect, which automates claims processing for clients with documented Type 2 diabetes. For self-funded clients offering weight loss coverage, Cigna provides access to EncircleRX, a program equipped with safeguards to ensure the appropriate individuals qualify. Eligible clients must have a BMI of 30, or 32 with two additional co-morbidities. The program also includes a cost cap or a pricing guarantee.More importantly, it includes required enrollment and ongoing engagement with a lifestyle modification program. Nutritional counseling and exercise programs are required management systems in place. This demonstrates the effectiveness of integrated and holistic healthcare as effective and inclusive care benefits.Editor's note: From Day One thanks our partner, Cigna, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. Stephanie Reed is a freelance news, marketing, and content writer. Much of her work features small business owners throughout diverse industries. She is passionate about promoting small, ethical, and eco-conscious businesses.