Burnout, debt, disconnection: today’s workforce is carrying more than just job responsibilities. And when these pressures surface, it’s managers who are expected to respond first—and best.

At From Day One’s NYC half-day benefits conference, a panel of experts tackled a pressing question: How can companies better equip their managers to support employees holistically? From emotional intelligence to creative financial wellness tools, the conversation revealed why empowering managers may be the smartest investment a company can make.

Mental Health First Aid

Equipping managers with the tools to support employee mental health and financial wellness may be one of the most powerful moves a company can make, says panelist Sean Masterman, VP of global employer sales at Calm.

“Managers are the frontline of employee experience,” Masterman said. “Training them in mental health first aid helps create a ripple effect across the organization. It starts to normalize conversations around mental health and builds psychological safety.”

One effective starting point for those conversations? Sleep.

“Sleep is the number one reason people come to Calm,” Masterman said. “It’s a non-threatening entry point into broader discussions around mental health, and it helps reduce the stigma.”

Masterman also emphasized the connection between financial wellness and mental health, noting that financial stress is a top contributor to poor sleep and overall well-being. “We’re not just talking about financial literacy,” he said. “We’re talking about helping people understand their relationship with money—how it affects them emotionally and mentally.”

Engagement with mental health resources can vary across generations, and Calm is developing content to reflect that. “Gen Z is deeply impacted by financial insecurity,” Masterman said. “That’s why we’re creating content that speaks to people at different life stages and helps them feel seen.”

Stretching Budgets to Support Employees

Employers today are eager to support their workforce’s financial wellness, but many face significant budget constraints and market volatility. 

“Companies are desperately trying to solve this problem,” said panelist Aaron Shapiro, founder of Carver Edison, a financial wellness company. “They see the data. They know how important financial wellness is, but there’s a lack of tools. Budgets are fixed, and especially over the past couple months, there’s more pressure than ever to become more efficient, increase earnings for shareholders, [and] more volatility in the market.”

This tension creates a tricky balancing act for businesses. Many financial wellness programs offer value to employees, but at a cost that directly impacts the company’s budget. 

“For every dollar of value that’s typically delivered to employees through some financial wellness programs, it’s typically $1 of expense for the company,” Shapiro said. “So you launch a program, things are going well, but then the market shifts, budgets get tightened, and you have to figure out a way to make money go further.”

Despite these challenges, innovative solutions can break this zero-sum cycle. “If we can help companies break out of that cycle, it unlocks a whole new level of possibilities and really gives companies an incredibly unfair advantage, not just from a retention perspective, but also in being able to play offense when the world is playing defense,” he said.

One example is Carver Edison’s product, Cashless Participation, which helps employees boost their income without increasing company costs. 

“Over 87% of employees that use Cashless Participation say that it’s a more valuable financial benefit than some of the others being offered at their company,” Shapiro said. “It not only helps free up disposable income for those employees but gives them a whole new level of flexibility when it comes to managing all of the other financial priorities they have in their lives.”

By tailoring financial wellness programs to fit both employee needs and company realities, organizations can better support their teams—even when budgets are tight.

Emotional Intelligence in Management

A key challenge for many organizations today is ensuring managers possess a high level of emotional intelligence (EQ) to effectively support their teams. Panelist Allison Roberts, senior director of HR at Interpublic Group, emphasized that true engagement goes beyond just overseeing work. 

“They need to have a high level of EQ managers, and what it looks like is truly engaging with your employees and showing them that you do care about them, not just about their work, but about them as a person,” she said.

Roberts noted that emotional intelligence is often overlooked when promoting employees into management roles. This gap can lead to managers who lack the necessary skills to provide meaningful support, especially in today’s increasingly complex workplace.

To address this, IPG has invested in education and training. Their learning and development team has been doing a lot over the last few years on EQ training for managers to help with understanding different dynamics.  Specifically, a wide variety of generations in the workplace together, she added. This kind of training not only equips managers to better relate to diverse teams but also fosters an environment where employees feel truly supported.

Roberts also highlighted the importance of leaders modeling emotional intelligence themselves. “For leaders, it’s about modeling desired behavior, and we get them engaged, then the employees will see and they’ll engage more. And a little bit of self-disclosure as well helps with opening those doors for employees to feel a little bit more comfortable engaging.”

Holistic Approach to Employee Well-Being

Especially in sectors like healthcare, supporting employees requires more than just traditional benefits. Panelist Lindsey Garito, AVP of total rewards at Montefiore Health System, talked about the importance of addressing well-being from a holistic perspective. 

“Financial health and financial well-being isn’t just about finances. It affects our physical health, our mental health,” she said. This interconnectedness means organizations must consider all aspects of an employee’s life when designing support systems.

Garito also shared a powerful reminder: “The workplace is not a car wash. It’s not a place where you enter the doors and you’re suddenly cleansed of everything that’s going on in your life.” This insight underscores the reality that employees bring their whole selves to work, carrying personal challenges alongside their professional responsibilities. For healthcare workers, this can be especially demanding given the nature of their roles.

To address these needs, Montefiore’s team focuses on proactive communication and accessible resources. They educate employees and managers and HR partners about available tools, Garito said, “making sure that they’re fully equipped to understand all of what we offer.” This approach helps ensure that support is consistent and reaches all levels of the organization.

During Financial Literacy Month, Montefiore took extra steps to engage employees with a variety of workshops and on-site fairs, providing “face to face time with employees” that helps break down barriers to accessing benefits. “We get a lot of direct feedback from the employees about what they need and what they’re looking for, and then that helps inform our strategy,” Garito said.

Supporting employee mental health and financial wellness is no longer optional—it is a strategic imperative for organizations committed to thriving in today’s dynamic world. By investing in manager training, fostering emotional intelligence, and implementing creative financial wellness solutions, companies can build a culture of psychological safety and holistic well-being. As these approaches take hold, managers become powerful catalysts for change, enabling employees to bring their whole selves to work and navigate life’s challenges with greater confidence. 

Carrie Snider is a Phoenix-based journalist and marketing copywriter.

(Photos by Hason Castell for From Day One)