Proactive Caregiver Support: Making Data-Informed Decisions That Incorporate Whole-Family Care
BY Tabitha Cabrera May 14, 2025Caregiver burnout is “a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion that happens while you’re taking care of someone else. Stressed caregivers may experience fatigue, anxiety and depression,” according to Cleveland Clinic.At From Day One’s April virtual conference, Sarah Begley, VP of content at Atria interviewed Kerri Costa, SVP of commercial & growth at Cleo, who shared insights on “Proactive Caregiver Support.” “A caregiver is really anyone taking care of themself through taking care of a child, taking care of an adult, loved one. It really branches across all of life’s journeys,” said Costa. Its broad spectrum makes it essential for employers to provide support. “Caregiving is everything from looking for resources, for education, to support, to finding loved ones, you know meals, providing meals, to being able to just simply help them with understanding how to set up their phone and to have support services that they need,” she said. Kerri Costa, SVP, Commercial & Growth at Cleo, led the thought leadership spotlight (company photo)Being a broad spectrum of people, caregivers face different challenges. But there are some that seem to be common in the workplace. “There’s a sense that if you identify as a caregiver, perhaps you’re less productive or you may have more absenteeism, which is usually not the case. But people don’t go to their HR representatives and say, ‘Hey, I’m a caregiver,’ for fear of that stigma,” she said. “What we find is that 67% of family caregivers struggle to balance their jobs in the caregiving role, and primarily, what we’re hearing from our employer clients is that there’s a lot of need for mental health and support around mental health.” Without proper mental health support for caregivers, there’s an increased risk of burnout. “33% of families that we have identified through our what we call our family health index, are at risk of burnout, and of those, 60% screen positive for our PHQ, which shows signs of depression. That affects not only the need for mental health support, but the loss of productivity on a large scale, as well as the retention of key employees.”Having cared for a parent with dementia and cared for a young child while working full time, Costa knows firsthand the kind of support needed. So what does support look like? Cleo has dedicated support services that provide guides to employees who need assistance with life challenges, says Costa. “Reducing the amount of time that’s spent on logistics can be so helpful in preventing burnout,” she said. “Working with a guide helped me to be able to step back and to once again think through ways in order to make my life easier.” The benefits for employers who are able to provide support are clear. First is mental health, where support is focused on preventing burnout by helping employees with the logistics of finding care and resources. Second is confidence and connectedness—53% of employees reported increased confidence after working with their guide, which improved their ability to manage everything on their plate. The third area is productivity, with high-risk members gaining back over 100 hours of work time, a significant outcome.Organizations can support their employees by first making their organization an environment where access to support is available and that honest discussion is not only happening but encouraged. “It’s hard for people to raise their hand to identify themselves as caregivers when it’s not a maternity leave or family forming situation. Having that conversation with their manager is crucial—it helps employees see the value of open, honest dialogue and gives managers a chance to offer the support that’s truly neededEditor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Cleo, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. Tabitha Cabrera, Esq. is a writer and attorney, who has a series of inclusive children's books, called Spectacular Spectrum Books.(Photo by Obencem/iStock)
Balancing Cost Efficiency and Positive Outcomes in Employee Benefits
BY Katie Chambers May 14, 2025As the employee benefits landscape continues changing, it’s important for employers to identify what benefits their workers find most meaningful today. During the pandemic there was a big push for mental health support—and that’s still important given all the cultural and political uncertainty impacting workers in a variety of ways.But now, the physical, financial, and personalized offerings are returning to the forefront. At From Day One’s Boston benefits conference, leaders discussed the benefits that make the biggest impact for their employees. Here are the key takeaways.A Focus on Physical Health“With the advent of GLP-1s and medically assisted weight loss, one of the hottest topics we’re seeing in the industry is around weight management,” said Cody Fair, chief commercial officer at Noom. With GLP-1s, he says, “Think about the member experience first,” in terms of minimizing hurdles and prior authorizations. Consider alternative funding methods to access medications at a reduced cost to the patient through rebates, and add behavior change support in addition to the medication options for long-term success. “We’re [also] seeing a lot of talk around women’s health, specifically around menopause,” Fair said. Generally, he says, people are not just interested in living longer–they want to live healthy longer. Therefore, employers are best served by taking a holistic approach.“As an organization, we focus on the overall happiness of our employees. That’s something that we practice very intentionally as part of our cultural framework. And because of that, we have programs which not only focus on physical health [and] mental wellness, but holistic well-being, which includes even things like financial literacy [and] how we plan for retirement,” said Shahina Islam, VP, HR at Zensar. To increase DEI initiatives for an increasingly diverse workforce, employers can also consider adding benefits for fertility and resources for parents and those involved in elder care, she says.Serving a Large Workforce While Staying on BudgetModerator Rebecca Knight, independent journalist and contributor at Harvard Business Review, notes the challenges of providing adequate benefits to a large, diverse workforce with varying needs while also “staying on budget.” Part of the answer, says Amy Claffey Widell, global benefits director at Akamai Technologies, is identifying point solutions that can cover several areas at once, such as musculoskeletal, fertility, cardiovascular, and cancer, and then being able to prove the cost effectiveness.Leaders shared insight on the subject of "In Employee Benefits, Balancing Cost Efficiency With Good Employee Outcomes"“I’m creating that business case to our senior leaders: if we implement a mental health benefit, we’re going to see a decrease in claims from our medical spend,” Widell said. “[For example], we implemented a point solution three years ago, and we’ve seen a 10% decrease in the claims in our medical plan.”To determine ROI, claims analysis paired with employee feedback is key. Employee surveys can help you understand which benefits employees are using, which they aren’t, what they want and, importantly, what they may not realize is already being offered. HR leaders should remember that the vendors themselves are constantly changing, so it’s important to stay flexible. “Every couple years, revisit the market, see who’s out there, [and] see if you can consolidate vendors,” Widell said. “I don’t necessarily want to have 500 vendors,” as that causes confusion for workers and a headache for HR managers. ROI can’t be pegged to one particular benefit, since wellness itself is holistic. “Look at the cumulative effect of everything you do. Are you managing cost and trend from everything you do, and are you reaching the maximum efficiency on those things you do?” said Scott Kirschner, senior director, global benefits at Greystar.Implementing Digital Solutions“Employees are increasingly looking for a more seamless experience,” Knight said. That’s where technological advances can help, especially when it comes to healthcare and wellness benefits. “With digital care, I’m noticing that we’re really able to take an ordeal that could take three hours and turn it into a 30-minute access thing,” said Dr. Bijal Toprani, senior clinical solutions lead and doctor of physical therapy, Hinge Health. Healthcare apps allow for easy provider follow-up and opportunities for patients to access care outside of traditional in-person office hours, she says.“How are we going to get people to use [a benefit] if they don’t know about it?” Kirschner posited. Digital solutions also offer centralized access to benefits for a workforce that is becoming increasingly dispersed as hybrid and remote setups become the norm. Additionally, Kirschner says, employers should take advantage of the fact that everyone is always on their phones. Place QR codes around the office for employees to scan for benefits, offer webinars to train employees on the benefits portal, send regular text updates with an option to opt-out, and embrace internal email marketing. To meet employees where they are, you might need to get even more creative with your communications. For example, Toprani was able to successfully reach her truck-driving workforce by leaving cards about benefits on their windshields, since they might not regularly check their email. Focusing on Positive Employee OutcomesThe best employee benefits programs take into account the entirety of the population they are meant to serve. For example, even if most of your employees are men, Toprani shares, sending them information about women’s healthcare is important since they may be married or have daughters.For workforces spread across multiple countries, it may be necessary for HR to seek out local vendors for certain benefits. Menopause care in particular, Widell notes, is more accessible in the U.S. but does not yet have prominent global solutions available in other countries. Ultimately, benefits programs are meant to do just that: provide benefits. “Everything that we are doing we need to ensure that we have a very happy and engaged workforce,” Islam said. “Our annual survey has a big section on how employees are feeling valued, and benefits are a big component of that.”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.(Photos by Rick Friedman for From Day One)
Employee Mental Health and Wellness: How Managers Can Be Empowered
BY Jennifer Yoshikoshi May 14, 2025More than 90% of American workers say it’s important to them that the organization they work for values emotional and psychological well-being, according to a 2023 survey by the American Psychological Association. Continuing the growing conversation around mental health and wellness, more companies are putting programs in place to support the holistic well-being of employees. During a From Day One panel discussion at From Day One’s Boston benefits conference, executives joined in on a conversation moderated by Boston Globe reporter Katie Johnson about how managers can be empowered to respond to employee needs. For Robert DiFabio, senior director of global benefits and mobility at Waters Corporation, being able to address the mental health concerns of his employees feels mutually beneficial. To be able to provide opportunities that help people which at the same time help the company is a “win-win,” he said.“The happier or healthier employee is someone who also would be more attentive, less absent, more productive at work, more motivated, just simply, even more grateful for their employer for giving them tools and resources,” DiFabio said.Managers who are engaging with their employees to support their well-being are driven by the passion to help others and deliver support with resources that are customized and personal. Although some leaders feel satisfied by being able to help their employees, others might struggle with some aspects of being prepared to engage in conversations about wellness and checking in with their staff. While managers may know when to engage in check-ins, they might not be comfortable with the support that needs to follow these conversations.Panelists spoke about holistic employee health and well-being“My concern is that managers are maybe ill equipped to deal with what then comes from those conversations. So I think it's important that we be prepared as companies to provide them the appropriate training if we're going to expect them to engage in those conversations,” said Anne Marie La Bue, vice president of compensation and benefits counsel at Assurant.CEO and Co-founder of LearnLux Rebecca Liebman added that discussions about mental health are also considered taboo for many communities and cultures. She emphasized that it’s important to start “breaking down barriers to let people at least start a conversation around these traditionally more taboo topics in the workplace.”The Main Drivers for Stress, Anxiety and DepressionMore than 80% of Americans are living with debt and 46% of people making six figure incomes are still living paycheck to paycheck, says Liebman. Financial hardships are an aspect of life that company executives recognize needs more attention within the corporate world. When it comes to supporting employees that are impacted by financial struggles, Holly Duvernay, director of benefits at Crane NXT, says it’s important for managers to leave the bias at the door and create a space that offers open conversations with the employee. Without any judgement, asking employees what they need and how they would like support can build strong relationships with workers. “The difference between a toxic work environment and loving your job is a razor thin margin,” said Ryan Kellogg, vice president of partnerships and sales effectiveness at Talkspace. He adds that communication is key in the workplace. Training for Managers Annual manager training is often seen as a hassle to many, but Duvernay says this requirement is a great investment. “You’re equipping your managers again with those resources that they need to understand, but you're also sending a message from the top down that it’s a business imperative, and it’s very important to the business success that everybody is able to develop their own well being,” she said. Waters Corporation makes discussions about important topics a part of meeting agendas, allowing the team to set aside 20 minutes to talk about things such as mental health and emotional well-being. “It’s a way to be helping them, giving them tips, educating them without making it feel like it’s this strong, stern requirement,” DiFabio said.The company also has an online resource that is available only to managers which include tips, suggestions, guides and employee assistance programs. It also partners with a EAP vendor which is open for managers to call for one-on-one private coaching sessions with a trained professional that can provide advice on any situation that a manager might find difficulties with.Talkspace, an online and mobile therapy company, makes sure that its organization’s leaders see that mental health is part of the workplace culture. Kellogg said the company has “mental health minutes,” which are one to two minute Youtube clips that give managers the mindset about mental health going into the day.Kellogg says that Talkspace also has mental health first aid training sessions where the company has a highly intensive one day block of instruction for either frontline managers, middle managers or senior leaders. “Following that training, those individuals are now force multipliers in your own workforce, and it's a resume builder, it’s something that they accomplish. They get a certificate and by doing that, you’re creating a culture that’s generating energy around mental health,” Kellogg said.In order to build a culture where mental health is prioritized, managers might be expected to be accountable for boosting wellness. Duvernay adds that the accountability piece is in the managers ability to have regular check-ins, collecting feedback and being able to act on what they are hearing from employees. As a form of accountability managers have to engage, be proactive and anticipate needs, she says. “If you create that environment as a manager, to have that open door policy and to anticipate challenges and how you’ll react to them, I think you create that environment where employees are accountable for their own well being, which I think is really the end goal,” Duvernay said. Measuring Wellness TrendsTechnological advances have allowed people to gain insights on trends and anticipated outcomes. Data driven tools can especially be useful for measuring mental health and wellness trends within a workplace. Talkspace analyzes data on who is leveraging mental health services as well as clinical assessments. These assessments can give a deeper look into whether the company is rating high on anxiety, depression, work-life balance and allows the company to understand where its employees stand and evaluate how the workplace is impacting them, says Kellogg.While data can be helpful, Liebman acknowledges that usually this type of information is not known to companies until they bring in a third party vendor. It’s insightful for human resource teams to understand what’s going on in their workforce at different levels to identify stressors within the company, she says. “Having those insights allows you to add better programs that are specific to what your company needs and what will improve their overall well-being,” said Liebman.Jennifer Yoshikoshi is a local news and education reporter based in the San Francisco Bay Area.(Photos by Rick Friedman for From Day One)
Agents of Their Own Growth: Encouraging Employees to Advocate for Their Career Development
BY Jessica Swenson May 13, 2025Non-linear career moves that may be deemed risky, like a lateral transfer with no increase in pay or title, can also offer unexpected benefits. Sumeeta Maxwell, chief people officer for Experian’s Global Functions and Centers division, took control of her growth early in her career by making a lateral move that diversified her experience and broadened skill sets that later proved invaluable. “Very quickly, I was able to demonstrate success and [show] that I can grow and have potential,” Maxwell said during a fireside chat at From Day One’s Dallas conference. She encourages team members and peers to value a breadth of experience over a traditional strictly upward progression, favoring opportunities to illustrate their capacity for change and learning. This is just one example of how employees can take charge of their career development at Experian. The company offers a variety of resources to attract, engage, and retain talent, but Maxwell says that one thing you cannot replace is the employee owning their development process. “Only the individual can actually seize the opportunity and then deliver on it,” she said. “You have to take charge of your development—constantly evaluate your strengths and find ways to leverage them through your development plan.”Given the current status of the US job market, is an emphasis on career self-advocacy a good idea right now? Regardless of the market, you can never go wrong by continuously finding ways to learn, gather expertise, and expand your skills, says Maxwell. One way to do this is to embrace stretch assignments or other opportunities for growth that are offered. In the midst of a transformation, Maxwell says, one Experian organization decided to further embed the tenets of its high-performance culture through an internal initiative focused on enhancing business goal performance. Senior technology leaders participated in a curriculum that combined learning activities with structured progress checkpoints to sharpen their skills in leadership, goal-setting, and communication. This program not only drove short-term impact to the business but prepared participants for high-level interactions through improved presentation skills.As a global organization serving around 150,000 clients and millions of consumers, Experian’s commitment to a flexible work culture is also crucial to the success of its 23,000 employees. Hybrid schedules have delivered high engagement and productivity, Maxwell says, allowing the company to “foster flexibility without sacrificing the value of in-person engagement.” Sumeeta Maxwell of Experian was interviewed by Steve Koepp, editor in chief and co-founder of From Day One However, with multiple generations, working styles, and sets of expectations in the workplace, Maxwell and team understand that there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It is important for companies to consider the nuances of a diverse workforce, but employees can also advocate for what they need to advance their career. While universally appreciated, she says, flexibility can mean different things to different people, ranging from flexible work schedules to self-expression and inclusion. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is a foundational value for us,” says Maxwell. It’s a critical element of the company’s culture as it strives to reflect its global customer base and encourage employees to bring their whole selves to work. DEI at Experian is supported by employee resource groups (ERGs) which are open to all employees regardless of identity. Maxwell says that Experian’s ERGs provide not only a sense of belonging and community-building, but they are a resource that helps employees develop leadership capabilities, communication skills, and career mobility. Oftentimes, she said, “people will find out about internal opportunities through their friends in the ERGs.”Another resource available to Experian employees is artificial intelligence. The company’s philosophy on AI is that if you don’t adopt it, you’ll be left behind. So they prepare their employees to use AI appropriately, says Maxwell. “We’ve put a lot of effort into ensuring our people are equipped and trained to know how, when, and why to use it,” she said. Their system includes an internal AI coach named Nadia, which Maxwell herself even uses to prepare for meetings or specific conversations. Nadia is trained on the company’s strategy and leadership principles, so leaders can interact with her as if she were an executive coach. To really put employees in control of their career and internal mobility, Experian will soon launch a talent marketplace tool, Maxwell says. The platform is educated with internal career frameworks and role criteria. Employees will be able to create personal profiles and be proactively matched to open internal roles based on that criteria, helping them find ways to grow within the company. “The idea is, we really want our people to be able to find their journey and find their development inside [Experian], and not have to leave to find it,” said Maxwell.When it comes to advocating for your own career development, Maxwell says, consistent effort, strategic action, and hard work are essential regardless of your work environment. “Good communication skills and the ability to present never go out of style.”Jessica Swenson is a freelance writer based in the Midwest. Learn more about her at https://www.jmswensonllc.com.(Photos by Steve Bither for From Day One)
Immersive Learning for Realistic, Judgment-Free Skill Building
BY Matthew Koehler May 13, 2025Starting a new job or role often means facing a gap between what you’ve learned and what real-world experience demandsA newly licensed real estate agent might know the material but has never sat across from an actual client, and that first deal can be daunting. Or maybe a new manager is about to fire someone for the first time. What if you could practice those high-stakes moments before they happen?Virtual reality and AI are now making it possible, turning knowledge into confidence through realistic, judgment-free training. “I can’t imagine having to fire somebody for the first time and never having done that. It’s probably terrifying, emotional, and scary in a million different ways,” said Jack Makhlouf, VP of partnerships at Moth+Flame.“We try to build simulations for people so they can get a lot of practice. It’s also safe to fail. One of the secret powers of simulations is that you can mess up,” he said.Makhlouf spoke about the advantages of VR and immersive learning with Joe Reta, a partner manager at ArborXR and collaborator with Moth+Flame, during a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s Dallas conference. Immersive training has been around for a while. Think flight simulators, for example—something the military and airline industry has used for years. The benefit of this technology, says Makhlouf, is that “you’re physically doing something.” “You’re emotionally engaged in the experience. It’s interactive. It’s multi-sensory. You’re looking. You’re talking. You’re using your hands. It’s very realistic.” And, there are no real world consequences for making mistakes. “You can say the wrong thing and suffer the consequences. But you’re in a judgment free experience, so you’re safe to mess around,” Makhlouf said. Joe Reta, Partner Manager at ArborXR spoke with Jack Makhlouf, VP of Partnerships at Moth+Flame about immersive learningAI immersive learning has only become more intuitive and dynamic. Makhlouf calls it the perfect learning tool. “If I mess up in a giving feedback conversation, I’m going to know why and I’ll get to try again, and it’s going to assess me on tone delivery. It’s pretty advanced that way.”The military knows this and has long been a proving ground for the highest level of simulation-based training because they have “to keep their service members ready at all times,” Makhlouf said. It has also proven valuable in hands-on mechanical training. Makhlouf highlighted a program developed for the Air Force, which trains personnel on the precise steps needed to power up a C-17 cargo aircraft. Before using virtual reality, trainees learned through PowerPoint which led to costly mistakes in the field. “VR is a really great place to practice and fail,” he said. Thanks to immersive training, the Air Force cut errors by 85% and saved an estimated $1.7 million in fuel costs, says Makhlouf.While the upfront investment is significant, Makhlouf says that the ROI makes it worthwhile. “You’ve got to look at the return,” he said. Circling back to difficult conversations in the corporate space, Makhlouf says that both a popular and personal favorite module is in feedback. “Everybody thinks they're good at giving feedback, even positive feedback. But people don't know how to give proper positive feedback.”Building trust is another one. “We know that the relationship between [the] employee and their direct manager has a big impact on engagement. How do you build trust? How do you resolve conflict? How do you increase your emotional intelligence?”The big advantage immersive AI learning has in achieving better results in training, according to Makhlouf, is that people are using their voices, “not clicking answers in a scenario.” “Ironically, the first simulation I ever tried in my previous company was a firing simulation in VR. You’re sitting across the desk from an older guy who’s been inappropriate, and you got to call him in for a one on one, and it's the last straw. It can end badly, and it does end badly if you don't do it right. It can also end really well,” he said. He says they had people crying coming out of the simulation because it was so real.That is how this training is supposed to work, and why it feels so real; it’s immersive. “It is voice driven, whether you’re doing it in VR or tablet or mobile. You're navigating a conversation. You’re getting feedback on the fly—these avatars and actors are talking back to you. You’re in a conversation; it can go well, or it can not go so well. It’s completely up to you.”Wellstar Health System, a client Makhlouf’s company worked with, wanted to boost empathy among staff, so Makhlouf’s team created a simulation where participants’ answers were scored based on their level of empathy, prompting trial and error until they improved. “The first time through, people don’t get 80% or 100%,” he said. But with practice and targeted feedback on skills like empathetic paraphrasing, employees saw steady gains, much like building strength through repeated reps at the gym.What makes immersive training so effective, especially in a VR environment, is the combination of evolving technology and AI, and the fact that the AI avatars are based on real world actors. “So there’s not just some conceptual human prototype being used for AI avatars. They’re people...AI is mimicking facial expressions, their voice, body language and all that. They’re getting scary good.”Makhlouf's advice for companies and HR departments that want to modernize their training modules with immersion learning? “I would not recommend building something custom right off the bat. I would recommend you pilot with content that’s already made, and there’s a lot of content out in the field that’s ready to go off the shelf. So find a piece of content that aligns to your use case or business goal. Pilot it out, prove it out, build your business case. VR or immersive really shines when the use case is very, very strong.”Editor's note: From Day One thanks our partner, ArborXR, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. Matthew Koehler is a freelance journalist and licensed real-estate agent based in Washington, DC. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Greater Greater Washington, The Southwester, and Walking Cinema, among others.(Photos by Steve Bither for From Day One)
Why Focusing on Early Talent Is a Critical Need for All Seasons
BY Ade Akin May 12, 2025Giselle Battley, the head of global emerging talent arrived at Yahoo in 2024, bringing along a background in tech recruiting for what she calls “emerging careers.” Instead of limiting early-career hiring to university pipelines, Battley and her team have reshaped hiring policies to welcome talent from diverse backgrounds and life paths. It’s worked well for Yahoo as Gen Z now represents 45% of its search users. Battley says that many of the brand’s young users are drawn in by its vintage tech appeal, which helps to forge deeper connections with recruits. She spoke about winning over the next generation of talent during a fireside chat at From Day One’s February virtual conference. “The next generation values transparency and authenticity more than any before,” Battley said. Brookings Institution projects that the U.S. will be a “majority-minority” society by 2045. 48% of Gen Zers entering the workforce today identify as nonwhite, which means inclusive hiring practices aren’t just about ethics any longer; they’re essential to attract younger talent. Talent acquisition teams should be ready to have candid conversations about corporate challenges and successes during the recruitment process. “Candidates will ask, ‘What has your company done about XYZ?’” Battley said. “If you can’t answer authentically, you’ll lose them.”Contrary to the myth that Gen Zers despise working in office spaces, research suggests they crave in-person collaboration and mentorships without heavy-handed mandates, says Battley. “They want autonomy to choose when and where they work,” she said.Yahoo’s approach gives employees the flexibility they crave while co-working days are built around team workshops and project sprints. This leads to early-career hires feeling empowered in shaping their work-life balance, which fosters loyalty. Traditional recruiting metrics, like time-to-fill, source value, and pass-through rates, still matter, but that’s not all Battley uses to gauge success. “My personal measure of success for our team is how much value we’re bringing to the business outside of just the talent that we’re bringing,” she said.Building a community is also imperative. Yahoo’s “Intern Alumni Program” aims to cultivate lifelong relationships with interns rather than only offering guaranteed roles post-internship, which isn’t always feasible amid industry-wide hiring slowdowns. “We want our alumni to be ambassadors,” she said. “So, when more roles open, they come back with us top of mind.” It’s a strategic hedge against talent shortages, ensuring a warm recruiting pipeline even in lean years.Battley embraces artificial intelligence and new tools as valuable assets for early talent recruitment. Yahoo partners with Hello Hive to provide candidates with AI-driven résumé coaching, helping potential hires articulate their achievements.Nicole Smith, editorial audience director at Harvard Business Review, interviewed Battley of Yahoo (photo by From Day One)This allows applicants from under-resourced backgrounds to polish their résumés as well as those with professional résumé services. The AI résumé coach also helps non-native English speakers refine their written communications, reinforcing that language support is itself a diversity initiative.But even with the use of AI, foundational skills continue to matter, she says. “Leadership, critical thinking, adaptability; AI can’t replicate those,” she said. She encourages candidates to showcase their campus leadership, part-time work, or volunteer impact achievements during interviews. She says these human attributes differentiate candidates in an increasingly automated selection process.Rethinking Early TalentBattley says one of the reasons why Yahoo’s Global Emerging Talent teams have been successful is the absence of an age or education bias. “Think skills-based recruiting,” she said.Early career doesn’t necessarily mean fresh out of college. It includes candidates transitioning between industries or roles. Broadening the definition of “emerging talent” allows companies to tap into hidden talent pools, enriching teams with diverse perspectives. Two key points stand out for skeptics questioning the ROI of early-career programs: strategic alignment and cost efficiency. Battley recommends first linking talent directly to business objectives, like market expansion, product feedback, and brand engagement, so leadership sees hires as growth drivers, not perks. Secondly, she advises reminding stakeholders that “building” talent early is more cost-effective than “buying” seasoned professionals on the open market. Starting with small pilots can help demonstrate long-term retention rates and cultural benefits. “Don’t limit yourself to traditional hires,” Battley said as the conversation came to its end. “Seek out skills, not just résumés. Prioritize diversity of thought to drive real innovation. And most of all, stay authentic because the talent you attract tomorrow will shape the brand you’ve built for 30 years today.”Ade Akin covers workplace wellness, HR trends, and digital health solutions.(Photo by Alessandro Biascioli/iStock)
Building a People and Culture Team in a High-Profile Business
BY Ade Akin May 12, 2025Tarsha LaCour didn’t expect transitioning to the Dallas Mavericks in 2018 after a 19-year HR career at telecom giant AT&T to be as much of a stark contrast as it turned out to be. “It was culture shock,” she said during From Day One’s Dallas conference. Performance management processes were largely manual, employee records were kept in file cabinets, and staff frequently put in long hours that weren’t always sustainable. “I walked up to what I thought was our system of records, and someone pointed and said, ‘Those file cabinets over there,’” LaCour described during her conversation with Stephen Koepp, From Day One’s Editor in Chief and Co-Founder. For LaCour, now the Mavericks’ Chief People Officer, this became an opportunity to build an HR function as dynamic as the basketball team on the court. LaCour, along with former Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall, sat down with every employee to conduct one-on-one assessments, mapping out available skill sets and cultural needs. “We did a compensation analysis to make sure everyone was at or above market,” she said. “And we built out ERGs, learning functions, business partners, everything.”LaCour prioritized staffing and technology to professionalize the HR department. Her first goal was to convince leadership to invest in recruiting, which was no small feat. Once that mission was accomplished, her second goal was layering performance-management, recruiting, and workforce modules onto the existing ADP system. LaCour followed that up by creating a dedicated diversity, equity, and inclusion team, followed by learning-and-development specialists.Championing Wellness and RecognitionLaCour went on to launch the Mavs Vitality Program (MVP) after recognizing the additional burdens game days put on staff, sometimes requiring them to work past midnight. MVP is a holistic wellness initiative that covers multiple areas, from physical and mental health to financial well-being, she says. “We bring in counselors on retainer and offer financial-planning workshops so our young staff can build real wealth,” she said. Alongside the wellness programs, the Mavericks created an annual award banquet based on respect, authenticity, fairness, teamwork, and safety (CRAFTS), where peers nominate and vote for standout colleagues. “We give out over 100 awards by team, then crown one True Maverick,” LaCour said.Leading Through DisruptionFew events have tested LaCour’s change-management chops like the recent trade of superstar Luka Dončić that left fans and employees stunned. “Everyone loved Luca,” she said. LaCour’s counsel to distraught team members was to acknowledge the loss, trust leadership decisions, and stay focused on the business at hand. She coined the acronym ACT (acknowledge, communicate, and trust) to guide decision-making during challenging times. “We empower our leaders with data to make fast, informed choices, rather than wait for C-suite direction,” LaCour said. Tarsha LaCour, chief people officer at the Dallas Mavericks, was interviewed during the fireside chat To stay ahead of changes and disruptions, learning and development has also become a priority. The Dallas Mavericks have embraced an ethos that embraces continuous learning under the guidance of new CEO Rick Welch. LaCour’s team curates OpenSesame courses on their learning management system (LMS), creating mandatory paths for new hires, people managers, and high-potential employees. Mentoring and coaching round out the offerings, ensuring team members gain core leadership skills that are transferable across industries. A Winning CultureUnlike some organizations that waver on their DEI commitments depending on political climates, the Mavericks’ dedication is ingrained in their DNA, LaCour says. “Sports and music unite people from all walks of life,” she added. “So, inclusion is second nature, woven into our policies, hiring practices, and vendor relationships.”The Maverick’s HR transformation underscores LaCour’s belief that winning on the court starts with empowering those behind the scenes. “Our end goal is simple,” LaCour said. “Make this a great place to work, uplift our community, and—yes—win championships.”Ade Akin covers workplace wellness, HR trends, and digital health solutions.(Photos by Steve Bither for From Day One)
Making Mental Health Care Work for Workers
BY Christopher O'Keeffe May 08, 2025“You can’t talk about physical health without talking about mental health. You can't talk about mental health without talking about physical health,” said Gabe Diop, co-founder of Rula. “There’s no way that you can deal with humans and not deal with mental health.”Mental health stands out as both an urgent challenge and significant opportunity for corporate growth investment to allow for more successful organizations. During a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s Boston benefits conference, Diop shared that mental health can no longer be treated as separate from physical health, nor can companies afford to address it with half-measures.Diop brings a personal perspective to his advocacy work. Being impacted by substance use disorder within his family, he was exposed to a string of mental health events which shaped his understanding of how mental health affects every aspect of life. With the knowledge of those experiences, his work focuses on creating accessibility to mental health care. While mental health awareness has increased since the pandemic, Diop points to troubling statistics that suggest a crisis in need of immediate attention. According to data he shared, 9% of high school students have attempted suicide, with 20% having seriously considered it. Black children are twice as likely to die by suicide, and only 15% of mothers experiencing perinatal depression receive care, with rates even lower among mothers of color.Diop highlights how personal challenges in all aspects of life inevitably impact workplace performance. “Imagine if employees are going through tough times,” Diop said. “How can that employee possibly be their best self at work? It’s impossible.”Gabe Diop, the co-founder of Rula Health, led the thought leadership spotlight about "Why Mental Health Matters"The disconnect between need and access remains staggering. Primary care physicians report that roughly one third of their patients have a behavioral health component to their care needs, yet most doctors have minimal training in mental health and few reliable referral options.“You get about 30 minutes of training when you’re in med school for mental health,” Diop said. “If the average doctor doesn’t even know what to do, what do you think the average employee or the average person is thinking?”Diop advocates for a “crawl, walk, run” approach that starts with simple interventions. This starts with basic screening during employee physicals, access to therapists through existing health plans, and better awareness of available resources that make an immediate difference.Mental healthcare should be woven into existing healthcare touchpoints that employees already use, from primary care visits to maternity care to chronic disease management, says Diop. For instance, some health platforms for diabetes management have started to incorporate depression screening, yet often lack a clear pathway to care for patients who do screen positive. Accessible platforms like Rula have made it possible to connect a mental health professional, that would have been nearly impossible to find just a few years ago, to a patient’s specific needs. Employers are starting to recognize the business value in addressing mental health more systematically. From reducing healthcare costs to improving productivity, the case goes beyond compassion to clear financial outcomes.But perhaps the most persuasive argument Diop offers is the simplest: mental health affects everyone.As employers look to enhance their benefits packages, addressing mental health doesn’t require reinventing the wheel. Rula’s integration with major health plans already covers over 140 million lives, making it immediately accessible to most workforces, he says. “We serve ages five and above for therapy. We serve ages 13 and above for med management, in all 50 states,” he said. “But if people don't know about it, it doesn’t matter.”Editor's note: From Day One thanks our partner, Rula, for sponsoring this thought leaderships spotlight. 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.(Photos by Rick Friedman for From Day One)
Building a Thriving Culture Through Comprehensive Health and Wellness Benefits
BY Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza May 07, 2025Employee wellness isn’t just any one thing, and it should be treated accordingly, says Stacey Olson, the global wellness leader at architecture firm Gensler. It’s intellectual, it’s physical, it’s environment, emotional, and professional—just as a start. So when employers plan for workforce well-being, each deserves attention on its own.Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean programmatically. HR is wont to think of well-being as a set of programs or apps, says Deborah Olson, who leads well-being strategy at biotech company Genentech. “I think few teams thoroughly examine their culture, their manager training, and the behaviors across their population, and I think even fewer take the opportunity to assess the well-being of their workforce so they know where there are opportunities,” she said during an executive panel conversation at From Day One’s April virtual conference.The leaders on the panel made it clear: HR alone can’t ensure the well-being of thousands of workers, nor should it try. At chemical company BASF, director of total rewards and operations Melissa Tuscano enlists “well-being champions”: a network of employees that care deeply about mental and physical health to be ambassadors for the wellness program, exemplars of care, and sentinels of well-being in whatever department they work in. “Because we’re such a large organization, there’s no way myself or any part of my benefits team can talk to everyone as much as we might want to,” she said.At education tech company BrainPOP, chief people officer Kavita Vora set up “wellness circles,” or therapist-led discussion groups focused on coping strategies related to stressors. Her hope is that employees leave the circles with fewer stressors than when they arrived. She’s been collecting feedback from participants and iterating as she goes.The panel discussion was moderated by journalist and From Day One contributing editor, Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza (photo by From Day One)“For example, our Latinx community requested a meeting based on things that were happening in the news. So we had one, but we also made sure that the therapist facilitating was from the same identity group, so they felt that they really had a safe space and an understanding facilitator,” she said.Consider Access and Care NavigationAt Keysight Technologies, an electronics design firm, benefits director Heather Ostrowski’s strategy is a comprehensive one. The company’s slate of benefits is impressive: Think debt counseling, bereavement care and funeral services, concierge help with childcare and eldercare, postpartum care, menopause care, mental healthcare, and diabetes management, on top of the Cadillac of healthcare plans.Her challenge is navigation. Currently her team is the go-between for wellness vendors and employees, but she wants to hand over the controls to the employees themselves. When workers have autonomy and access, health outcomes improve.Ostrowski has been forging direct relationships between workers and providers with webinars and forums. “We have a calendar where people can see what webinar or what communications are going to be coming out. By reminding people how to get there easier—it’s been helpful for employees to feel supported.”Beware of Burnout Feeling good about work means being recognized for a job well done. Employee recognition is part of the wellness program at BASF, says Tuscano. “When people feel recognized, they are in a good, psychologically safe place. They feel happy, right? They may feel appreciated. This is all part of being well and feeling well.”But the right things must be rewarded, panelists noted. There are many paths to burnout, says Deborah Olson of Genentech. There’s overwork and long hours and lack of autonomy when it comes to decisions or style of working. Workers may edge toward burnout because they care about the work, and employees sometimes recognize and reward bad habits, even inadvertently. “So many times we are saying, ‘thank you for working long hours,’ or ‘thank you for calling in on your vacation,’” Olson said. That, too, is employee recognition. “We have the best intentions, so we should be shifting into recognizing behaviors that we want to see continued.”Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza is an independent journalist and From Day One contributing editor who writes about business and the world of work. Her work has appeared in the Economist, the BBC, The Washington Post, Inc., and Business Insider, among others. She is the recipient of a Virginia Press Association award for business and financial journalism.(Photo by Parradee Kietsirikul/iStock)
Solving the Engagement Problem in Healthcare and Employer Benefits
BY Ade Akin May 07, 2025People who hit “play” on Calm’s Matthew McConaughey-narrated sleep story aren’t thinking about tackling mental health issues like depression or anxiety; they just want to fall asleep. Yet, Calm Health, the clinical arm of the Calm meditation and sleep app, is turning bedtime content into a gateway for mental health care, providing a stigma-free entry point for employees.“Calm launched with meditation, but sleep stories made the brand a household name,” Chris Mosunic, the chief clinical officer at Calm, said during a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s Boston Benefits conference. Calm has managed to build brand affinity faster than it could hire celebrities to narrate dreamy tales, and U.S. users now make up 60% of its user base. However, use of its clinical programs delivered through Calm Health remains in the single digits. “Why is engagement in mental health tools so low, even when the brand recognition is sky-high?” Rebecca Knight, the event’s moderator and a Harvard Business Review contributor, asked. Mosunic points to visibility, discoverability, and stigma. “Employees don’t even know what’s available. They make snap judgments. And some demographics—Gen X males, for example—still shy away from saying they need help,” he said.Rebecca Knight, independent journalist and contributor at Harvard Business Review, interviewed Calm's Chris MosunicThat’s why Calm Health’s entry strategy leverages sleep: “It lowers the stigma. You can admit you can’t sleep without anyone batting an eye,” Mosunic said. According to a JAMA Network Open Study, digital tools increase therapy use among individuals already in care, but are barely used by underserved communities. Mosunic says Calm Health’s mission is to build clinical programs authored by psychologists who specialize in specific populations, and animate them with voices that resonate. “If you tell a nurse on a 12-hour shift to take a 30-minute walk, they’ll tune out. But if you speak their language, you’ve got a chance,” Mosunic said. Messaging matters when it comes to support. Your HR team might be well-versed in data privacy and compliance, but they might not be as adept at balancing protection with personalization, especially under Epic’s EMR firewall. “Employees don’t trust health plans or employers,” Mosunic said. “You need messaging that’s cool, not creepy.” This means hyper-targeting employees without overstepping boundaries. For example, an individualized email suggesting a sleep-based intervention for someone flagged with high blood pressure feels empathetic. Sending email blasts that employees should take advantage of their mental health benefits doesn’t.Looking Ahead: From Algorithms to OutcomesMosunic zeroed in on safety over hype when asked what role AI will play in redefining workplace mental illness. “We’re focused on closed-loop systems—algorithms trained and constantly evaluated against clinical outcomes, not open-ended chatbots pulling from the wild web,” He said. Mosunic says every personalization engine must pass clinician review before it’s rolled out, ensuring the solution is effective. Calm’s Chief Clinical Officer reflected on the parallels between physical and mental health as the conversation closed. “If your knee hurts, you see an orthopedist, not a dermatologist,” he said. Similarly, mental health requires a network of specialized, interconnected solutions.Calm Health views other digital mental health platforms as referral partners, not competitors. It aims to create a world where clinical notes flow seamlessly from self-guided modules into teletherapy and then in-person care as needed. “Look for vendors that play well with others—digital, in-person, and physical institutions alike.”The next frontier in employee mental health isn’t about flashy features, but creating ecosystems that make every intervention feel personal, safe, and stigma-free, says Mosunic.Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Calm, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. Ade Akin covers workplace wellness, HR trends, and digital health solutions.(Photos by Rick Friedman for From Day One)
From Data Collection to Strategic Transformation, How People Analytics is Evolving
BY Lisa Jaffe May 07, 2025“People analytics has always been about combining a passion for change with a deep understanding of data,” said Miles Overholt, founder and CEO of Strategia Analytics. The HR profession has matured significantly, moving from fighting for a “seat at the table” to being core strategic partners, he says. “People analytics is key to earning and using that seat effectively.”Once seen as a peripheral function, people analytics has become a strategic cornerstone for navigating complex organizational challenges, from workforce transitions to AI adoption. At From Day One’s Seattle conference, a panel of executives reflected on this transformation and on how data is shaping HR in real-time.“During the Great Resignation, we didn’t just rely on instinct. We used data to guide leadership decisions,” said Becky Thielen, general manager of people analytics, at Microsoft.As companies navigate uncertain economic conditions, she says, there’s increasing pressure to deliver holistic, high-quality insights with speed and precision.Paige McGlauflin, reporter at HR Brew, moderated the discussion about "How People Analytics Can Give HR Leaders Insight Into Employee Experience and the Future of Work"For Shanthi Nataraj, director of economic research at Amazon, it’s not just about tracking data–-it’s about understanding the employee journey. “We look at all the inputs an employee receives, from their manager and peers to external pressures like the job market,” she said. “These shape behaviors and ultimately impact business outcomes. We don’t view data points in isolation.”Amazon’s internal feedback tool, Connections, allows for real-time sentiment tracking. But collecting data isn’t enough. “The key is closing the loop,” Nataraj said. “When employees see their feedback drives change, it builds trust and supports engagement.”Data is increasingly democratized. “We’re empowering HR to tell their own stories,” said Shannon Peterson, head of people analytics at Verizon. When she joined two years ago, the challenge wasn’t a lack of data, it was too much of it and with no unified view. “Our goal was to centralize, certify, and connect insights across the employee lifecycle, from recruitment to exit.”Verizon has also embraced AI. “We’re training systems to identify sentiment trends, draft communications, and provide tailored insights to leaders,” she said. These efforts are channeled through what she calls a “digital front door” for insights—streamlining access and decision-making.AI Is Great, When Used With CareAt Microsoft, AI tools like Copilot are transforming how managers engage with data. “Instead of mass communications, we’re shifting to targeted nudges,” Thielen said. “We’re enabling users to ask questions and get contextual answers instantly.”Still, AI adoption must be intentional, says Laura Luther, VP, health solutions account executive at Aon. Many mid-sized organizations don’t have in-house analytics teams or advanced infrastructure, she says. “Inventory how your vendor partners use AI. Focus on consolidating and aligning data practices to reduce risk,” she said. “Prioritize high-value, low-risk applications like customer service, and tread carefully with high-risk areas like healthcare data.”Verizon has responded to those concerns with a centralized AI certification process. “Every AI initiative is reviewed for legal and security risks,” said Peterson. “Transparency is critical. Two years ago, what we do with AI now would have seemed invasive -- but today it’s essential, and we’re doing it responsibly.”With massive amounts of data, prioritization and storytelling become essential. “Even with great analysts, storytelling is a separate skill,” Thielen said. “You need to communicate insights that resonate with the CHRO or a frontline leader. Otherwise, it doesn’t drive action.”Overholt agreed, underscoring the importance of context. “Data without context, both micro and strategic, isn’t useful,” he said. His work studying CEO successions revealed that when transitions are handled well, they preserve the organizational ‘core,’ or its culture and values. “Failures happen when that core doesn’t get passed on.”Dig DeepToo often, HR teams lean on simple metrics like participation rates or satisfaction scores. That’s not enough, says Nataraj. “Those are starting points. We need to ask: Did the program reduce attrition? Improve knowledge transfer?” Her team often applies economic models to assess impact, especially when controlled trials aren’t possible.Measurement should start early, says Thielen. “Don’t bring analytics in after the fact. Involve us during program design. It’s much harder to measure outcomes retroactively.”As organizations face continued volatility, real-time listening is becoming more vital. Microsoft, Verizon, and Amazon are all investing in always-on feedback systems, shifting away from static quarterly surveys. “A single snapshot isn’t enough,” said Peterson. “We’re building systems that evolve with the employee experience.”Whether it’s guiding CEO transitions, refining total rewards strategies, or addressing workforce segmentation, people analytics is no longer just about numbers. It’s about interpreting data in ways that inspire trust, empower action, and ultimately drive business outcomes.“At its best, people analytics helps organizations not only see themselves clearly, but navigate where they need to go next,” said Overholt.Lisa Jaffe is a freelance writer who lives in Seattle with her son and a very needy rescue dog named Ellie Bee. She enjoys reading, long walks on the beach, and trying to get better at ceramics.(Photos by Josh Larson for From Day One)
Making Talent Acquisition and Development More Efficient, Inclusive, and Personalized
BY Jennifer Yoshikoshi May 07, 2025In 2025, it will take an average of six months for an unemployed person to find a job, according to the Wall Street Journal. While many people seek employment, companies are now seeing an overwhelming amount of job applications and with such an influx of submissions recruiters are finding it difficult to keep up.As artificial intelligence has become a key tool in the world, companies must learn to evolve with technology and learn how to utilize it as a way to mobilize their work and increase efficiency. Using AI for talent acquisition and improving candidate experiences was the top discussion during an executive panel discussion moderated by KING 5 News anchor Jake Whittenberg at From Day One’s Seattle conference.Recruiting and Acknowledging Job CandidatesLHH is a company that specializes in supporting individuals and organizations with recruitment, career transitions, leadership development and more. It receives over 300 million applications a year from around the globe, says Erin Bogdanovich, vice president of innovation of LHH.A common dissatisfying factor in the job application process is being ghosted, only having access to a chat bot, not being acknowledged and never hearing back from a recruiter. With so many applications being submitted daily, AI has been serving as an effective way to give each candidate the acknowledgement and personal support that they need to find the right jobs for them, Bogdanovich says.Amazon also utilizes AI to help recruiters identify if one applicant’s skills can be applied to other open positions that the person may not have applied to. While technology can be helpful, Anthony Palumbo, head of talent acquisition for Amazon ads and IMDB, says it’s still important to maintain human interactions. “I think that the key is applying technology using high judgment, preserving candidate experience, but not eliminating the human aspect of what we do,” said Palumbo.Improving the candidate experience is the same as providing positive customer service. For many companies like Uber and Amazon, job candidates are going to be current customers. Jack Leitch, head of talent acquisition programs and enablement at Uber, said this is a “double edged sword.” In these situations, a negative job application process could impact how the candidate feels about the company and its services. “You have to kind of consider your impact on the business with what you do with your candidates,” he said.At LHH, Bogdanovich said the company has a candidate portal for any jobs they apply to. It shows them real time updates to their application and provides transparency to candidates.Finding the Balance With AIUsing AI can help speed up certain processes while also ensuring that customers and recipients of the service are still receiving quality care. Although the human aspect is still important, some processes can be better done by technology.Panelists spoke about "Making Talent Acquisition and Development More Efficient, Inclusive, and Personalized"Roz Francuz-Harris, vice president of talent acquisition at Zillow, says the best method is to provide options for people on when they want to see automated tasks and when they would prefer to speak to a real representative. For example, when you enter the Zillow career site and upload your resume, an AI assistant can recommend jobs that match your skills and later in the process an option to speak to a recruiter can be given as a choice. “It’s that duality. It’s giving me optionality, not one or the other. I think what makes AI so special is when it goes hand in hand with the human experience,” said Francuz-Harris.This human experience paired with AI can be useful to process tasks for technical jobs. These elements can slow down recruiters and lead to tasks getting held up because the manpower is not enough, said Carl Sanders-Edwards, CEO and founder of Adeption.By using AI for efficiency, it frees up more time for recruiters to think more strategically about how they can better engage with job candidates and recruit the right people with the best skills the company needs, says Leitch.Now that AI is able to complete more repetitive tasks which were formerly done by recruiters, those same employees now have to go through a transition phase to relearn how to focus on the more human parts of the job. In order to do this, they have to learn how to leverage AI technology and learn how to maintain human connection, says Sanders-Edwards.He also added that the most important skill in candidates is the “skill to acquire skills.” The ability to adapt and evolve to new challenges and learn from them is one of the most important qualities, he says.Francuz-Harris emphasized this when she said, “AI will not replace recruiters. Recruiters who don’t learn to use AI will be replaced.” With the rise of new technology, employees need to learn to evolve to changes.The message to not be afraid of technology was adopted by panelists during this conversation, echoing Francuz-Harris’s sentiments. “Don’t be afraid. You’re going to mess it up. We’re all going to mess it up and do the wrong thing. Do it fast, and then pivot if you need to,” said Leitch.Jennifer Yoshikoshi is a local news and education reporter based in the San Francisco Bay Area.(Photos by Josh Larson for From Day One)
Pride Month Without Partners: As June Approaches, Corporate Support Recedes
BY Erin Behrens May 06, 2025As Pride Month nears and WorldPride prepares to mark its 50th anniversary in Washington, D.C., the celebration comes with a question: where did all of the corporate allies go?In years past, brands jumped at the chance to market themselves as allies during Pride Month. Companies like Nike, Target, and Apple poured millions into Pride campaigns, with Pride-themed products, promotional materials, and partnerships. In the month of June, rainbows could be found anywhere you looked, from social media to train cars and store shelves. While Pride had become a major corporate initiative, with Fortune 500 companies sponsoring parades and selling rainbow products, skeptical members of the LGBTQ+ community criticized these efforts as performative, and the term “rainbow-washing” gained traction in media.But this year, as the economic and political landscape has changed, those who doubted the depth of corporate commitment have been validated. Many companies are quietly, or not so quietly, stepping back from their rainbow-filled marketing efforts and broader DEI commitments. “Since Jan. 21, when President Trump signed an executive order calling DEI ‘dangerous, demeaning and immoral,’ companies have treated it like a dietary fad suddenly found to pose mortal health risks,” wrote Bloomberg’s Brad Stone.“I know that they’re facing tough decisions inside those organizations, and I don’t want to call them out,” Suzanne Ford, the executive director of San Francisco Pride, told NBC News. “I want to call them in. We will remember who stood by us and who didn’t. When it was politically popular, they were lined up.” The Growing Shift in Corporate SupportIn New York City, home to an annual Pride March on Fifth Avenue and the host of WorldPride in 2019, companies such as Mastercard, PepsiCo, and Citi have scaled back or withdrawn their sponsorship of this year’s events, reports the Wall Street Journal. “Two-thirds of last year’s NYC Pride sponsors have agreed to renew their sponsorships, but the rest remain in negotiations to return, have scaled back their funding or have said they are not sponsoring this year,” writes Journal reporter Patrick Coffee. Some companies are even asking for their names to be taken off of promotional materials and event merchandise, out of fear of political backlash, says Eve Keller, co-president of United States Association of Prides. “It’s multilayered, and it’s all happening at the same time,” she said.The retreat from advocacy and financial support occurs amid a broader upheaval in the DEI landscape. Resistance to DEI, which has been growing for over two years, intensified when president Trump’s second term launched a crackdown on DEI across the government, academia, cultural organizations, and corporate America. Before the new legal threat, major companies like Walmart, Google, Target, Ford, Lowe’s, and Amazon had already scaled back their DEI efforts. These cutbacks included reductions in DEI spending, labeling, diversity goals, and partnerships with organizations that track DEI progress.But the backlash to DEI advancement has produced its own backlash. The consequences of companies stepping away from DEI are becoming visible. Target’s decision to scale back its DEI program, including support for gay rights, sparked a boycott that has taken a toll on in-store traffic, which dropped 9% in February and 6.5% in March compared to the previous year. While Target is still sponsoring New York City’s annual Pride march, it has taken a quieter, “silent partnership” role, according to Kevin Kilbride, media marketing manager for NYC Pride. The shift is part of a broader trend of companies pulling back from public LGBTQ+ support, which can weaken the visibility and impact that Pride sponsorships are meant to have. Meanwhile, Twin Cities Pride has declined Target’s sponsorship altogether. NBC News reports: “Andi Otto, the executive director of Twin Cities Pride, said he chose to turn down the company’s $50,000 sponsorship because he didn’t like the message it was sending to the LGBTQ community and communities of color.”Marching Forward, With or Without Corporate SupportIn contrast to the pushback, some companies have remained steadfast in their commitment to supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Levi’s, a longstanding ally, has continued its support, with product lines focusing on “queer joy through self expression,” and continued funding for Outright International, a global organization working to advance human rights for LGBTQIA+ people. Ben & Jerry’s, the prototypical progressive brand, has also maintained its visibility, professing LGBTQ+ Rights as an issue they care about. Other brands like Visa and Oreo have implemented and renewed Pride campaigns, emphasizing inclusion even in a more cautious corporate climate.The question now is whether the corporate world will eventually return to the visibility and support it showed in recent years, continue to retreat into quieter forms of advocacy, or withdraw from the conversation altogether. Some in the LGBTQ+ community may not view corporate involvement as essential, but it can signal broader public support and offer a sense of visibility and empowerment, much needed at a time when the Trump administration is slashing funding for research into LGBTQ health. In keeping with its opposition both to DEI programs and gender-affirming care for adolescents, the administration has scrapped “more than $800 million worth of research into the health of LGBTQ people, abandoning studies of cancers and viruses that tend to affect members of sexual minority groups and setting back efforts to defeat a resurgence of sexually transmitted infections,” the New York Times reported this week, based on an analysis of federal data.While the drop in sponsorships and LGBTQ+ supportive marketing is disheartening to the community and its advocates, Pride’s core message remains unchanged. Since the Stonewall Uprising in 1969, Pride has been more than a celebration. It has always been a movement rooted in resistance, liberation, and the ongoing fight for visibility, with or without corporate support.Erin Behrens is an associate editor at From Day One.(Featured photo: Vladimir Vladimirov/iStock by Getty Images)
Creating Connection in a Complex Work World
BY Lisa Jaffe May 05, 2025The pandemic changed how work happens, and the alterations continue apace. “Five years in, the challenges haven’t stopped, they’ve just changed,” said Joe Reimer, VP of HR for F5 Networks. Hybrid work has become a norm, but it requires fresh thinking to maintain connection across locations and workstyles.In today’s evolving workplace, connection is more vital than ever, but it’s also harder to maintain. Work and workforce have both changed, agreed Jennifer Olivas, HR director at Airgas. “That shift requires new strategies to stay connected,” she said during an executive panel discussion at From Day One’s Seattle conference. Reimer, Olivas, and three other executive panelists had a distinct definition of connection. They mentioned relationships, meaningful experiences in community, communication, building empathy, and integrating physical, emotional and social well-being.One shift has been the emphasis on mental health and well-being. “Stigma is still a barrier,” said Nicole Wolf, VP of B2B partnerships at Rula. “Especially in small companies, where it can feel more personal.” Leadership must model openness and ensure mental health resources are visible and accessible, she says. “Normalize small interventions,” said Tristan Orford, VP of total rewards at Sentinel One. Regularly reminding employees about existing resources can help prevent bigger issues from developing, he says. Mental health isn’t some silo to be treated as unique, says Jennifer Jones, a dietitian and director, clinical solutions architect for Noom. “It impacts everything, from stress to healing to weight loss.” At Noom, they’ve woven mental health support into all their wellness programs, says Jones. Olivas noted that Airgas trained its HR team in mental health first aid. “It helps managers recognize red flags and respond effectively,” she said. “That builds credibility.”Companies can foster good mental health by providing support to employees during “moments that matter,” said Reimer. Whether those are positive personal events or crises. “That’s when benefits feel meaningful.”Orford noted that many solutions don’t require new investment. “Often, the answer is already in the system. We just need to communicate it better,” he said.Wolf agreed, noting that their women’s ERG helped promote a postpartum mental health benefit. “A member connected with a therapist who spoke her language and understood her experience,” she said. “That created a real impact.” Still, she cautioned that ERGs need structure. Building Connection From the Top DownConnection doesn’t happen by accident. Leaders must be intentional. “Share stories, not advice,” said Orford. He said that when leaders speak honestly about what’s worked for them, it makes resources feel more relatable.Olivas emphasized regular, structured check-ins. “Intentional, uninterrupted one-on-ones build trust,” she said. “Some of our leaders even set goals around having them consistently.”Reimer said one simple question can open the door to deeper connection: “How are you doing?” He said good leadership today means seeing employees as whole people, not just roles. F5 operates with a hybrid model: 60% of the workforce has in-office requirements, and 40% are fully remote. Two years ago, they asked employees who live within 30 miles of an office to come in 30 days per quarter on their own schedule. “There was resistance at first,” he said. “But people adapted.”Journalist Diana Opong moderated the discussion about "The Connection Solution: Bringing Workers Together for Well-Being and Innovation"They strive to make office time worthwhile, emphasizing collaborations and building relationships, but Reimer also says that they work to ensure virtual connection also happens with those who are not in office. “We’re still learning how to run inclusive meetings and foster that shorthand communication online.”Online connection has value, too, says Jones. Noom offers anonymous online “circles” around topics like weight loss or chronic conditions. “They’re not tied to work or home life,” she said. “But they give people a safe space to share and support each other.”You May Already Have What You NeedCompanies often overlook the tools they already have. “Take stock,” said Wolf. “What’s in your benefits plan? Who on staff could volunteer? What support are you already paying for but not using?”Orford says his team found new value by combing through contracts. “When we switched 401(k) vendors, we found benefits we weren’t using that were free,” he said. They were marketed and employees are using them. Technology can also support well-being and connection. “AI can offload mundane tasks and improve efficiency,” said Jones. She described how Noom uses AI for food logging and body scanning, and how vendors can help employees understand health risks. “When used responsibly, this tech can be incredibly impactful,” she added.Connection isn’t just a perk. It’s essential to engagement, innovation, and retention. “People are craving connection in new ways,” said Wolf. That shift opens new doors for benefits design and employee engagement. In a world where work is increasingly fragmented, the companies that thrive will be those that treat connection not as an afterthought, but as a foundation.Lisa Jaffe is a freelance writer who lives in Seattle with her son and a very needy rescue dog named Ellie Bee. She enjoys reading, long walks on the beach, and trying to get better at ceramics.(Photos by Josh Larson for From Day One)
Unmasking the Hidden SUD Crisis: The True Cost of Untreated Substance Use in the Workplace
BY Jessica Swenson May 05, 2025Substance use disorder (SUD) is often considered a hidden condition, but it is surprisingly pervasive. According to the latest data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 48 million Americans over the age of 12 are currently living with clinical SUD. Around 28% of this population is in the workforce, but fewer than 10% of those individuals are being treated, making the disorder appear less common.SUD is a chronic condition that, left untreated, gets progressively worse over time. In addition to the health problems it can cause, it can increase employer benefit expenses. At From Day One’s Boston benefits conference, Todd Fruchey, vice president of sales for virtual substance use treatment platform Pelago, shared how employers can proactively mitigate these costs.Health Impacts of SUDIn an employer health care strategy survey, Fruchey says, cancer once again topped musculoskeletal conditions as the “highest cost spend area for employers.” Many people don’t realize how closely aligned SUD is with cancer. Two of the top three preventable causes of cancer are alcohol and tobacco. By freeing people of substances like tobacco and alcohol early through preventive measures, says Fruchey, you can make a huge impact on the instances of cancer.There is also a direct relationship and multiplier effect between substance use disorder and other chronic conditions like diabetes and diseases of the heart, kidneys, or pulmonary system, Fruchey says, referencing data from recent NIH and CDC reports. These are disease states that employers are often actively trying to improve in their employee populations since they tend to be some of the highest-expense conditions. “In most cases, if there’s a comorbidity between substance use disorder and these other conditions, the spend pattern for that individual will double and it will chronically get worse,” he said. Resolving the substance use disorder is a critical step toward improvements in other chronic conditions and general health.Lack of TreatmentA 2024 Pelago trend report shows that 56% of employees think substance use treatment is important for their employer to offer, but only 14% reported that they had access to such a program, says Fruchey. Nearly every audience member self-reported that their company offers this service to their employees. If so many employers do offer the treatment, why are so few employees aware that they have access to it, and why do 9 out of 10 people experiencing SUD remain untreated? Perhaps they are not comfortable accessing it, Fruchey says.Todd Fruchey, VP of Sales at Pelago, led the thought leadership spotlight in BostonThe Pelago survey asked employees about their comfort level asking for help on topics ranging from work-specific to highly personal, calling out that that the comfort level dropped dramatically (to less than 35%) for problems related to substances and alcohol. “If you’re an employer and you’re trying to understand how to get more people engaged, you have to get past the stigma. You have to create a safe environment for employees to raise their hand and ask for help.” he said.How Can Employers Help?Fruchey offered a few key questions to start: Is substance use treatment included in your benefits program? Do your employees feel comfortable asking for help? Does your company have a recovery-friendly culture or employee resource groups to offer support without repercussions? Create an environment where employees feel safe asking for this type of help.Analyze your benefits program for any gaps in substance use treatment, he says. People fall on what Fruchey calls a spectrum of acuity, which dictates the level of support or care that they need based on their position within the disease state. You can review healthcare and pharmacy claim data to identify potential risks. If you see more high-impact claims, people may not be as involved in substance use treatment at the earlier phase of the disease.Learning how to assist employees in navigating the stages of change—from recognizing to admitting to addressing a problem—is crucial, Fruchey says. “We know that there are all kinds of positive results from getting somebody into recovery. They turn over half as much. They miss 14 less days of work. They spend $16,000 a year less on health care. If you can get somebody to engage in a program around substance use treatment, there are all kinds of benefits for themselves and their families and you as the employer.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Pelago, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight.Jessica Swenson is a freelance writer based in the Midwest. Learn more about her at https://www.jmswensonllc.com.(Photos by Rick Friedman for From Day One)
The Personalized Benefits Playbook: How Smart Companies Can Win with LSAs
BY Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza May 02, 2025“We’ve had over 100 years to perfect our company’s culture, and we found that the wellness program is truly part of the strategic plan within our company,” said Whitney Ayers, wellness program manager at Garver, an engineering, planning, and environmental services firm founded in 1919.The program, which has become a cornerstone of the company’s benefits, includes a $300 health reimbursement employees can use at their discretion. Despite its importance, there were ways in which the company hadn’t modernized the program in decades. Chiefly, its administration, which Ayers was still juggling across spreadsheets, costing her hours on tedious, manual tasks, she shared during a From Day One webinar.Employers would send receipts to Ayers, who would log them in an Excel spreadsheet by employee ID, make a few (manual) computations for tax purposes, then forward it to finance—a process that was becoming increasingly untenable as the workforce grew from 450 to 1,300 workers over about seven years. “Finally, I was like, ‘man, I’m doing a disservice to the wellness program because I’m not able to spend quality time on the strategic planning of my program. I’m spending so much time on administrative work.” Verdino of Forma spoke with Ayers of Garver during the webinar about "The Personalized Benefits Playbook" (photo by From Day One)Garver’s insurance broker proposed a solution: a lifestyle spending account, or LSA. These are flexible, customizable, employer-funded spending accounts employees can use for a wide array perks largely determined by the employer. With theirs, Garver funds perks like home gym equipment, nutrition programs, and fitness subscriptions. “LSAs are about employees being able to access things that matter most to them and bring value to their lives in various ways,” said Amanda Verdino of Forma, the LSA platform Garver brought on to lift the administrative burden and polish the program. “They’re super personalized, where everyone can access what matters most to them in a way that feels really valuable and meaningful.”After the switch to an LSA, “the administrative burden went down to zero, which was amazing,” said Ayers. “I’m saving countless hours from having to do manual work, and it’s helping decrease human error.” Now, Ayers has time to focus work on cost-effectiveness and planning. When the CFO calls to ask exactly what the company is spending on health reimbursements, Ayers can answer right away, and in detail. “We have a 97.8% participation rate in our wellness program,” Ayers said. “We provide an insurance premium discount, and 97.8% of those employees earned that discount, not only last year, but also in 2023.” Garver also sees better health outcomes as a result of the improved program—which pairs preventative care with perks like the LSA that allow employees to get healthy how they want to.“With the introduction of the lifestyle spending account, just last year we were able to invest in our people and pay out $233,000 in health reimbursements. That’s a 110% increase,” said Ayers. “The engineers checked my math.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Forma, for sponsoring this webinar.Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza is an independent journalist and From Day One contributing editor who writes about business and the world of work. Her work has appeared in the Economist, the BBC, The Washington Post, Inc., and Business Insider, among others. She is the recipient of a Virginia Press Association award for business and financial journalism.(Photo by mapo/iStock)
Shaping Benefits to Be Competitive Everywhere in the World
BY Carrie Snider April 30, 2025Benefits used to be pretty cut and dry, but the modern workforce has realized something about themselves. They want a holistic approach that touches every part of their well-being.“You really have to give employees a plethora and a full program of benefits,” said Diane Young, head of global benefits at Teradata. Young spoke during a fireside chat at From Day One’s Boston half-day benefits conference, interviewed by Callum Borchers, Wall Street Journal columnist on careers and work lives.These offerings should include physical, emotional, and social needs. Not only that, but each person is unique in what they need in each of those areas. “You could have somebody that you’re hiring who’s 21 years old or who’s 63 years old. What’s important to one person is going to be very different for somebody else,” she said. Benefits like well-being days, flexible time off, and birthday holidays are also ways to make employees feel valued and excited about joining a company, says Young. “It’s really meeting everybody where they are in their career and their stage of life.”Where You Work MattersOne thing the pandemic did was propel virtual and hybrid work into overdrive. The result? Much of the workforce now prefers virtual work. As such, flexible work arrangements are no longer just “nice to have”—they’re becoming a major competitive advantage.Diane Young, head of global benefits at Teradata, was interviewed“The best bang for the buck right now is definitely virtual work,” Young said. “If you’re giving the company and the employees the opportunity to work virtually, you can really hire the best talent. You’re not stuck to one location.” Especially for a company looking to compete worldwide, it’s a huge benefit.While many companies are pushing employees to return to the office, those that continue to offer virtual options stand out to potential employees. “For those companies that say you can work virtually flexibly, anywhere you want, it’s going to be a huge differentiator.” Still, there can be benefits from in-person, so she suggested that companies make sure they work around that to include the benefit of mentorship.“When you’re young in your career, it’s sometimes nice to have somebody sitting right next to you,” Young said. “You really have to have an open door if you’re working virtually.”Minimum Global Standards With operations in more than three dozen countries, Teradata uses global minimum standards to ensure consistency and fairness across markets.“A global minimum standard is basically saying, what do we stand for as a company, and what’s the minimum that we want to give to all employees?” Young said. “It is a guiding light. It helps us design benefits. It helps me say yes to benefits—and it also helps me say no.”One example is life insurance, which can vary wildly across the globe. Young said they used to offer life insurance benefits based on the country. But it can be complicated and inconsistent with that approach. “Let’s have a level playing field,” she said.Young highlighted the importance of balancing local regulations and competitive expectations while holding to company values: “I keep saying we’re one company—a whole employee in one company.”Culture Is Crucial for BenefitsEven the best-designed benefits package can fail without a strong, supportive culture behind it. Teradata has an unlimited paid time off policy, but it takes nurturing for that to work. “We have a culture of trust at our company, and because of that, we trust our employees. We trust them to take their time and not abuse it,” Young said. One key to it working? Leadership plays a key role. “If you see everybody working 60 hours a week and nobody’s taking a vacation, it’s not going to work.” Culture also matters when it comes to personal, meaningful benefits like pet bereavement leave. Even with unlimited PTO, recognizing a pet’s death explicitly in policy sends a message of empathy and care—qualities increasingly important to workers. They also offer the day off for an employee’s birthday.As Young emphasized, “It’s about designing benefits for the whole employee—and creating a place where people want to stay and grow.”Carrie Snider is a Phoenix-based journalist and marketing copywriter.(Photos by Rick Friedman for From Day One)
The Brand Manager’s Nightmare: Is Every Purchase Decision Now a Political One?
BY Bill Saporito April 30, 2025Starting May 12, Avelo Airlines, a budget carrier, is scheduled to begin flights chartered by the U.S. government to fly from Mesa, Ariz., to El Salvador. The Boeing 737s will be carrying not vacationers but people, in shackles, who are being deported, destined for a known hellhole of a prison.Even before the plane took off, Avelo had touched down in a public relations fiasco. Avelo said it was proud to assist the government, yet all but stated that it needed the business. The company is a startup, an Ultra Low Cost Carrier (ULCC) that operates out of secondary airports such as Wilmington, Del. Avelo quickly became the target of a boycott by groups in Delaware, as well as Connecticut and California, where it operates, who accused the airline of transporting people who were being deported without due process. For that same reason, Connecticut’s attorney general, Will Tong, threatened Avelo’s tax breaks and subsidies.A higher-profile company, Tesla, has learned the cost of the controversy created by its CEO, Elon Musk, who spent $250 million to help elect Donald Trump president and then fired tens of thousands of federal workers in his role as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).The world’s richest man has lost some $150 billion in wealth this year as shares in his car company continue to fall. Tesla reported that its profits dropped 71% and revenue from car ales declined 20% in the first quarter as customers abandoned a brand once viewed as progressive and eco-friendly. But Musk’s ties to Trump have made the Tesla brand toxic. The used car market is flush with Teslas, as owners abandon the company. Tesla owners who can’t afford to unload them display bumper stickers proclaiming, “I bought this before Elon went crazy.”For other companies caught one way or another in the political crossfire—Target, Anheuser-Busch, Costco—it’s a year that offers lots of bad options concerning brand and reputational risk as America’s politics continue get more strained. And pained.Even America as a brand is in play, the golden door having been slammed shut, the world leader now becoming isolationist. The president of the U.S. dissing Canada, geography’s nicest neighbors, has set off a boycott by Canadian tourists that is already apparent in places like Las Vegas, New York, and Florida. Within this political maelstrom, companies are trying to figure out whether consumers are going to turn every purchase decision into a political one. As for me, I'm just trying to buy paper towels on the cheap. Does my cereal choice really have to be a commentary on the Trump Administration? Can’t a hamburger just be a hamburger? Increasingly, the answer is no.The Hazard of Getting Outside the Brand FitOf all the corporate jobs I wouldn’t want to have right now—other than DEI director—brand manager might be one of them. This used to be a fairly straightforward assignment. If you are in charge of say, Ivory Soap, your job is to make sure the brand speaks to purity, cleanliness and motherhood.But in our over-politicized world, virtue signaling and value signaling can trip over each other. And when they do, there’s trouble. We saw this happen, most spectacularly, when Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Lite brand decided to do a promotion with a transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. There was an actual brand fit—Bud Lite has a longstanding marketing presence in the LBGTQ community, just as it does in deep red areas. And given that Bud Lite had run some pretty insipid creative in the past (and I’m talking about you, Spuds MacKenzie), this promotion should have had a half-life of about 30 seconds.But Bud’s umbrella brand image of traditional American masculinity—all of it pulled by Clydesdale horses—was too much for MAGA America, which staged a loud boycott. Bud Lite’s sales tanked until the company counter-programmed with the reddest of red, white and blue advertising. Gay and trans people are still drinking Bud Lite, presumably, but you are just not going to see that highlighted as much. You can call A-B a coward for being bullied, but brands, and the companies behind them, adjust their identities at considerable peril. Consider what happened to BP, the British oil giant that tried to reposition itself as a green energy company. Then its Texas refinery blew up, revealing the firm’s horrible environmental record. Granted, oil companies did green energy pantomime during the Biden Administration, but they are suddenly oil-and-gas companies again, as opposed to the energy companies.And maybe that kind of honesty is preferable. Resource extraction is a dirty business. If you’re driving a gasoline-powered auto, maybe you shouldn’t expect chlorophyl from a hydrocarbon seller; just fill’er up, shut up, and drive.But if you want to know how to do down-and-dirty, there’s Waste Management, now known as WM, which has managed to raise trash removal to some kind of sacred environmental mission. WM’s communications all but scream, “We love garbage!” It’s a clear corporate statement that shareholders and other constituencies can understand.How Much Leeway Does a Brand Have?A company’s brand or trademark is often explained in terms of permission: What does your brand or logo allow you to offer customers? Being Budweiser gives you permission to market the beer made by a company founded by a German immigrant—that is now part of a Belgian-Brazilian conglomerate—as All-American. But Anheuser-Busch earned that permission over the last 100 years of brand communication. What it doesn’t permit you to do is engage in identity politics, at least not today.And not every brand-marketing failure is caused by controversy. In the 1980s the old-line retailer Sears, Roebuck bought Dean Witter, an old-line stockbroker. The reasoning was that consumers would gladly buy stocks where they buy socks. Because both firms were trusted, went the logic. But people didn’t shop for equities and power tools the same way, wouldn’t you know. Sears had neither mission nor permission to sell stocks.Costco, on the other hand, is an example of a company that had permission from its customers to freely reject the anti-DEI initiatives of the Trump Administration. From its beginning as a membership wholesale club, Costco was green, liberal, worker-friendly and an absolutely first-rate operation. Customers love the place because cheap groceries and merchandising magic are bipartisan. There was no red drain from Costco’s coffers, because the company and its culture were behaving in the way that co-founder Jim Sinegal had executed from the start.Target employees marching in the New York City Pride Parade in 2017. When Target stepped away from its DEI commitments earlier this year, a boycott broke out (Photo by Aneese/iStock by Getty Images) On the other hand, poor Target, the midwestern retailer that’s been a favorite of young families, managed to catch it from both the left and the right by trying to please both. Target’s decision to back away from its DEI program, which included supporting gay rights, infuriated the soccer-mom set as well as Black shoppers. The ensuing boycott has hurt in-store traffic, down 9% in February and 6.5% in March vs. the prior year, compelled CEO Brian Cornell to seek a meeting with Black leaders to try to repair the damage. The company pledged to buy $2 billion from Black-owned suppliers. But not everyone in the community is onboard.Then we’ve got Ben & Jerry’s, where the corporate owner, the Dutch conglomerate Unilever, just fired the CEO for being too political, even though the brand has a stated mandate to be socially progressive. This in the context of Unilever's decision to sell its ice-cream portfolio, which the company carefully assembled and artfully mismanaged. Co-founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield have offered to buy back the company and return the brand to its progressive roots. Set Chunky Monkey free! That might not matter to people who just want some chocolate ice cream. But if you are part of the company and its community, you care a lot, because the politics are part of the culture.That’s why nobody expects Patagonia to be anything but a fierce environmental steward, because that’s exactly the company that Yves Chouinard created. How fierce? In 2021, Patagonia pulled its business from the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort after a then-owner hosted a fundraiser for far-right, which is to say anti-green, Republicans.Essentially, Patagonia fired one of its prestige customers. You might label that decision as extreme, but it’s also an example of a company living up to its culture and mission. Over the long term, there may be way more value in reinforcing the mission than losing a customer.Bill Saporito is an editor at large at Inc. magazine whose work has also appeared in the New York Times and Washington Post. Previously, he worked as an assistant managing editor at Time magazine and as a senior editor at Fortune. He has written for From Day One on the power gap among labor unions, the myth of the “woke” corporation, and the perils of getting technology and people misaligned.(Featured photo: People take part in a protest on March 2025 outside of the Tesla centre at Park Royal in West London, as part of a campaign encouraging customers to boycott Tesla. Photo by Stefan Rousseau/Associated Press)
Supporting a Proactive Approach to Well-Being at Work
BY Lisa Jaffe April 30, 2025“The pandemic shed a spotlight on mental health,” said Jon Shimp, head of sales at Calm. “People are a little bit more forthright and a little bit more comfortable saying, ‘I might need some help.’”Now, post-pandemic, organizations are continuing to reassess how they support employees in a world that continues to evolve. Speaking at From Day One’s Seattle conference, Shimp offered insight into how employee well-being has shifted in the last five years, and how employers can meet workers where they are now.During the early days of Covid, organizations scrambled to provide access to care in any way possible. “Everyone grabbed everything off the shelf,” Shimp said, referring to the wave of benefit vendors that companies brought in to quickly address rising employee needs. That rush made sense in a remote-first, crisis-driven environment. But today, Shimp says, the landscape is shifting from reaction to reflection. Employers are stepping back to evaluate what’s working, any duplications and how to develop a more cohesive strategy.That early-pandemic rush to offer mental health solutions has, in many cases, led to “vendor fatigue.” Employers may now offer dozens of digital health tools, but that doesn’t mean employees know how, or why, to use them.Jon Shimp of Calm was interviewed during the thought leadership spotlight “If you’ve got 20 or 25 different point solutions, how do employees navigate that?” Shimp posed. The challenge isn’t just access, but also awareness, engagement and relevance. Personalization and clarity are critical, and making it easier to find care in a safe and welcoming way is the only way to succeed.Some demographics, such as middle-aged men, are historically less likely to engage with mental health solutions. “We don’t wake up thinking, ‘I should check my benefits for help with how I’m feeling,’” Shimp said. Addressing these gaps means meeting users where they are with approachable language, strategic outreach and even snail mail campaigns designed to reach the entire household.Not all employees experience mental health in the same way. There are distinct differences between cohorts, whether by role, demographic or geography. Frontline workers may face different stressors than corporate staff. Educational and manufacturing sectors have different baseline needs. Tailoring messaging, onboarding and support mechanisms is essential. Leadership, too, plays a role in creating a culture that supports mental health. “When leaders show vulnerability, it signals to their teams that it’s OK to feel down or to need help,” he said. He likened this transparency to conversations he has with his teenage sons to normalize emotional struggles and assure them they are manageable.From Crisis to PreventionOne misconception is that mental health support is mostly about acute care, therapy or psychiatry. But Shimp says that for most people, it’s more about prevention.“Two-thirds of our users are doing okay; they’re not in crisis,” he said. “But they are experiencing episodic issues like grief, stress, or life transitions.” Someone who just had a knee transplant may be upset about not being able to go for a daily run; a menopausal woman may have trouble regulating her emotions, and supporting them with tools to prevent decline is as important as treating a crisis.That’s where Calm Health differentiates itself. While the Calm app is widely known for meditation and sleep stories, Calm Health is a more comprehensive platform. It leverages the consumer trust built by Calm and adds a clinical layer designed for employers. At the core is personalization. “The ethos is the mind-body connection,” said Shimp. Onboarding is a guided experience supported by video, interactive prompts, and thoughtful design.Users are asked about their physical health goals like managing diabetes or weight loss, mental health status via clinically validated PHQ and GAD screeners, and life stages. Based on these responses, Calm Health creates tailored experiences.“If someone is diabetic, wants to lose weight, and shows moderate depression, we provide content related to all of those needs,” Shimp said. The app can even connect users to external benefit programs their employer offers, whether that’s a weight loss platform or access to therapy via a partner provider.This kind of tailored, preventive care, like a 5 minute meditation, can keep users grounded and reduce the likelihood of more serious issues later on. “Anything that introduces people to care early on is a win,” he said.When asked about return on investment, Shimp acknowledged that most ROI models in healthcare, especially in digital health, are hard to validate fully. “Most are based on cost avoidance,” he noted, like preventing joint replacement. “But did you help someone avoid surgery, or did they lose 50 pounds on their own?”Focus on engagement as a proxy for success instead, he says. Metrics like registration rates, completion of onboarding, and consistent app usage help Calm Health measure whether the platform is delivering on its promise.As mental health becomes a lasting component of employee well-being, the narrative is shifting from reactive crisis care to proactive, personalized support. The pandemic may have forced the conversation, but forward-thinking employers are now using the moment to rethink, refine, and recommit to the mental well-being of their people. “Anything we can do to keep someone from sliding down the continuum is a win–for them and for the organization.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Calm, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight.Lisa Jaffe is a freelance writer who lives in Seattle with her son and a very needy rescue dog named Ellie Bee. She enjoys reading, long walks on the beach, and trying to get better at ceramics.(Photos by Josh Larson for From Day One)
Making Healthcare Work: Small Changes to Your Benefits Strategy That Deliver Big Impact
BY Stephanie Reed April 29, 2025“It’s very clear that employees aren’t just demanding better benefits, but they’re demanding a better experience from health care,” said Katie Blakemore, the director of events at Accolade.Post-pandemic, the prevailing reality is that thriving organizations offer comprehensive benefits. Yet, changes in healthcare spending challenge sustainability. The costs have reached an all-time high in 13 years, increasing by 8%. What tools, principles, and methods can pave the way to solutions with significant impact? Can benefits leaders find quality care while avoiding excessive costs projected to reach an increase of 9-10% in 2026? During a From Day One webinar, leaders from Accolade came together to share actionable tactics that address these key challenges. “What members, we believe, want most is simplicity and clarity,” said Kristen Bruzek, the senior vice president of service delivery at Accolade. Accolade, a healthcare solutions organization combining technology and care advocacy by physician-led teams, has refined modern care navigation. This effective strategy avoids complex delays and unnecessary spending, she says.AI is transforming healthcare navigation by revealing data patterns, reducing friction, and getting the right resources to employees faster—helping organizations spot gaps, predict risks, and improve outcomes. Ava, Accolade’s virtual assistant, answers questions, checks benefits, identifies local providers, and confirms basic claims, the speakers shared. The organization has seen a 6% increase in member satisfaction by engaging with Ava. Further, Accolade’s more complex AI-driven health engine picks up on at-risk members to deliver more urgent and personalized care team outreach. To demonstrate this process, consider a member flagged for diabetes or an issue concerning their mental health. The system alert will help care advocates immediately direct that member to the right primary care provider or behavioral clinician. By spotting at-risk employees as early as possible using data-driven insights, employers can avoid unnecessary costs and adverse health events for employees.Personalization and Human Connection Combining data-driven insights with hyper-personalization leads to greater employee engagement and utilization outcomes.Accolade introduces the virtual assistant as a quick self-service tool and provides more personalized onboarding via multiple channels to help members learn about their care options. Multiple channels let employers meet employees where they are. Members can engage with personalized support by several means: phone calls, video calls, or asynchronous messaging.Human connectivity holistically encapsulates and addresses concerns using a hyper-personalized approach. For example, Ava can pick up on specific details or keywords during a chat with a member that indicates they are physically or mentally at risk. Emotionally challenging and complex feedback alerts the system of that member’s position, says Bruzek. The virtual assistant then flags the member and coordinates a meeting with a nurse on their care team for more personalized guidance.Ferega spoke with Accolade colleagues on innovation in healthcare benefits (company photo)“We can recognize that and get them to an advocate or a nurse right away through the voice channel or digital if the member prefers to stay there,” said Liz Ferega, senior vice president of customer success. The human element remains essential alongside technology. HR leaders identify the most effective tools, channels, and benefits programs—and they’re the ones who can validate real-world impact, like fewer ER visits or improved chronic care. Only a human can truly judge whether a tool is both intuitive and educational, and HR leaders are best positioned to ensure AI reflects the user’s perspective accurately.“The care is higher quality from the start and being able to help a member get to that is critical. With that being said, the human connection will still be a core part of everything that we do,” said Ferega. Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Accolade, for sponsoring this webinar.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.(Photo by LALAKA/Shutterstock)