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The Keys to Building Future-Ready Leadership, From Potential to Power

BY Ade Akin September 26, 2025

Sonic Automotive, a major U.S. retailer with over 150 car dealerships, recognized it had a tremendous problem a decade ago. The traditional car-buying experience was fraught with pain points for consumers, negatively impacting sales. The organization decided to tackle the problem head-on and ran a customer focus group to understand what part of the sales process needed to be changed. Their findings were clear: the company couldn’t keep hiring the same type of sales reps they’d always targeted.“We knew we couldn’t hire the same type of people we'd been hiring,” Douglas Bryant, the vice president of talent management, training, and recruiting at Sonic Automotive, said.Bryant went on to describe how Sonic Automotive revolutionized its hiring practices during a From Day One webinar titled “The Keys to Building Future-Ready Leadership: From Potential to Power,” moderated by Rebecca Knight, a contributing columnist at Harvard Business Review. He was joined by Dan Miller, a solutions architect at talent intelligence firm SHL, which Sonic partnered with to transform its sales staff. The findings of Sonic Automotive’s focus group led to the launch of Echo Park, a used-vehicle retail chain built on a new customer-centric model. It also revolutionized how the organization recruited talent, moving away from gut feelings to a science-based approach that yielded highly profitable results. The Counterintuitive Path to SuccessSonic Automotive’s initial assumptions about what characteristics defined a successful salesperson were upended. Standard practice in the industry at the time was to hire based on demographic factors and previous experience, with the hiring manager’s intuition guiding the process. The company collaborated with SHL to conduct studies that defined what a “good” salesperson really looked like. They analyzed various factors like military experience, previous sales history, and college degrees. The result was startling. “Our hiring managers liked hiring through gut instinct. They think they know what good talent looks like,” Bryant said. “The silver bullet was the SHL assessment. That was the only thing that loaded and correlated to success.”Journalist Rebecca Knight moderated the session with Dan Miller of SHL and Douglas Bryant of Sonic Automotive (photo by From Day One)The surprises kept coming. When Sonic Automotive opened a call center to handle customer appointments, the assumption was that new hires should come from sales backgrounds. However, the data showed reps with sales backgrounds performed worse. “We found out there was an inverse correlation between those sales abilities and the number of appointments set,” Bryant added. “We were totally hiring the wrong folks.” Instead, multitasking and customer service skills were the true predictors of success.The Tangible Results of a Skills-Based ApproachThe impact of Sonic Automotive's move to a psychometric assessment-based hiring system was tremendous. By setting the cutoff score at the 30th percentile, Sonic’s small recruiting team was able to manage over 100,000 applications a year and present hiring managers with only the top two or three candidates. The benefits of embracing a data-driven approach were undeniable. One initial study revealed that salespeople who were in the top 70% on the assessment sold an average of five cars per month. “That may not sound like a lot, but if you extrapolate that out across 150 stores, it was $100 million net to the bottom line,” Bryant said.The benefits of the new hiring system also extended to employee engagement and retention, giving Sonic a significant advantage in an industry where turnover rates are usually around 60%. Sonic’s turnover rate plunged to as low as 20%, while employee engagement and customer service metrics are now at all-time highs across its divisions. Identifying the Skills That Actually MatterThe key to Sonic Automotive identifying the type of salespeople its customers actually wanted was focusing on enduring behavioral skills, rather than gut feelings. SHL measures 96 different behavioral skills in its assessments, which are grouped into 20 core competencies and 8 major categories.“When we think about the skills that we want to focus on in predicting long-term success, it tends to be best to focus on those skills that are more durable, such as things like collaboration or adaptability or critical thinking,” Miller said. These are more predictive than resume-based factors or self-reported skill levels.For example, a broad personality trait like extroversion is broken down into more specific categories like networking or presentation skills. “When we’re thinking about fit to a particular role, we tend to focus on those skills,” Miller added. “When we’re thinking about something like broad future potential, that’s when we focus more on those broad personality traits.”One of the most sought-after skills hiring managers look for today is learning agility, the capacity to learn from experience and apply those lessons to new situations. SHL developed a “re-skilling potential assessment” to measure this trait. “It’s designed to capture how quickly someone can learn and grow and improve in those areas,” Miller said. It helps identify individuals who can rapidly adapt and close skill gaps.Overhauling Culture and Overcoming ResistanceSonic Automotive’s transition to a new hiring system came with its share of challenges. The company had to overhaul its entire sales culture to reinforce the collaborative skills its assessments identified. “In a traditional car dealership, the salespeople are really pitted against each other,” Bryant said. The company changed pay plans, reporting structures, and incentives to reward teamwork over individual cut-throat competition.Convincing skeptical managers that it was time to change the hiring process required a data-driven approach. Sonic Automotive allowed for exceptions but tracked them meticulously. “I kept track of these exceptions, and then I’d watch our term list,” Bryant said. He would follow up with managers whenever they had to fire one of their “exception” hires, and the results spoke for themselves over time. Bryant says these managers will not hire anyone without an assessment score. The data-driven approach also helped eliminate personal bias from the hiring process, leading to a more diverse workforce. Bryant notes that recent engagement surveys show that female employees now score higher than their male counterparts, a reversal from past years. The Future: AI, Mobility, and Enduring SkillsMiller and Bryant both addressed the impact of artificial intelligence on the hiring process and skills sought. SHL is incorporating AI into its platforms and conducting research to identify who can use it best, says Miller. The study includes assessing both the technical and behavioral skills needed to leverage AI effectively. “The leaders of tomorrow are not going to be managing a solely human workforce,” Knight said. Miller agreed, emphasizing the need for skills that complement AI.The next step for Sonic Automotive is using these assessments for internal talent development and mobility. “We're starting to view the assessments and the data, using [them] more and more for development after you join Sonic,” Bryant said. SHL’s talent mobility platform allows employees to explore roles within the organization that might be a good fit, providing them with autonomy over their career paths and boosting retention.Bryant’s advice for organizations hesitant to embrace a skill-based approach to hiring is to lean on the data. Sonic Automotive’s decade-long transformation shows us that challenging long-held assumptions with concrete data creates a more efficient workforce that’s more engaged, more diverse, and more prepared for the future. Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, SHL, for sponsoring this webinar.Ade Akin covers workplace wellness, HR trends, and digital health solutions.(Photo by RealPeopleGroup/iStock)

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How Companies Are Tackling Employee Financial Instability With Emergency Savings

BY Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza September 25, 2025

As of 2024, 37% of American adults say they would struggle to cover an unexpected $400 expense. Financial precariousness shows up in the workplace as stress, disengagement, and turnover. Increasingly, companies are realizing that 401(k)s aren’t enough to ensure financial stability. Workers need short-term safety nets, too. That’s why a growing number of employers are experimenting with emergency savings programs.At specialty grocer The Fresh Market, a routine employee survey revealed that financial wellness—not physical or emotional health—was workers’ top concern. What followed was a pilot program that helped employees build lasting savings habits and avoid relying on costly paycheck advances.‘We See Emergency Savings as a Foundational First Step’Every year, Paula Stop, the director of total rewards at The Fresh Market, surveys employees about what benefits they would like to see in the coming year. In 2022, she asked which of the following forms of wellness was most important: physical, financial, social, or emotional. “We were surprised,” she said during a From Day One webinar about emergency savings at work. “The top selection overall was financial wellness.”Stop investigated and found that use of the company’s earned wage access platform was high—higher than she was comfortable with. Clearly, employees were struggling with cash, and they needed a better option than regular advances on their paycheck.That’s when The Fresh Market tapped their long-time partner Commonwealth, a national nonprofit whose mission is to make access to financial security and wealth-building common and accessible. Having an emergency savings account is the first step to financial security, said Charvi Gandotra, the organization’s senior director. Without that cushion, people overly rely on paycheck advances, 401(k) loans and hardship withdrawals, and predatory loans. For some, it shows up in tax levies and wage garnishments. “Because life happens, people tap into some of those longer-term retirement solutions, and that’s what we are trying to prevent,” said Gandotra, “We’re trying to help strengthen. We see [emergency savings] as a foundational first step.”Leaders spoke about "Emergency Savings at Work: How Employers Are Tackling America's Financial Safety" in the session moderated by Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza (photo by From Day One)Stop and Gandotra decided to add SoFi to the partnership. The Fresh Market had already been working with the digital bank for its student loan refinancing program, and Sarah McLemore, the senior director and business lead at SoFi, was ready to jump in and help. Emergency savings is often a great compliment to wage access, she says. “Earned wage access can be great in terms of avoiding going into deep debt. But on the flip side, you’re not teaching people how to save and prepare for big bills. They’re just going to get money when you need it. This is a nice one-two punch.” Rolling Out Emergency SavingsThey began with a pilot in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and the Florida Panhandle, areas where earned wage access was highest. The program let employees split their direct deposit at the time of payroll, and over the course of a campaign to encourage savings, the share of paycheck contributed to the program grew from 6% to 8%. Three months later, employees had retained their gains. The habit was sticking.When The Fresh Market rolled out the program to all employees, it matched a $75 direct deposit with a $75 company contribution. The incentive structure was a huge success for the grocer. Engagement is best when communication is clear and consistent and incentives are attainable, though McLemore noted that plenty of employers launch successful programs without a company match.The type of savings program that worked for employees at The Fresh Market may not work for employees at the next company, Gandotra says. “The starting point for employers is doing  research, understanding what an employee’s needs and priorities are. Let’s identify some gaps in the financial benefits program, and then let’s figure out how to fill those gaps.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, SoFi at Work, 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. She is the host of How to Be Anything, the podcast about people with unusual jobs.(Photo by designer491/iStock)

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Coaching as a Catalyst: Learning for Lasting Skill Development

BY Christopher O'Keeffe September 19, 2025

As technology accelerates and workplace skills face rapid disruption, “there are still a significant number of current skills that are going to continue to become irrelevant or to be radically transformed by 2035. It’s not speculative hype,” said Jen Paterno, senior behavioral scientist at CoachHub, during a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s August virtual conference. That shift isn’t just a matter of outdated knowledge. It’s a sign that new skills are rising faster than most organizations can absorb them. “It’s not that old skills die, it’s that new skills rise faster than most organizations can integrate them,” Paterno said.The stakes are high. According to the World Economic Forum, nearly 40% of workers’ core skills are expected to change by 2030. Employers are investing heavily in upskilling and reskilling programs, yet many find that learning still falls short of driving lasting change on the job.From Learning Events to Lasting ChangeToo often, organizations mistake training for transformation. “The most common mistake we see is we go from seeing learning as a process to seeing it as an event,” Paterno said. That means workers attend workshops or complete online modules, but the knowledge doesn’t stick.Jen Paterno of CoachHub led the thought leadership spotlight (photo by From Day One)Science backs that up. The Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve reminds us that seventy percent of learning is forgotten within a day if not applied, and only 12% of employees say they regularly use what they learn on the job, according to research from Harvard Business Review. The result is a familiar pattern: companies spend billions on training that fails to produce sustained behavior change.What’s missing, Paterno says, is a bridge. “We aren’t facing a learning problem. We’re facing an integration problem,” she said. That’s where coaching enters the picture.Coaching, Paterno says, doesn’t simply teach skills—it helps employees embed them by unlocking the emotional drivers behind behavior change. Drawing on research from Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman, she noted that humans make decisions emotionally first, even when they appear rational.Among the most powerful drivers of change are:Identity alignment: Change sticks when it reinforces a person’s self-image.Emotional relevance and urgency: What matters in the moment?Belonging: Employees shift when new behaviors have the potential to increase social standing or team cohesion.Hope and self-efficacy: Confidence from within.Emotional distress/friction: Sometimes discomfort or failure creates the urgency to change.Agency: People want to be in control of their own advancement. “Behavior change doesn’t happen in workshops,” Paterno said. “It happens in the messy, real-world moments of on-the-job application.” Coaching provides the psychological safety, accountability, and reinforcement that make those shifts sustainable.Advances in AI are making it possible to scale coaching across the workforce. CoachHub, for example, uses AI to match coaches with employees, expand coaching across time zones and languages, and provide measurable dashboards to track outcomes.AI tools, Paterno emphasized, are not a replacement for human coaches but a complement. “AI is going to allow you to touch larger populations,” she said. “It’s going to unlock coaching for your individual contributors as well.”From Theory to PracticeThe impact can be significant. Paterno cited a global manufacturing company that paired technical training with personalized coaching during a digital transformation. While the training explained the ‘what and the why,’ coaching focused on the ‘how,’ helping employees apply new skills, build confidence, and adapt to cross-functional roles.Within six months, the company reported a 25% increase in internal mobility within re-skilled roles, along with higher employee confidence and collaboration, says Paterno. Employees who initially resisted the transformation began mentoring peers and proactively contributing to agile projects.“The training gave them the ‘what and why,’” Paterno said. “The coaching gave them the ‘how’ to apply it."For organizations grappling with AI disruption and evolving skill needs, the message is clear: learning alone is not enough. Sustained change requires integration, reflection, and accountability—and that’s the role of coaching. "When coaching follows training," Paterno said, “It transforms insight into behavior and scales culture change from the inside out.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, CoachHub, for sponsoring this webinar. Chris O’Keeffe is a freelance writer with experience across industries. As the founder and creative director of OK Creative: The Language Agency, he has led strategy and storytelling for organizations like MIT, Amazon, and Cirque du Soleil, bringing their stories to life through established and emerging media.(Photo by JLco - Julia Amaral/iStock)

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From Budget to Breakthrough: How Logitech Is Personalizing Benefits at Scale

BY Ade Akin September 16, 2025

Julia McCarrel inherited a benefits system that included more than 30 different vendors when she stepped into her role as the head of benefits for the Americas and global programs at Logitech. New hires, herself included, were inundated with a confusing array of nearly a dozen benefit cards.  The solution her team settled on was relatively simple: consolidate, standardize, and give people money they can spend on the things that matter to them. McCarrel shared how she transformed Logitech’s benefits landscape alongside Kathleen Harris, a solutions consultant at Forma during a From Day One webinar. The conversation titled “From Budget to Breakthrough: How Logitech is Personalizing Benefits at Scale” unpacked why lifestyle spending accounts (LSAs) are gaining popularity across industries and offered a blueprint for other HR leaders looking to personalize benefits programs for their organizations in impactful ways. Building the Business Case for PersonalizationLogitech initially launched its wellness LSA in 2021 to support over 5,000 employees across 43 countries during the pandemic. The company also sought to address inconsistencies in its offerings, such as gym subsidies that were only available in certain countries. “LSAs are an employer-funded spending account, so you’ll hear [them called] spending account, customizable account, personal benefit. [There are] all types of ways in which people describe LSAs,” said Harris. “There are a number of words that we use interchangeably, but in the end, they’re really spending accounts that are funded by the employer and used by the employee.” LSAs allow employers to define eligibility and policy, while employees choose how to spend their stipend via a store, a card, or claims. McCarrel says the main challenge she faced was that the program was designed to be manually managed through a Human Resources Information System (HRIS) system. “In six months, [our team] had received 761 tickets from employees,” she said. This administrative drag was the key to building a business case for change. McCarrel calls the move to a dedicated LSA platform a strategic investment in talent retention, productivity, and operational efficiency. The Power of Starting NarrowJulia McCarrel, the Head of Benefits for Americas & Global Programs at Logitech spoke about partnering with Forma (company photo)Logitech started transforming its benefits program with a tight focus on physical health because that’s where the data pointed. The initial goal was equality, since employees in some countries had gym subsidies, while others had limited options, says McCarrel. “We were really trying to just provide equity across the company for that access to physical health and well-being,” she said.That commitment paid off. Logitech reported a 12% increase in benefits utilization and a 7% increase in spend after moving the program to Forma, as employees used their stipend for athletic shoes, gym memberships, smart watches, and more.  McCarrel advises companies looking to personalize benefits packages to avoid eliminating all existing programs at once. “I would definitely recommend starting narrow and then building out,” she said. “The last thing you want to do is build out too much, and then you have to start taking things away.”Logitech’s global wellness LSA started with a focus on physical health, which was a direct evolution of the gym subsidies its previous benefits package offered. This clear focus made the program manageable and aligned it with specific business objectives regarding preventative care and employee health, says McCarrel.  Measurable Impact on Culture and OperationsThe quantitative results were crystal clear: its well-being LSA saw 88% utilization, tuition reimbursement utilization rose 150% after moving to the Forma platform, and the adoption/surrogacy program went from zero claims to its first active users.Qualitatively speaking, Logitech’s move to personalize its benefits program was a resounding success that helped boost employee engagement and satisfaction. Its positive impact was also clear in direct employee feedback. McCarrel quotes one employee who stated, “The wellness reimbursement is super simple to use,” and that it provided them “the freedom to find the health resources that work best for me.” This feedback is a core part of the return on investment for McCarrel.  “If you look at that utilization at 88%, you can’t take that away,” she said. Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Forma, for sponsoring this webinar. Ade Akin covers workplace wellness, HR trends, and digital health solutions.(Photo by RealPeopleGroup/iStock)

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The HR Metrics That Matter: Defining ROI in a People-First Culture

BY Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza September 08, 2025

In the rush to adopt the latest AI tools and maximize efficiency and output, employers may be overlooking the one factor that gives them a competitive edge: people.“It’s the unpredictable, varied creativity of humans that actually allows one business to leapfrog over another,” said Ken Matos, director of market insights at HR analytics platform HiBob, during a From Day One webinar. “When you’re people-first, you’re really looking for ways to get the right people to advance your business strategy most effectively.”Kenneth Matos of HiBob spoke during the webinar (company photo)A “people-first” culture, as Matos describes it, is one grounded in the belief that it’s people, not processes, not technology, that makes a business successful. That means designing the right roles for the organization, then ensuring the right people are in those roles. When employees feel well-matched, supported, and recognized, Matos says, “you get increases in creativity, novel ideas, and their ability to adapt and learn. That’s really valuable when you’re in a growth phase.”Flashpoint, a cyber threat intelligence platform, learned this firsthand. Several years ago, the company enjoyed a hiring surge. Headcount was growing at a steady clip and business was booming. But Lane McFarland, Flashpoint’s senior director of talent management, eventually hit pause. He began to question whether the pace of hiring was tracking closely enough with the company’s long-term goals.“We have a very complex and unique organization,” McFarland said. Flashpoint employs threat intelligence analysts from “three-letter” agencies like the CIA and FBI, vulnerability analysts who adopt criminal personas to draw out hackers, as well as accountants, HR partners, and other corporate staff. Each group brings its own professional culture and expectations about the working environment. “We want to make sure that we are matching both what we need and what they need,” said McFarland. “We don’t want to get to a point where it’s not a fit because it’s our fault.”So, McFarland redefined how Flashpoint approaches hiring, beginning with clear expectations. Job descriptions now outline outcome milestones for the first 30, 60, and 90 days, and checkpoints take place accordingly. Those check-ins aren’t just about evaluating employees, they’re also about ensuring the company is delivering on its side of the relationship.The company’s needs change, just as employees’ needs do–McFarland knows that. And rarely is someone so mismatched to a role that it can’t work. If a new hire lacks a requisite skill, McFarland can help them get it. If the role isn’t the right fit, he encourages pivots. Sometimes even outside the company.For some leaders, “people-first” suggests benefits packages and sentiment surveys, but Matos and McFarland encourage HR leaders to think deeper. “I always recommend HR leaders expand the scope of what they think of as well-being,” McFarland said. For him, it’s about whether employees feel fulfilled, valued, and recognized.Matos puts it this way: “What is a reasonable amount of work to give people before things break down? In an ideal world, we would say, ‘let’s measure their well-being. If their well-being goes down, that’s too much work. That’s not an ROI conversation. That’s an ethical conversation.”“Engagement is a symptom,” McFarland said. “We need to understand what’s the underlying problem, how we can impact that from an HR perspective, and whether we can expand our view of what HR leaders actually have the power to shape across the business.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, HiBob, 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. She is the host of How to Be Anything, the podcast about people with unusual jobs.(Photo by courtneyk/iStock)

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Skills That Stick: From Good Managers to Great Teams

BY Stephanie Reed September 05, 2025

When managers check out, so do their teams. A recent Gallup’s survey found employee engagement fell to 21% in 2025, down from 23%, as manager engagement slipped from 30% to 27%.Meanwhile, effective managers create engaged teams that build skills, boost productivity, and show up more consistently. Comprehensive training programs can raise manager well-being, cutting disengagement down and driving stronger performance.During a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s August virtual conference, Priscila Bala, CEO of LifeLabs Learning shared research and tools behind turning good managers into great teams through skills-based, people-centered learning. Fostering a skill-resilient workplace means encouraging continuous skill development, focusing on practical behaviors rather than abstract theories to make learning stick, and using a skills taxonomy to provide visibility, a common language, and consistent assessment across the organization, says Bala.“First, we know that now there’s a big market shift towards prioritizing skills over degrees or tenure,” said Bala. “Whether it is to the latest software and technology or to ensuring that you can then apply all of these people skills to a next level of execution is going to be ever more critical.”This process involves identifying high-leverage skills and turning them into lasting behaviors. LifeLabs Learning, known for its leadership training, supports managers through monthly workshops where ideas and behaviors are shared, then reinforced as teams practice them together in a collaborative setting.Priscila Bala, CEO of LifeLabs Learning, led the thought leadership spotlight (company photo)Workplace learning becomes a shared experience, where managers apply their skills while teams build on that knowledge and uncover their own strengths. Bala emphasizes Tipping Point Skills, such as time management, adaptability, and conflict resolution, that drive productivity and profitability. Training programs blend theory with practice, ensuring these behaviors become second nature.“It’s one thing for me to simulate, in the peace, quiet, and safety of my private space, and it is another to actually be able to perform and support in a space that is communal and social,” Bala said. Lastly, a well-defined skills taxonomy helps managers give effective, constructive feedback by linking the skill being developed to a concrete business outcome, such as launching a new campaign or shortening sales cycles. Improving communication by avoiding vague words, and instead, using observable examples further reinforces pragmatic learning.What aids in making these in-demand skills stick is connecting to behavior and habits that prevent workers from slipping back into old practices. LifeLabs has over 100 behavioral and support tools, says Bala. It offers custom workshops, one-on-one program consulting, and a user-friendly platform that applies cognitive psychology, organizational design, and behavioral economics to practical program management.What Skills Matter, and Why?  In 2024, 50% of the workforce completed training, reskilling, or upskilling as part of L&D initiatives compared to 41% in 2023. Continuous learning is in increasing demand, reports the World Economic Forum.Technical skills in AI and other newer technologies continue to rise in demand in the modern workforce. “The reality is that, while I wholeheartedly believe that it’s not necessary that AI is going to take people's jobs away, people with AI [skills and knowledge] will take people’s jobs away,” Bala said. “And I think that the ability to really use all of these tools effectively is really going to differentiate.”Soft skills like communication, teamwork, and emotional intelligence are transferable between jobs and industries, and will also continue to be in demand. Without a doubt, managers have their work cut out for them. Many feel under-resourced and uncertain about how to give constructive feedback during training, reskilling, or upskilling. Yet as Bala observes, managers are multipliers—role models who guide their teams through inevitable workplace changes. Supporting them with a communal learning environment ensures both managers and their teams are equipped to achieve business objectives.Editor's note: From Day One thanks our partner, LifeLabs Learning, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. Stephanie Reed is a freelance news, marketing, and content writer. Much of her work features small business owners throughout diverse industries. She is passionate about promoting small, ethical, and eco-conscious businesses.(Photo by Vadym Pastukh/iStock)

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Supporting Financial Wellness Beyond the 401(k): Why Financial Stress Is a Workplace Matter

BY Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza September 02, 2025

A common misconception among employers is that high earners are financially stable. But as Mamie Wheaton, director of financial planning at LearnLux, points out, that isn’t always the case. “High income doesn’t necessarily equal peace of mind. Financial stress at any income level can lead to burnout, disengagement, and even turnover,” she said.Another common misconception: thinking that offering a 401(k) checks the box on financial wellness. In reality, employees are juggling far more immediate concerns, like credit card debt, student loans, or childcare costs. “If someone can’t manage today’s financial stressors, retirement planning is often the last thing on their mind,” Wheaton said.She and her colleague Jane Lund, who leads regional sales at LearnLux, a financial well-being platform tailored to individual needs, presented a From Day One webinar on how employers can support financial wellness beyond just retirement plans. In it they discussed the very real implications of financial stress on employee retention, engagement, and productivity.Uncovering the Source of Financial StressEmployees don’t always know what kind of help they need, or how to ask for it. “People often feel shame about their financial stress, especially if it’s tied to family building, life changes, or illness,” Lund said. Those needs often show up in hardship withdrawals from retirement accounts, upticks in personal loans, or rising absenteeism. “Sometimes all three,” she said.For HR leaders, this presents a challenge. Financial struggles are seldom obvious, but the downstream effects–like absenteeism, disengagement, and attrition–are very real. As Lund put it, “You don’t really see people raising their hands saying, ‘I need help,’ so how are leaders supposed to know what to prioritize?”Even when employees do schedule a call with a financial planner, like those at LearnLux, they might open with a question about retirement planning, but the real issue could lie elsewhere. That’s when licensed, certified planners like Wheaton dig deeper, looking for the root problem, so they can help employees feel empowered to make better decisions for themselves. Sometimes a single conversation can make a difference, while others will need regular touchpoints over weeks or months to find their footing. And for everyone, these needs may change over time.Why Financial Wellness Is a Workplace MatterThe implications of financial wellbeing are closely tied to safety, productivity, and retention. One LearnLux client, a construction company, launched a zero-injury initiative and discovered through surveys and conversations that employees’ financial stress was a key factor. “We see that a lot in frontline workforces,” Lund said. And not just in blue collar workplaces, the same is true in higher-earning industries, like healthcare.Journalist Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza moderated the discussion among leaders at LearnLux (photo by From Day One)By introducing financial wellness support, the company helped employees stabilize their personal finances, which in turn supported their safety goals. Retention improved, too. Based on their annual survey, “about 79% of employees who have used LearnLux for three months or more say they’re more likely to stay at their current job,” Lund said.“If we can be there to help new employees start off on the right foot, it’s going to help with retention,” Wheaton added. “It’s also going to help reduce 401(k) loans, credit card debt, and overall stress at work.” Small changes that add up to a healthier, safer, and more resilient workforce. Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, LearnLux, 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. She is the host of How to Be Anything, the podcast about people with unusual jobs.(Photo by Puttachat Kumkrong/iStock)

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Constant Change in the Workplace: Getting It Right While Maintaining Employee Trust

BY Jessica Swenson August 27, 2025

“CEOs in the U.S. are saying that they’ll likely have to reinvent how their company delivers value in the next three years,” said Kathya Acuña, head of strategy for LOCAL. The rapid advent of AI and ongoing reimagination of roles and skill sets prompts the question: “How does constant change impact us as humans?”The human brain craves stability Acuña shared during a From Day One webinar on navigating change. So, a constant sense of change decreases mental bandwidth, impacts emotions, and can make it hard to sustain focus on moving targets. Poorly sequenced change or unclear communication can cause employee overload, decision fatigue, and distrust. “If this is what’s happening at an individual level,” she said, “then the question becomes: what if we amplify it?” The potential for decision fatigue to scale company-wide gives organizations an opportunity to embrace employee-centered change practices to avoid the disruption of company culture.“The founding philosophy of LOCAL, and the thing that we preach more than anything else, is that employees are not resources. They’re customers. Really, they are the first customers for everything that you’re doing,” said Neil Bedwell, co-founder and president of LOCAL. “You have to win them over in order to succeed,” he said. LOCAL has reframed the concept of marketing into a change management tool that they call change marketing, which is used to drive employee engagement and help sustain internal change. With an innovative three-step process—insight, story, craft—the company created a culture of change readiness and accelerated action. During the insight phase, Acuña says, put your target audience at the center by gathering insights to understand their problem and associated perceptions. Next, she says, look at the story of how people will experience the change. Rather than just letting the change happen to them, offer opportunities for them to co-create with you and have a sense of agency. The final phase, craft, “is really about how do you [take the change] to people the same way you would [take a product] to market?” Create attention-getting experience content that drives engagement and adoption. Leaders from LOCAL spoke on the topic "Constant Change in the Workplace: Getting It Right While Maintaining Employee Trust" during the webinar (photo by From Day One)To demonstrate the impact of this process, Bedwell shared the story of a client that rolled a new training program out to its large employee population. Employees were already overloaded and the organization’s culture did not value the practice of learning new capabilities. So by repositioning the program from mandated learning to a career development opportunity, and breaking the content into manageable app-based modules with personal pacing and custom pathways, he said that the completed initiative was mentioned in the company’s annual report and “called out by the CEO as a standout initiative for the year, as something the company should do more of.”Another learning and development client found that only 44% of people managers have actually received any management training and opted to reflect on their company’s investment in leadership training. In partnership with LOCAL, they reviewed employee engagement surveys to understand the performance and support level of their management team. Through a series of focus groups and interviews with people leaders, Acuña says, the team learned that a lot of these leaders had been promoted due to their success as individual contributors, but not necessarily their leadership skills. Working with LOCAL, the company reviewed the team structure and established clear behaviors to define leadership within the organization and used immersive training techniques to distribute the information to people leaders. After one year, she said, the next employee engagement survey showed a 12% increase in leadership support, exceeding the enterprise-wide benchmark of 3%.To support companies seeking their own cultures of change readiness, Bedwell and Acuña offered ideas to incorporate change marketing concepts into established processes. In addition to the key elements of the insight, story, and craft phases, listen to employees to understand what they need and identify points of friction to ensure they are addressed. Keep change marketing communications simple and memorable, meeting your audience where they are and with respect.“Find your promoters.” Bedwell said. “Inside your business, there will be people who are already advocating for what you do. Find them and empower them. They’re a change network for you.” Once people are engaged, says Acuña, guide them through their next steps with clear calls to action.Acknowledging that consensus decision-making can overcomplicate change messaging, she suggested that cross-functional teams align early on the program’s objective and shared criteria. This helps reduce confusion across employee populations and improves the likelihood of success.Bedwell agreed, stating “Everyone should get the red pen out on the brief for the work, and then someone who understands the audience should write the communications. A brief allows all of the input to be gathered into a format that someone with objectivity can turn into communication that meets the audience’s need.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, LOCAL, for sponsoring this webinar. Jessica Swenson is a freelance writer and proofreader based in the Midwest. Learn more about her at jmswensonllc.com.(Photo by Umnat Seebuaphan/iStock)

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The Culture Comeback: How A Telecom Giant Transformed Employee Connection

BY Jessica Swenson August 18, 2025

With employees—and information—more widely distributed than they’ve ever been, it’s crucial for companies to support their shared identity and culture while facilitating positive engagement. Purpose-built systems may not maintain relevance across growing teams and diverse functions, and fragmented communication channels add complexity that can cause low participation rates and communication fatigue.This was the situation that prompted Canadian telecommunications firm TELUS to seek a new corporate communication ecosystem. During a From Day One webinar, leaders shared how the major telecom company Telus, facing low engagement and communication fatigue, partnered with LineZero to use Workvivo and bring its culture back to life. With rapid employee growth and numerous disparate systems, internal communication had become “much more complex than it ought to be, or than anyone thought it was. Trying to maintain that suite of services, trying to ensure that everyone had access, was really proving a big challenge,” said Jennifer Shah, VP of communications at TELUS. Once the organization identified its communication challenges and the problems it needed to solve, Shah says, TELUS developed a vision and criteria for its target experience and sought a platform partner that could meet both its current and future demands. She and her team wanted a dynamic, social-first design that could securely integrate with existing systems, deliver personalized, relevant content, and enable employee-driven connections while offering built-in flexibility to grow with the company’s evolving needs.Caroline Mikhail, a Prosci® certified change practitioner and director of advisory services at Linezero, moderated the discussion with Jennifer Shah of TELUS (photo by From Day One)“We wanted to partner with a platform that we knew was invested in continuing to be ahead of the curve,” said Shah. As TELUS continued to evaluate options and refine its criteria, Workvivo emerged as the clear solution—it met all their functional requirements and had a long-term commitment to ongoing feature development. That’s when the real work started.For a change of this magnitude, socialization is critical. “There was a big stakeholder exercise to ensure that our needs assessments were encapsulating everything and then understanding what is absolutely necessary, what is nice to have, what might be okay in the future,” she said. To ensure engagement and adoption of the new platform, her group facilitated countless pre-launch roadshow presentations tailored to demonstrate its economic value and show how the new system would address the needs and pain points for each team.Early adopters and change champions were key partners in the success of the launch. Through early access, extensive use, and continuous feedback loops, this team helped TELUS prove and refine the platform’s capabilities. By choosing people who were experts in some of the company’s most widely used existing platforms, Shah says, TELUS was able to make vital changes within the new system. “I think that really helped us, because people became much more familiar with it, and we were really open to their feedback, while also really pushing them to try it out and build things and learn how to do it for themselves.”To build anticipation for the platform’s launch and ensure day-one engagement, Shah mentioned that communications and business teams were asked to submit content plans for their individual team spaces. “We really worked rigorously to ensure that there was a ton of great content there on day one.” Their partner, LineZero, helped them prepare for the launch by providing examples, learnings, and case studies from similarly sized companies.Early post-launch events helped demonstrate that this platform offered a whole new way for TELUS to interact as a team. Immediately after its April launch, TELUS gave employees an immediate sense of ownership by hosting an on-platform naming contest. The interest and involvement generated by this contest helped “showcase the platform in a really engaging way.” During the company’s annual Days of Giving volunteer event in May, global teams were able to share their local community engagement in real-time. “To very easily show the breadth and depth of the commitment to campaigns like that, I think really showed people that this platform was a place for them,” Shah said.The homepage of TELUS’s internal platform was designed to be the starting point of an employee’s day by including links to the most commonly used systems and resources, she says. To complement this design and ensure its use as the main corporate communication hub, the company issued a clear mandate that it would no longer support or communicate via legacy channels.New hires are automatically enrolled into corporate-mandated channels and their business group-specific spaces. Beyond that, employees are given a loose framework and rule set with the flexibility and freedom to join, post, follow, and engage as they see fit. Engagement “looks different to everybody, but we give you a lot of options to structure it in a way that feels relevant and engaging for what you're looking for.”In the three months since the platform’s launch, TELUS has already achieved 52% adoption and 70% monthly active engagement rates, and over 80 employee-driven interest groups have been created, says Shah. The company needs to continue offering new and value-added content and use concentrated campaigns to attract slower adopters, she says. They are already focused on their next goal, increasing mobile adoption, and are developing new features to better tailor content to specific audience segments.For companies contemplating a communication overhaul of this size, Shah offered a few suggestions. First, identify the problem you are trying to solve and what is most important to your organization. Then get input and feedback from affected teams and do the internal work to know what is needed and what you can deliver. Be very clear about your goals and meticulously plan your roll-out, but keep it flexible. And don’t be afraid to delay a roll-out to conduct additional stakeholder engagement and ensure broader team readiness. You might be ready and know that everything is going to work, says Shah, “but it only works if everybody believes it's going to be a success and feels good about it.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, LineZero, for sponsoring this webinar. Jessica Swenson is a freelance writer and proofreader based in the Midwest. Learn more about her at jmswensonllc.com.(Photo by mesh cube/iStock)

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Embracing Inclusive Care With Menopause and Midlife Health Benefits

BY Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza August 14, 2025

When menopause became a regular topic among benefits leaders it “validated the experiences of millions of women who previously suffered in silence,” said Dr. Toni Morrissey, an OB-GYN practicing at Maven Clinic.“We’re seeing more open dialogue, improved resources, and inclusive policies that recognize menopause as a workplace health issue and not just a personal one,” she said during a From Day One webinar on embracing inclusive care. It’s made a difference for so many women, but there’s still distance to travel.Dr. Morrissey laid out the ways employers can design a menopause care plan that supports women, and the business, holistically. “Menopause symptoms can significantly impact productivity, retention and morale, and supporting this phase of life shows respect for longevity and loyalty in the workforce–especially when women are at the height of their careers.”The Barriers to Menopause CareOne significant challenge is that there’s no shortage of information about menopause available online, “but the quality is a different story. We see everything from outdated advice and one-size-fits-all solutions,” Morrissey said. Not to mention miracle cures and snake oil. “I’m so glad the conversation is being held in public,” she said. “It’s time for that. But our research shows that over a third of women see menopause related ads at least a few times a week, and more than half of them say it makes them feel so overwhelmed.”Employees need evidence-based guidance delivered by board-certified providers trained specifically in menopause care, and this is where employers have a huge opportunity. A 2023 AARP survey found that 54% of women said employers need to do more to support workers experiencing menopause. In fact, 73% of employers agreed. If companies can offer clinical, board-certified care with peer-reviewed education, “that kind of support really cuts through the noise and helps employees make confident and informed decisions about their health.”The internet is full of myths and misinformation, like the notion that menopause lasts only a year, when in reality symptoms can last up to 10 years, Morrissey says. The biggest and most damaging myth, she said, is that “menopause marks the end of productivity. And in reality, many people hit their career peak during this stage of life, and this phase really deserves support and not stigma.”Where Employers Can Get Started with Menopause Care Dr. Morrissey encouraged employers to start by listening. What are your employees struggling with and where do your current benefits fall short? Build upon the needs and gaps. For instance, menopause-specific care isn’t available in some areas, and employees may need remote access to providers. Additionally, “transgender, non-binary, and intersex people experience menopause too, and they often face even greater gaps in care,” she said. Another group who often gets overlooked are those experiencing medically induced early menopause.Journalist Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza intervirwed Dr. Toni Morrissey of Maven Clinic (photo by From Day One)This is just another reason menopause care should never be siloed. It can be a meaningful component of an overall health strategy that comprises mental healthcare, reproductive care, and other midlife considerations, like caregiving benefits and career development. And because it supports high-value workers like those at the peak of their careers—consider it a retention strategy that protects institutional knowledge and leadership.To make it work, a clear, well-communicated rollout plan is essential. “It doesn’t just offer support, it sends a powerful message, which is that your health is a business priority.” Seeking Help for Menopause SymptomsBy the time Dr. Morrissey sees a patient, they may have been experiencing symptoms for years, symptoms that have gotten in the way of daily functioning in life and at work. “What’s heartbreaking is how many of them say they’re no longer able to do the very work that once brought them success and confidence,” she said. Proper care can make the difference. “The moment that always sticks with me is when people will say, ‘I feel like I got my life back.’ That’s what good care can do. It doesn’t just manage symptoms. It restores identity, energy and self-belief.”Of course, stigma around menopause stands in the way of many seeking care. ERGs can be a powerful tool for forming connections, but they should be optional, and they can’t be the only avenue for support, she said, especially where cultural norms discourage open conversation about healthcare. Employers can help normalize talk about menopause by making it a part of company-wide health education and communication. Appoint leaders as menopause champions talk about their own experience and help break down stigma. “Employees should never feel pressured to speak about their menopause experience broadly, but they should have a place that they can easily go for support, and building a supportive culture starts at the top.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Maven Clinic, 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. She is the host of How to Be Anything, the podcast about people with unusual jobs.(Photo by SDI Productions/iStock)

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Beyond the 401(k): A Smarter Way to Support Employees’ Financial Well-Being

BY Christopher O'Keeffe August 11, 2025

“Student debt is just the beginning,” said Jon Harold, head of sales and partnership for SoFi at Work. Harold works with many companies on student debt and has discovered that, while many provide financial well-being support for retirement, it is often treated as the final step rather than part of an ongoing journey.But traditional retirement plans no longer cover the financial needs of today’s workforce, he says. Harold spoke during a From Day One’s webinar, where he laid out how modern financial benefits are evolving—and why employers can’t afford to rely on outdated approaches.Harold began with a stark reality check: “Over 50% of adults are unable to afford a $1,000 emergency. And that happens all the time.” Without savings, people rely on high-interest credit cards, leading to a cycle of debt that affects every aspect of life, including work.Given this, many Americans face stress when it comes to their finances. And this stress impacts how they’re able to show up in the workforce. The downstream effects are significant: Employees who experience financial stress are significantly more likely to leave their organization, leading to substantial lost productivity each year.The financial picture continues to worsen. “Since the year 2000, median wages have only increased 19%—that number is adjusted for inflation,” he said. “College tuition has gone up over 80%, housing has gone up over 80%, healthcare over 140%.”Changes in Financial Well-Being NeedsEven 401(k) plans, long considered a pillar of financial stability, are increasingly being used as a last resort. “Hardship withdrawals are running 15 to 20% above historical norms,” Harold said, referencing data from Vanguard. “4.8% of Vanguard plan participants initiated a hardship withdrawal—33% year over year.”Jon Harold of SoFi at Work led the webinar titled, "Beyond the 401(k): Expanding Financial Benefits" (company photo)The impact on long-term financial security is substantial. “Early withdrawals can face a 10% penalty in income tax and delay retirement, where employees may need to work longer to rebuild savings,” Harold said. “Frequent withdrawals can signal broader hardships.”There is a notable perception gap between employees and employers regarding financial well-being support. While most employees want assistance with their financial health, only a small percentage of employers believe they are providing that help. This disconnect contributes to underutilization and weakens the intended impact of financial programs.Harold outlined a more complete roadmap of employee financial needs: “Saving for unexpected expenses, paying off student debt, reducing your credit card debt, purchasing or refinancing a home, managing budget and credit, saving for children's education, planning for retirement, and creating an estate plan.” With many organizations employing five generations at once, needs vary, but personalization is key. “Gen Z at a law firm is going to be a lot different than Gen Z in a factory,” Harold said. “You want to understand those personas and the problems that they’re facing, and then think about, with those problems, what financial solutions can help solve those.” Designing Programs That Actually Work“We like to think of the way that [SoFi] helps in three different buckets,” Harold said. “That is, first, leading by education. Number two is providing employees with the tools and products that they need to solve their financial needs. And then the third, which can be optional, is employers taking action with their dollars to help even more.”On education: “People like to learn differently. Some people are hands-on, others like to read about things, [others prefer] talking to a physical human.” SoFi offers tools for all three learning types, including loan specialists, credit score monitoring, financial planners, and webinars.Among the many offers, student debt support stands out among employers, he says. Student debt support is overlooked, but when implemented, greatly appreciated and used. “We rolled it out to a physical therapy company that was having trouble attracting clinical therapists, and they saw 40% of people participate in the first year. That participation rate is unheard of across all voluntary benefits.”To be able to add benefits like student debt support, employers have to work toward gaining buy-in. Educating leadership requires knowing what motivates them. “Influencing has a big, big part here, and it depends how your leadership team likes to make decisions,” Harold said. “The best case is a combination of everything, of putting forth qualitative quotes from employees who are struggling, showing that in the data, showing what other companies within your industry are doing,” he said. Even with some benefits targeted to specific demographics, Harold advised not to let fear of “what about us?” syndrome stall action. “At the end of the day, impacting the employees who need it the most far outweighs the small minority of those who may not benefit,” he said.While the upfront investment in financial benefits may seem daunting, Harold reminded attendees of the risk of delay: “Employees are financially stressed—it’s impacting your bottom line.” Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, SoFi at Work, for sponsoring this webinar. Chris O’Keeffe is a freelance writer with experience across industries. As the founder and creative director of OK Creative: The Language Agency, he has led strategy and storytelling for organizations like MIT, Amazon, and Cirque du Soleil, bringing their stories to life through established and emerging media.(Photo by Dacharlie/iStock)

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Breaking the Paycheck-to-Paycheck Cycle: How to Leverage the Right Financial Wellness Benefits

BY Stephanie Reed August 06, 2025

Financial stress is quietly draining the American workforce. A survey found that 85% of workers reported experiencing financial stress, and 44% of respondents experienced a decrease in their productivity because of anxiety about finances.The cumulative impact is staggering: financial anxiety is costing U.S. companies up to $183 billion a year, with workers losing an average of seven hours of productivity each week.During a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s July virtual conference, DailyPay leaders, Dar Miranda, VP of customer engagement and advocacy and David Schwarz, head of corporate communications spoke about breaking the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle. Prioritizing an Employee-Centric Pay ModelA lack of sufficient funds is only part of the problem. “It's also about the timing gap between continuous expenses and infrequent paychecks,” said Miranda. “This creates an immense financial risk, right, which could lead to late fees, overdraft penalties, and the rising cost from high-interest debt.” Thus, organizations should seek financial wellness benefits that compensate for the debilitating reality of living paycheck-to-paycheck.Dar Miranda, the VP of customer engagement and advocacy at DailyPay, spoke during the session (company photo)One solution, Miranda says, is offering On-Demand Pay. Giving employees access to their earned wages when they need them helps bridge the gap between everyday expenses and biweekly or monthly paychecks.A 401(k) alone doesn’t cut it anymore when it comes to financial wellness, says Schwarz. Accordingly, DailyPay reports clients using their On-Demand Pay app as a financial dashboard. Employees can review their income to budget and proactively schedule shifts.This level of direct oversight is a key advantage. It empowers employees to better understand their finances and make smarter budgeting decisions. When workers can clearly track their earnings, they feel more in control, which also supports retention. It also shifts the mindset around financial challenges from reactive crisis management to a more proactive approach grounded in financial literacy and long-term planning.Yet, while a long-term financial management strategy is ideal, it’s important to acknowledge that many workers don’t have that privilege. For instance, relying on a 401(k) alone may not be realistic for employees who are focused on meeting immediate needs.DailyPay offers various everyday savings tools such as for international remittances to help workers save wherever possible. The results: 60% of DailyPay users have seen a reduction of feeling financial stress, and 49% are feeling more motivated to work, says Miranda. “Workers who report being more in control over their finances and even able to save are significantly more likely to love their jobs,” Miranda said. “So for employers, this means that investing in financial wellness isn’t just about being a good corporate citizen. It’s a strategic imperative,” she said.  Addressing Paycheck-to-Paycheck Expenses Many Americans must contend with a reality where their income isn’t keeping up with inflation and increasing interest rates. More than 80% of people have less than $500 for emergencies, according to recent research. The costs of groceries, gas, healthcare, and family care amount to an entire paycheck for many workers. “We did research that nine out of 10 of our users say gas prices are too high, and over half of our users have missed a day of work because gas prices are too high,” Schwarz said. These expenses amount to many Americans spending more than their income, leading to little to no savings for emergencies. DailyPay uses both internal and external research to understand the daily financial challenges its users face, which informs the development of its perks app. Features like real-time cash rewards help keep employees motivated. The company is forming a partnership to offer gas discounts to clients, directly addressing one of the rising costs that continues to put pressure on American workers, says Schwarz. Clients have seen a 21% drop in turnover, a result that speaks for itself. Giving employees full access to their earned wages helps break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle and offers support during financial emergencies, says Schwarz.“The goal here is to empower employees, not just to access money, but to master their finances. And that’s not always what you think about when you think about on-demand pay–but that’s the reality.”Editor's note: From Day One thanks our partner, DailyPay, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight.Stephanie Reed is a freelance news, marketing, and content writer. Much of her work features small business owners throughout diverse industries. She is passionate about promoting small, ethical, and eco-conscious businesses.(Photo by Hispanolistic/iStock)

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Why Employers Are Taking a Personalized Approach to Financial Wellness

BY Walecia Konrad August 04, 2025

Benefits leaders increasingly recognize that financial wellness benefits are just as essential to employee compensation as health insurance and retirement plans. With 73% of Americans saying they are financially stressed, it’s easy to see why financial wellness is taking center stage. But that presents a broad challenge for HR leaders. How do you offer a wide range of financial wellness benefits, then customize those offerings to fit the specific needs of individual employees who range from C-suite executives to entry-level new hires?The best strategy? Make it personal, says Erin Donahue, CFP®, CPA/PFS, CMA, CGMA, and director of advice strategy at Northstar. Northstar’s financial wellness program provides individualized guidance to employees of every level to help them better utilize their total compensation package and make financial decisions. From Day One spoke with Donahue about how HR leaders can personalize financial wellness benefits to fit the needs of all employees. “We’ve found that matching employees at every level with one of our Certified Financial Planners can be the best way to build trust and offer solutions,” Donahue said.  An advisor can answer specific compensation and benefits questions, look at an employee’s overall financial picture, assist with any problems and help set and achieve financial goals. These are all things most benefits managers simply aren’t equipped to do.“Say someone comes in with a question about their employer’s student loan benefit. The person isn’t sure if they should be using it or not,” Donahue said. The employee would be matched with a Northstar Advisor who has been trained on their benefits and would answer that specific question and assist the employee in signing up for any appropriate benefits.From Day One spoke with Erin Donahue, CFP®, CPA/PFS, CMA, CGMA, the director of advice strategy at Northstar (company photo)But the relationship doesn’t end there. The advisor would continue to work with the employee on an ongoing basis. The student loan question would likely lead to more talks about the employee’s finances, including challenges and goals well beyond paying off college debt, says Donahue. Budgeting, managing debt and building healthy money habits are all part of the financial foundations covered in Northstar’s personalized financial wellness program.What’s more, the CFP®, who is not on commission of any type and has a fiduciary duty to the employee, is free to recommend solutions outside of the employer’s benefit package, building trust and alleviating financial stress in a more holistic way. In many cases, employee financial goals can be directly supported by taking advantage of employer benefits. The CFP® is well-versed in what the company offers and can make recommendations that are personally relevant, making it much more likely the employee will sign up,” Donahue said. Once an employee is matched with an advisor, they work together for as long as desired on any number of financial concerns. This personal approach can pay off for both employees and employers. After meeting with a Northstar Advisor, 94% of employees report an increase in their financial confidence and 85% report a reduction in their financial stress. Importantly, 69% of employees took action on advisor recommendations and 63% followed benefit-specific advice, reports Northstar. Out-of-the-Box SolutionsWhen there’s a personal relationship, financial advisors can help employees make the most of their benefits in surprising ways. Donahue points to an example of one employee who was looking to buy a house in the next year or so. The employee has free cash flow that he can use to save for the down payment and he’s also eligible for his company’s stock purchase plan.  “Stock purchase plans can be a little bit invisible,” says Donahue. “People think, ‘Oh, that’s for high-level executives and long-term investing, it can’t help me meet short term goals.’” But in this case, the Northstar Advisor was able to point out that if the employee enrolls in his stock purchase plan, assuming the plan offers shares at the standard 15% discount, in a year’s time he’ll likely have a return on his house savings much higher than he would get in any high-yield savings account. Northstar’s program integrates benefits, equity, and rewards to help employees maximize their total compensation to achieve their financial goals, such as buying a home, says Donahue. Or take the case of a highly compensated employee who’s living paycheck to paycheck. “It happens more than you think,” said Donahue, emphasizing that life events can hit all at once—kids’ tuition, caring for an elderly parent, inflationary cost increases on vital expenses such as insurance—stretching relatively big paychecks to the max. That creates a feeling of financial insecurity and an inability to save for emergencies and the future. In these cases, Northstar Advisors can help employees return to budgeting basics and help find ways to reduce expenses. Recently Donahue’s team worked with a couple to help them move from Los Angeles to Atlanta to reduce living expenses and increase savings. For both early career employees and high earners, advisors offer their knowledge to  help employees maximize compensation, whether through budgeting and saving changes or guidance around investing and tax optimization.Global MobilityHR leaders have also learned that comprehensive financial wellness benefits need to span the globe. Often benefit managers seek out specific vendors to offer international relocation, tax and investment advice. But at Northstar, global mobility support is integrated into the program and is made possible by Northstar’s team of global financial advisors.International employees, both relocated Americans and foreign nationals, need the same personalized approach on complex matters, Donahue says. “Often these employees might not know all the questions they need to ask,” she said. For instance, an employee moving to France for a short stint would likely need to learn how to continue retirement savings and other investing in the U.S. while understanding the tax implications and other compliance issues. But, if the same employee were joining family abroad and planning on a permanent move, they would need help navigating France’s pension and investment systems and determining if and when to move their U.S.-based assets to France. In each case, employees need to know how to protect their assets and stay compliant, but under very different circumstances, Donahue says.Two-Way CommunicationA personalized, one-on-one approach doesn’t just serve employees. It often provides the vital information benefit managers need to better understand their workforce. Northstar aggregates and shares the common topics employees are asking about and provides insights on what they need to feel better about their finances. Often this information can be more honest and accurate than employer-sponsored financial wellness surveys, simply because employees are more detailed and often more honest with their financial advisor than they might be answering a questionnaire. This kind of feedback can be especially effective when HR leaders consider and launch new benefits. In addition, the advisor connection can help employers increase adoption of underutilized benefits. Employees have an objective, professional partner that can explain what benefits are available and how to best use them. “We want to reduce the headaches low-utilization rates can cause HR pros,” said Donahue.The bottom line: When workforce members get the comprehensive, sophisticated, and personalized advice they need, they’re likely to feel more financially secure, make the most of their employer-provided benefits, meet their financial goals, and feel set up for success at work. “It’s a win-win for everyone,” Donahue said.Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Northstar, for supporting this sponsor spotlight. Walecia Konrad is an award-winning financial journalist, specializing in the topics of health care, personal finance, and employer-sponsored benefits. Her work has been seen on sites such as CBS MoneyWatch, The New York Times, Money, SmartMoney, BusinessWeek, and Forbes. She has been the recipient of both a Pearl Award for Best Web Publication of the Year and a National Magazine Award for Personal Service.(Featured photo by RichVintage/iStock by Getty Images)

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How Agentic AI is Transforming Workforce Strategy

BY Ade Akin July 31, 2025

Nearly half of CEOs believe their companies won’t survive the next decade unless they adapt to rapid technological change, according to the World Economic Forum. It’s a stark reminder that innovation is no longer optional, but essential.This urgency, which workforce leaders find themselves dealing with, framed the conversation during a From Day One webinar titled, “Work Reimagined: Unlocking Workforce Value with Agentic AI.” The conversation centered on how organizations can harness agentic artificial intelligence to reinvent the nature of work, empower their workforce, and elevate individual employees.Unlike generative AI, which creates content based on patterns, agentic AI acts with autonomy, learning, reasoning, and adapting to drive outcomes. “It’s not just providing answers; it’s mimicking human behavior to execute tasks,” said Anthony Abbatiello partner, workforce transformation practice leader at PwC. This shift is reshaping HR’s role from a support function to a strategic coordinator. The Strategic Value of Agentic AIWhile tools like robotic process automation (RPA) help streamline many tasks, agentic systems dynamically reallocate work by matching talent, human or AI, with opportunities in real time. Abbatiello says that 88% of business leaders plan to increase AI budgets in the following year. He says this is a defining moment for human resources leaders. “The CHRO can be the hero in the boardroom,” he said. This makes them uniquely positioned to align three critical pillars. First is work, which involves understanding what needs to be done and identifying who or what is best equipped to do it. Second is the workforce, the evolving mix of human talent and AI systems. Third is the worker, with a focus on individual experience, skills, and development.Speakers shared insights on the topic "Work Reimagined: Unlocking Workforce Value with Agentic AI " (photo by From Day One)Abbatiello notes that while efficiency plays are a common starting point, true reinvention delivers the most value. Reinventing an organization's workforce demands more than having access to the right technology; it also requires cultural readiness.The Real-World Impact of Agentic AIRimple Patel, chief customer officer at Eightfold shared some real-world examples of agentic AI’s impact on workforce strategy. In recruiting, Eightfold’s AI interviewer autonomously screens candidates, reducing time-to-hire by 42% for one client. For internal mobility, 40% of roles at Amdocs are now filled internally through AI-guided career pathing. In healthcare, AI platforms are helping nurses select shifts that match their preferences, leading to higher retention rates and improved patient care.The biggest hurdle facing organizations regarding agentic AI isn’t the technology; it’s the mindset of people within them, says Patel. Fragmented data, cultural resistance, and the fear of job displacement all hinder progress. Abbatiello’s research found that 80% of organizations aren’t using AI agents, often due to unclear use cases.Several key enablers can help organizations overcome these hurdles. Transparency is essential, which means clearly explaining why AI makes certain recommendations. Building trust is also critical and involves creating an AI-positive culture where experimentation is both encouraged and safe. Strong leadership is another enabler, with CHROs partnering with CIOs to ensure broad and equitable access to AI across the organization.Patel recommends starting with focused pilots that directly tie to business goals, such as improving retention in high-risk roles, while sticking to a clear, organization-wide roadmap in view. Companies should equip both leaders and employees to “team with AI,” she said. Abbatiello emphasizes the importance of striking a balance between quick wins and strategic, long-term investments in capability building. “Agentic AI supercharges your ability to be more agile with your workforce, if the organization is ready to adopt it,” he said. Editor's note: From Day One thanks our partner, Eightfold, for sponsoring this webinar. Ade Akin specializes in the emerging applications of artificial intelligence.(Photo by Kulpreya Chaichatpornsuk/iStock)

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Student Debt Is Back: A New Mandate for Total Rewards Leaders

BY Jessica Swenson July 28, 2025

With college tuition up over 1200% since 1980 and dramatically outpacing inflation rates, the U.S. is in the midst of a student debt crisis. More than 42 million Americans carry a combined $1.7 trillion in student loan debt, forcing many to delay key life milestones such as buying a home, saving for retirement, and starting a family.In just the last five years, the government has launched and revoked various programs to ease the burden of student debt holders through payment pauses, reduced interest, and potential forgiveness opportunities. With the new administration’s enforcement of the payment on-ramp end date and elimination of popular repayment plans, student borrowers now face new barriers to reconciling their debt.“Ninety percent of borrowers [experience] heightened anxiety because of their [student loan] debt,” said Jon Harold, SoFi at Work’s head of sales and partnership success. Harold led a thought leadership spotlight on the subject during From Day One’s July virtual conference.According to a 2024 benefits survey, employees with student debt are more concerned about it than other expenses like food, healthcare, housing, and transportation costs. This anxiety can impact workforce productivity, engagement, and retention, Harold says. “Fifty-six percent of employees spend three or more hours per week at work thinking about their finances,” he said.There is some good news, he says. Section 127, an educational assistance program that allows employers to offer tax-free tuition reimbursement contributions up to $5,250, was expanded to include student debt payments, and the reconciliation bill recently passed by Congress extends that program permanently. Additionally, the SECURE 2.0 Act passed in 2022 allows employers to match student debt payments as if they were retirement contributions and deposits that match into the employee’s retirement account, says Harold. Jon Harold, SoFi at Work’s head of sales and partnership success, shared stats and insights on the subject (company photo)To attract top talent and drive retention, many employers have started offering these types of programs as a part of their benefits package. With 62% of private-sector employees stating that student debt influences their employment decision-making, and “36% of employees with student debt less likely to remain with their employer than those without debt,” said Harold, “we’re seeing it become table stakes for many new employees out of college.” What are these companies doing, and how? Harold says that they are taking advantage of not only the government-enabled structured support programs, but launching their own direct-contribution programs and partnering with companies like SoFi at Work to offer education, advice, and alternative payment options.WTW found that 42% of employers are considering participation in retirement match contributions enabled by the SECURE 2.0 Act to help employees tackle their student debt while still contributing to retirement savings. And a study conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) showed that 34% of companies offer some kind of direct-contribution model to help offset employee student debt. Employers can customize these models based on multiple factors, including budget, frequency, and employee eligibility, says Harold.Since 86% of employees say they would stay with an employer for five or more years if the company helps with student loan debt, per a 2017 American Student Assistance survey, Harold says that a tiered program that increases contributions over time can also strengthen loyalty and boost retention. One of SoFi’s healthcare clients created a monthly direct-contribution program and saw a 21% increase in therapist retention within six months of its launch. Due to the uncertainty around student debt repayment plans and credit impacts, SoFi has seen a high demand for webinars, guides, and personalized advice. People are confused about what payment or refinancing options are available. “We did a webinar in June of this year where the head of our financial planning team talked about [the] changes, and it was a record webinar for SoFi. We had thousands of people sign up,” Harold said. Certified Financial Planners or other specialists can provide employees with one-on-one support and advice based on their specific situations, he says, and SoFi also offers optimization tools that help borrowers understand what is available and make the best choice based on their debt profile and financial needs. A SoFi partner that launched their program less than five years ago has since seen over 400 employees optimize $54 million in student debt.“The government is incentivizing employer action and reducing support directly to borrowers,” said Harold. As this crisis deepens, employees are in a state of anxiety and confusion but also ready to act. Offering student loan benefits will give employers a strategic advantage in the talent marketplace, and SoFi is ready to share their decades of experience to help companies make the best decision for their workforce.Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner,  SoFi at Work, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. Jessica Swenson is a freelance writer based in the Midwest. Learn more about her at jmswensonllc.com.(Photo by Terminator3D/iStock)

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Meet the Revolution in Job Interviewing: How AI Can Transform an Outdated Process

BY Ade Akin July 23, 2025

Imagine a job interview where your chances don’t depend on first impressions, the interviewer’s mood, or a slick resume—but on the skills you actually have.Unstructured interviews have been the tradition for decades despite being as reliable as “flipping a coin” in predicting job success, said Belen Garcia, the behavioral science lead at LizzyAI. Garcia spoke alongside Yannis Niebelschuetz, the founder & CEO of LizzyAI during a From Day One webinar.It can be difficult, or near impossible, to screen thousands of candidates and give each one the same level of rigor and empathy in the process. While traditional thinking favors unstructured interviews to reveal personality and passion, decades of research suggest a different approach.“Most interviews don’t work,” Garcia said, citing data that shows 46% of new hires fail within 18 months and that 80% of turnover stems from hiring mistakes. “It’s not a people issue; it is a process issue,” she said. Outcomes inevitably vary when every hiring manager asks different questions, evaluates based on gut instinct, and brings unconscious bias to the interview room. What organizations need is structure: a standardized set of job‑relevant questions, consistent scoring rubrics, and an evidence‑based framework that ties every answer directly to role requirements, says Garcia.Harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) for EquityAI, as presented during the webinar, is not a harbinger of a dystopic future where humans in the workforce are replaced with artificial intelligence. LizzyAI’s product, Lizzy, a fully autonomous AI recruiter, is designed to streamline the hiring process.Yannis Niebelschuetz is the Founder & CEO of LizzyAI (company photo)“Lizzy isn’t making hiring decisions,” Niebelschuetz said. “She provides data so you can make better decisions.” By coding a behavioral-interview model into an autonomous platform, Lizzy delivers identical prompts to each applicant, whether she’s screening entry-level store associates or senior analysts, and then tracks their responses against competencies drawn directly from the job description.Around 30% of recruiters have already experimented with AI, while others expressed concern that it might exclude unconventional talent. Niebelschuetz called that concern valid. However, by focusing exclusively on concrete examples of past performance, “what happened, how you did it, why you chose that approach, and what happened afterward,” Lizzy eliminates bias tied to tone, appearance, or affinity. Every follow‑up question digs deeper into context and judgment without veering into impersonal, robotic territory.Niebelschuetz gave a live demo, acting as a retail‑associate candidate. On screen, Lizzy greeted him in a friendly tone, outlined the role’s expectations, and invited him to share detailed stories about customer service and task prioritization. When Niebelschuetz pressed to know if past leadership experience counted for anything, the AI seamlessly adjusted: “Your sales‑management tenure at LinkedIn can provide valuable insights into customer focus and dynamic environments.”As the demo unfolded, Garcia pointed out how Lizzy timestamps each response, maps strengths and gaps to technical and behavioral criteria, and compiles an evidence‑rich transcript. She auto-generates a scorecard that highlights must-haves, such as scheduling availability, competency scores with narrative rationales, and a recommendation after each interview.From Evidence to Decisions“It’s not about the number, it’s about the reasoning behind it,” said Garcia. Instead of guessing whether a candidate seemed confident, hiring managers can review verbatim snippets. The system even flags nonnegotiables, such as the ability to lift heavy merchandise or work weekend shifts, so overlooked disqualifiers don’t slip through human cracks.By the end of the hour, three key themes had emerged. First, structure breeds validity. The rigor behind question design and scoring has a much stronger impact on predictive power than factors like interview length or the seniority of the role. Second, AI enhances rather than replaces. Recruiters still make the final decisions on whom to advance, while AI helps by filtering out noise, standardizing evaluations, and surfacing relevant evidence. Third, transparency builds trust. Providing full transcripts and cited examples makes feedback more explainable, which is essential for a positive candidate experience and for maintaining legal compliance.Looking ahead, Niebelschuetz and Garcia envision a world where every organization, large or small, has an AI-powered first-round interview process that screens for core competencies, eliminates bias, and reserves human interaction for higher-order conversations. “This isn’t automation for its own sake,” Niebelschuetz said. “It’s a redefinition of what interviews could, and should, be.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, LizzyAI, for sponsoring this webinar. Ade Akin specializes in the emerging applications of artificial intelligence.(Photo by Alexander Sikov/iStock)

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The Future of Mental Health Support: Flexible, Fast, and Built for a Global Workforce

BY Jessica Swenson July 11, 2025

“If you can help guide those who are seeking mental health [support] into an effective form of treatment that is relevant to where they are in their journey, you have a better chance of being successful while also better managing your costs,” said Alison Borland, chief people and strategy officer at Modern Health.Before the pandemic, many employers treated mental health care as crisis-driven and compliance-focused. Now it is seen as a strategic priority, Borland shared during a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s Manhattan Conference. “If you look around the world, we lose about 12 billion work days per year, so it’s a trillion-dollar issue. And if mental health goes untreated, it drives up healthcare claims by 3.5x, so it is a very bottom-line problem,” she told moderator Lesley Alderman, a Brooklyn-based journalist and psychotherapist.Borland credits millennials for an increased focus on mental healthcare in the workplace. In a study conducted by Modern Health, more than half of surveyed millennials report that they have gone to therapy, and a quarter of them say they will go for the rest of their life. Many do not feel their mental health has fully recovered since the pandemic, and she says that their self-advocacy around mental health has helped remove the stigma for everyone. Mental healthcare is now an expectation rather than an option, she says.Unfortunately, mental health services are often known for outdated practices like defaulting to therapy and requiring long wait times for care. Borland sees an opportunity to advance the industry by bringing the focus back to population health. By intervening at early signs of stress and meeting people where they are with the care they need, she says, we could help people avoid the need for crisis support and reach a larger part of the population. “We often talk about whole population health, so it’s about the individuals, but it’s about reaching as much of the population as we can based on where they are in their journey,” she said. Alison Borland of Modern Health, left, was interviewed by Lesley Alderman, journalist and psychotherapist Employers can offset the hefty costs of therapy by using an adaptive approach similar to the one Modern Health offers. Through multiple care modalities ranging from traditional therapy and crisis support to coaching, community circles, and digital programs, Modern Health helps create personalized care plans that support employees across the spectrum of mental health care and across the employee population. “It’s a way to ease some of the older generations into mental health support and get them through the stigma,” she said.Additionally, this adaptive approach helps individuals get support even if they don’t know exactly what they need, says Borland. A concierge service helps them find a specific provider type or location, and virtual visits appeal to a broader variety of clients. This more personalized experience can forge a stronger relationship between provider and patient, even with virtual care. “We call that therapeutic alliance, and it is becoming more prevalent in conversations with providers and with professionals in the industry across the board.” Strengthening this therapeutic alliance leads to consistency, improved outcomes, and an increased return to care.While companies are often motivated to offer this adaptive care model because of its cultural impact, soft benefits like improved productivity, reduced turnover, and fewer leaves of absence are complemented by quantifiable savings. Data shows that reductions in healthcare claims and physical comorbidities delivered Modern Health clients a $2.39 return for every dollar spent on mental health services, says Borland. The increase of globalization can add complexity to medical care due to regulatory environments or public policies, but according to Borland mental health services have fewer such barriers to cross. Modern Health delivers services across 200 countries, in 80+ languages, and uses the same provider criteria and quality of care standards across their proprietary global network. Localized digital content makes virtual care more culturally relevant, and all service providers are local to their client populations.This consistency in global care is one of the emerging themes that Borland identified as key to the future of the mental healthcare industry. Another common theme she shared was the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the client-practitioner matching process, and the use of AI to process notes and meeting summaries—freeing providers up to focus more closely on client conversations.Weaving mental healthcare within a company’s culture is also crucial. It’s not just about connecting employees with third-party mental healthcare partners, but also about ensuring they feel safe, secure, and comfortable in the workplace. Lastly, she highlighted the importance of an adaptive model, like Modern Health’s, for its personalized experience that delivers the right care at the right time through frictionless, accessible mental healthcare programs—providing in-the-moment service while offering holistic support across all dimensions of life.Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Modern Health, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. Jessica Swenson is a freelance writer based in the Midwest. Learn more about her at jmswensonllc.com.(Photos by Hason Castell  for From Day One)

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Building a Veteran-Ready Workforce: Empowering Your Military Hiring and Retention Strategy

BY Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza July 10, 2025

Every year, 200,000 service members exit the U.S. military and enter the civilian workforce. Dave Harrison was one of them. He’s currently the executive director for workforce development and government relations at recruiting Fastport, but once he was a U.S. Army paratrooper jumping out of planes.Veterans are a dedicated group with experience in extreme environments, Harrison says. For many, a work week isn’t just 40 hours. During deployment, it’s 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “I learned from the United States military, how to lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way–and when to do it. That’s very valuable.”These are skills that translate well to civilian employment, yet many employers don’t take full advantage of the veteran talent pool. And then there’s the vast network of military spouses. Emily Peacock, military talent and program manager at Fastport, is a military spouse of 16 years, in which time she’s lived in seven different U.S. states and two counties overseas. Like many military spouses,” she said, I’ve had to rebuild my career again and again, adjusting to new places, new time zones, and new roles. Along the way, I’ve worked for higher education, data analysis, administrative support, and now I’m focused on workforce development.”Together, Harrison and Peacock are forging relationships between veterans and employers, connecting the communities to create meaningful work. They spoke during a From Day One webinar on building a veteran-ready workforce with better hiring and retention strategies. The Veteran Talent PoolHarrison consistently hears three questions from employers: Where do I find veterans, how do I recruit them, and how do I retain them?Veterans can be found through traditional recruiting channels or local veterans organizations, of course, but not typically critical numbers. Yet the talent is there. Harrison and Peacock advised looking for channels that bring transitioning service members, and their families, into civilian life.Journalist Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza spoke with Emily Peacock and Dave Harrison of Fastport (photo by From Day One)“The wonderful thing about a veteran,” said Harrison, “is they don’t have to be told every meal is going to be a feast and every day is going to be a holiday. They don’t need their back rubbed every day. They want to be treated fairly.”But they also have to see a career path at your company—a future and a means of developing professionally. “One of the biggest hurdles that we see is translating that military experience into civilian terms,” Peacock said. “Their job titles or accomplishments often don’t align exactly with what recruiters understand, making it hard for veterans to show how qualified they really are, but it’s a language issue, not a skills issue.”White Glove Military Talent ProgramPeacock works on Fastport’s White Glove Military Talent Program, which helps transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses find meaningful employment, and helps companies better engage and retain former military talent. It’s available to enlisted service members with just a few years of experience as well as those with decades-long careers. Participants get resume help, career coaching, and interview prep, and matches to companies with military-ready cultures.The program acts as an intermediary between veterans and employers, forging relationships on both sides. “Our approach blends technology and human connection,” Peacock said. “We manage our employer partners and talent pipelines for the military community, and act as their personal concierge so any requests that they need, we connect employers with transition offices at bases located throughout the country.”The military talent ecosystem is unfamiliar to many corporate recruiters, so “we help them understand credentialing and reciprocity within various states as it relates to military training,” Peacock said. “We strategically source for their open roles where they want to dig a little deeper.”The First Six MonthsAccording to Harrison, the first six months of civilian employment are the most critical for both employer and employee. In this time, former service members are most likely to become disenfranchised, lose connections within the military community, and fail to successfully connect with their new role. Many exit the military without a network in the civilian workforce “and it kind of puts them at a disadvantage in today’s job market,” said Peacock. Her husband, who is approaching military retirement, says he’s most worried about not understanding the culture of the civilian workplace.Harrison has heard from veterans who, months into civilian employment, find themselves isolated or realize that the job they accepted was not the job they were promised. They come back to him—and a new match begins. “The relationships you make will matter,” he said.“It all has to do with onboarding set up by the employer,” Peacock said. A focus on cultural integration, mentorship programs, and employee resource groups can make the critical connection between employee and employer. Don’t wait for them to find you: Introduce new hires to those ERGs and mentorship networks during onboarding, and designate a representative to proactively reach out, she says. Then open that ERG as broadly as you can, and welcome people who have a connection to the military. In one ERG Harrison worked with for more than a decade, the group’s strongest leader was a military spouse whose husband had been killed in service. “The more you envelop those people, the more you envelop your entire company and your entire company culture, the more the word will spread, and trust me, it will matter down the road,” Harrison said.An Untapped Talent Pool: Military Spouses As a military spouse herself, Peacock says this group is often lumped in with transitioning with service members and veterans despite having different work histories and skills, not to mention obstacles.“The main unique challenge for a military spouse is frequent relocation,” she said. Military families move every two to four years, roughly, which has created the stigma that employers shouldn’t hire spouses because they’ll simply be packing up before long. “It’s important to recognize that military spouses are not more likely to leave their jobs compared to other employees in the same demographic,” she said, citing data from SHRM. “If an employer can offer remote or portable job opportunities, it is likely that this spouse employee will stay with that company. Oftentimes they don’t want to leave the job, they just have to because of the nature of the beast.”Another common misconception is that military spouses are unqualified or unreliable, evidenced by career gaps or inconsistent career experience. But whether a military spouse is employed while their partner is stationed overseas is often beyond their control. Sometimes jobs just aren’t available. Harrison says he’s known no small number of military spouses who “were very highly educated. They were PhDs and master’s degrees and had important jobs, and because they happened to be part of a military family, and they got relocated to a location, and they just assumed that they’d be able to find a job, doing something, anything, teaching something, and there’s not.”This can even be a problem for military spouses in the U.S. “Everywhere there’s a major installation, the job market is generally saturated,” he said. Retiring service members tend to stay and buy homes, and there just aren’t enough jobs to go around.“You’ll find that a lot of military spouses have started putting ‘military spouse’ in their headline on LinkedIn,” said Peacock. That’s a quick way to crack open this community and begin funneling them into your talent pipeline. More and more, veterans recruiting programs, like Fastport’s White Glove program, are folding in military spouses as well.But the military spouse community is a rich, often overlooked talent pool. Not only do they often have a history of paid work, the tasks of a military spouse are not small. “Take someone who, with 16 days notice, coordinates and arranges the movement of home from one continent to another continent, and puts kids in school. Moves kids, arranges jobs, moves cars. Does all these and does it on their own,” Harrison said. “That’s project management 101, that’s logistics.” If you need someone who can make things happen, look no further.Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Fastport, 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 SDI Productions/iStock)

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Immigration Policy Guidance Under the New Trump Administration

BY Jessica Swenson July 07, 2025

Sweeping immigration policy changes under the new administration are expected to make it harder to access legal immigration programs, raising new challenges for employers around hiring, compliance, and more. When the alien registration requirement went into effect, Matthew P. Hellrung, co-founder and managing partner of Meltzer Hellrung Immigration Solutions, says it doubled his firm’s email traffic overnight because of the uncertainty around best practices and exact requirements for birthright citizens.In a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One's Chicago conference, Hellrung outlined some new and anticipated immigration policies and provided guidance to help companies effectively navigate potential disruptions.“There was always, under Biden and Obama, a priority to deport folks that were dangerous to the United States. That’s completely done away with—there’s really no prioritization of individuals that they’re deporting from the United States right now,” Hellrung said. That policy, combined with a more robust expedited removal program, puts workers employed through visas and work authorization programs at an increased risk of deportation.Recently introduced travel bans are affecting people from several countries. These bans “are generally related to security concerns, but they’re also focusing on student visas—not allowing citizens of these countries to come into the United States and go to school here,” said Hellrung. As the administration continues to add barriers to immigration benefits, employers can expect to see increased costs for green card and employee sponsorships as well as potential changes to the H1-B visa lottery system. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is expected to expand their business audits to validate employment practices. The agency has also been given the power to deputize local law enforcement to assist with deportation actions, says Hellrung.Matthew P. Hellrung, co-founder and managing partner at Meltzer Hellrung, led the sessionIf your company sponsors individuals, Hellrung’s first recommendation is to secure good counsel and conduct a workforce risk review. Consolidating your immigration information can simplify that process by ensuring easy access to company-wide benefit data. His team uses a proprietary platform to do this, but “there are a number of other immigration technologies that your attorneys or immigration vendors may use. It starts with centralizing data and information so you can understand who’s at risk inside of your organization,” he said. This includes reviewing and optimizing your I-9 verification, storage, and access processes.A site visit protocol strategy will help you in case of a visit from ICE or another agency requesting immigration records or access to an individual. It’s wise to think about how you will capture their information, supervise their visit, and document all activity. “I would recommend filming everything,” said Hellrung. “We all have cell phones in our pockets. Film it to make sure that if they do anything wrong, you can raise an objection if you find yourselves in court and you have verifiable proof via the video that you've taken.”At a more general level, he suggests standardizing your company’s immigration or work sponsorship policies. This ensures a consistent employee experience and streamlines internal processes. It also helps avoid last-minute documentation requests by providing a clear immigration pathway for employees. “You can also use it as a bit of a shield.” Hellrung said. “When somebody says, ‘I want my green card right now.’ you can point to the [exact parameters of the] policy.”To reduce potential impacts of the growing travel bans, Hellrung proposes that any employees with immigrant benefits avoid international travel and limit domestic travel when possible. Even individuals with valid visas can be held by Customs and Border Protection or be detained inside and outside the United States. If they must travel, Hellrung says, “have some empathy around their concerns [with travel] if you’re asking them to do so.”One of the most important practices to mitigate anxiety, he says, is to simply communicate with your employees. Ensure that they know your policies and remind them of any support that is in place for them. Develop and share collateral that helps people know their rights and stay informed about evolving federal policies, or partner with outside counsel to share their expertise via blogs, webinars, policy alerts, and direct employee meetings. Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Meltzer Hellrung, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. Jessica Swenson is a freelance writer based in the Midwest. Learn more about her at jmswensonllc.com.(Photos by Tim Hiatt for From Day One)

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Helping Employers Navigate Costs and Care in the GLP-1 Era

BY Stephanie Reed July 01, 2025

As demand for prescription weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy remains high, employers are feeling growing pressure to cover them, and that pressure isn’t going away.In 2023, 45% of American adults surveyed were interested in weight loss prescriptions, and 80% said insurance should cover GLP-1s for obese adults. More notably, 53% of Americans said insurance should cover the cost of weight loss drugs for anyone who wants to lose weight. This demand is reflected in the market value of GLP-1s expected to reach $77 billion by 2030.During a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s Chicago conference, Dr. Avantika Waring, chief medical officer at 9amHealth, shared insight into creating sustainable care solutions for overall cardiometabolic health treatment. She spoke about what successful, sustainable weight care benefits look like for both employers and employees.9amHealth helps organizations save costs with tailored and comprehensive cardiometabolic care plans amidst the growing demand for GLP-1s, says Waring. According to a 2024 survey, 67% of respondents would likely or be very likely to stay at jobs they don't like if weight loss medication were covered.“This is something that people really value, and it’s very hard when people change jobs and they lose coverage to kind of go on and off,” she said. Another crucial takeaway of the survey is that respondents value weight loss coverage more than unlimited PTO, work-from-home or hybrid work models, and team-bonding activities. Dr. Avantika Waring, chief medical officer at 9amHealth, led the thought leadership spotlight Does the demand justify the cost for employers? The annual healthcare costs for individuals with obesity rise with the severity of the condition, making effective treatment a potential cost-saver, says Waring. Successful weight loss, she says, can lead to lower monthly medical spending.Picking the right population is another aspect to consider because employers will see a higher ROI providing comprehensive weight loss care to an employee who has severe obesity and other chronic conditions. “What conditions do they have? Are the conditions severe? Are they mild conditions that are likely to respond to lifestyle only? That’s how you’re going to really maximize the value,” she said. Employers can consider medications more affordable than GLP-1s as part of an effective weight health and obesity management program, says Waring. There are more affordable weight management medications in the form of oral pills that aren’t being considered because of our current GLP-1 era. “We have a lot of tools in our toolbox, and part of the kind of challenge, and also the fun, is figuring out what type of treatment is going to match best with the individual patient.”Lastly, when employers choose to cover GLP-1s in a controlled way, it gives employees who need it the most access based on clear medical criteria. What Successful Weight Benefits Look Like  Comprehensive weight management care incorporates a program, physician, or clinical group providing multi-disciplinary expertise. This makes it easier to identify effective weight care benefits.9amHealth uses a “smart” triage to deliver efficient care, incorporating AI-driven clinical decision support, multi-disciplinary specialty expertise, and updated literature and protocols as further guidance, she says. “You want to work with a team that really functions like a clinic, and they can help you connect with your primary care, and get your referrals to specialists within your network,” Waring said.Successful weight benefits cover lab testing to discover undiagnosed underlying conditions. This helps individuals receive the proper medications and personalized guidance and coaching they need.  About 60% of 9amHealth members have other health conditions, which is why the organization recommends comprehensive cardiometabolic screenings and provides tailored virtual care, says Waring. Effective weight care benefits also involve selecting the right, insurance-covered medications based on each individual’s full health profile and addressing lifestyle challenges like dietary needs and family responsibilities as part of goal-setting.“So really, what we’re trying to do at 9am is bring all of these components of care together, and I do think that that provides a really great experience for people that helps them to be successful, not just in the short term, but in the long term.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, 9amHealth, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. Stephanie Reed is a freelance news, marketing, and content writer. Much of her work features small business owners throughout diverse industries. She is passionate about promoting small, ethical, and eco-conscious businesses.(Photos by Tim Hiatt for From Day One)