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JUNE 2021 • $8.95
After
George
Floyd
One year since the murder,
how have corporate
approaches to DE&I
changed? PAGE 6
Announcing HRE’s Benefits
the 2021 Conference,
Rising Stars Recapped
Page 8 Page 12
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Human Resource
June 2021 Executıve ®
COVER STORY
After George Floyd BY JULIE COOK RAMIREZ
The murder prompted swift responses from corporations around diversity, equity and inclusion. Now, one year later, how has DE&I changed—and where is it
headed? Page 6
HR Leadership Columns
Meet the 2021 HR’s Rising Stars 8 Inside HR Tech
BY HRE STAFF Tech’s Role in DE&I 3
Six winners were selected from among a record number of nominations. HR in the Flow of Work
Rethinking Recruiting for the New Economy 4
Health & Benefits Emerging Intelligence
Benefits Priorities for a Post-Pandemic World 12 AI, the EU and HR’s New Relationship with Tech 19
BY KATHRYN MAYER
Here are 10 big lessons from HRE’s virtual Health & Benefits Leadership Conference.
READ MORE AT HREXECUTIVE.COM
Talent Management • What HR Needs to Know About How to Use Vaccine Passports Legally
Virtual Onboarding is Failing Employees 18 • What Do the New CDC Mask Guidelines Mean for Employers?
BY JAMIE KOHN • Will Hybrid Work Be Heaven—Or a Horror Show?
Bringing new hires into a remote setting requires proactive efforts to connect • This Is Our Chance to Rework It All
them to company culture. Cover photo: REUTERS / Nick Oxford - stock.adobe.com
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INSIDE HR TECH By Steve Boese/Columnist
Tech’s Role in DE&I
technologies have been developed
that support blind screening of job
candidates so profiles are assessed
fairly and recruiters and hiring
managers don’t take into account
With just a few months to go until the HR Technology information that may influence hiring. Another area where I’m seeing increased
Conference this fall, I am in full planning mode. A part of the use and adoption are technologies designed to examine the text of job descriptions,
process is reviewing, rating and, in some cases, selecting performance reviews and even internal communications like emails to seek out
session ideas from the hundreds of formal speaking and recommend the removal of potentially biased words. Over time, organizations
proposals we receive. It takes me quite a long time, but it is can use these technologies to expand their recruiting talent pools and ensure
time well spent; not only do we receive lots of great ideas that internal processes and communications are more equitable and promote the
for the conference, I also use the process to get a broad overview of the issues that organization’s overall DE&I goals.
organizations are facing, as well as how HR technologies are helping meet these
challenges. Usually each year some themes emerge, and we receive a number of Evaluating and Understanding Outcomes
proposals that speak to similar problems and strategies. The third trend is the area of HR and people analytics. Again, the use of HR
For example, a few years ago when the “get rid of the annual performance technology to better collect, organize, interpret and communicate information
review” idea was trending, we received several dozen proposals from organizations about HR data is not a new idea, but what is newer is how HR tech providers and
that had indeed gone down that path, and highlighted the new HR tech tools to organizations are adapting these tools for DE&I analysis. Many of the leading providers
support continuous performance management and coaching. This year, after of HR technology have created specific, purpose-built reports and dashboards for
reviewing the large batch of proposals, I want to call out the increased attention to DE&I analyses. These tools are increasingly important for organizations to better
diversity, equity and inclusion. While not a complete list, here are three main areas understand where they stand in areas like employee demographics, compensation
where we see HR tech supporting organizational DE&I strategies. equity, progression, retention and more—but with the specific intention of obtaining
a deeper analysis with a DE&I lens. Finally, these analytics technologies can help
Asking and Listening to Employees organizations measure the actual impact of specific DE&I programs. For example,
Technologies designed to survey employees have been in place for quite some time, the organization can use analytics to assess whether using more inclusive language
and largely had not changed all that much since they were introduced. Think of all the in job advertisements actually does improve the diversity of their applicant pools.
annual employee engagement surveys you have taken in your career; they probably Particularly in large organizations, having powerful HR analytics tools is a requirement
tend to blend together. More recently, a number of new technologies have revamped to understand and improve compensation equity.
the annual survey into shorter, simpler, more frequent check-ins or “pulse” surveys. In The importance of DE&I to organizations and HR leaders has likely never been
the last year or so, another shift is underway to adapt employee survey tools to better greater. And as we have seen over time, when there is an issue of increasing focus for
understand employee sentiment, specifically on DE&I issues. While this is admittedly HR, the HR technology ecosystem reacts with new and adapted solutions to help HR
not a huge leap in technology—it primarily is a realignment of mostly existing address these challenges. Certainly, we will see many of these technologies and hear
technologies—the RFP data shows that many more organizations are specifically from leading organizations on their use at HR Tech this fall. If your organization is
evaluating what employees think of the company’s DE&I position and performance. currently considering how HR technology can support your DE&I programs, make
plans to attend HR Tech!
Reducing, Removing Bias in HR Processes
Another primary objective of HR technology used to support organizational Steve Boese is chair of HRE’s HR Technology Conference & Exposition®. Send
DE&I goals is the reduction or removal of biases in HR processes. For example, questions or comments to hreletters@lrp.com.
June 2021 3
HR Technology
HR IN THE FLOW OF WORK Josh Bersin/Columnist
Rethinking Recruiting for the New Economy
The unemployment rate remains elevated at 6.1%, but • Get very serious about internal mobility. Much of the top talent you need
companies are having trouble finding people to fill might already be in your company. But which employees have this potential,
jobs. This unusual dynamic was underscored by the and how do you transition them to new roles? Marketing employees can move
release of the April labor statistics, which found that into sales; finance people can move into IT; HR professionals can move into
266,000 jobs were created that month, far short of the operations. Identifying such alternative career pathways are essential to company
roughly 1 million new jobs that estimates had predicted. growth. Recruiting teams must include internal headhunters responsible for
Some analysts blamed an economic recover y that isn’t as strong as it seems, identifying internal talent suitable for new positions, while tools that can manage
but others have pointed to powerful forces such as ongoing health fears and internal talent marketplaces will become essential.
robust unemployment insurance for keeping people from seeking jobs in some • Focus on retention, employee experience and employee engagement. Many
industries. companies now have employee experience teams charged with taking a
At the same time, we are grappling with a shrinking workforce. Fertility holistic look at employee needs and obstacles and bringing together resources
rates in developed countries have been steadily dropping while baby boomers from HR, IT, facilities and even legal functions. The massive adoption of
are retiring at record rates. Many women have left their jobs in order to care for employee experience solutions from companies like Ser viceNow and recent
children and other family members. announcements from Microsoft, Oracle and others point to the importance of
To cope, HR leaders are radically rethinking recruiting and talent creating positive employee experiences and ongoing development.
development. For instance, according to the Washington Post, restaurants • Create candidates through development. Diverse companies like Ashley
are offering incentives such as signing bonuses, college tuition payments and Furniture, Kaiser Permanente, Verizon and Chipotle are all training people to
even cash just for showing up for job inter views. I recently spoke with leaders fill open jobs—as opposed to focusing solely on finding people with the exact
from Ashley Furniture Industries, a $7 billion manufacturer, who told me skill sets needed. We have to adopt the mindset of “creating candidates” through
the company simply cannot find enough skilled people to staff its automated development programs.
manufacturing plants. To address the shortage, the company is actively • Create diversified talent portfolios. It’s time to strategically incorporate part-
recruiting and training students graduating from high school. time, contract and outsourced workers into your talent portfolio. Doing so will
It’s clear that companies will no longer be able to “hire their way to growth” increase your company’s ability to adapt to fluctuating needs, and you’ll widen
as they have in the past. Here are some of the short-term changes in recruiting, your talent pool.
talent management and development that will be needed to cope with the The bottom line for employers is this: Don’t think about hiring as the only way
workforce shortages ahead. I believe companies must: to grow. While traditional hiring will never go away, sustainable growth will come
• Diversify recruitment ef forts. For decades, we’ve known that a college from upskilling and redeploying people, redesigning the company for automation
pedigree is not the secret to success. Companies are now hiring people from and scale, and investing in programs that improve productivity, wellbeing and
a range of educational backgrounds and investing money in development to culture.
bring them along. Bank of America, a company I greatly admire, has grown
its consumer banking business by reducing turnover and rethinking its entire Josh Bersin is an analyst, author, educator and thought leader focusing on the
process of development. The company recruits at local community colleges, global talent market and the challenges and trends impacting business workforces
focuses on a strong and enduring brand, and takes great care of new hires. around the world. Send questions or comments to hreletters@lrp.com.
Human Resource
Executıve ®
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44 Human
Human Resource
Resource Executive
Executive®®
Cover Story
A
DE&I
Renewal
In the aftermath of George
Floyd’s murder, organizations
ramped up their diversity, equity
and inclusion initiatives, but
have they succeeded in moving
the needle on racial injustice?
Photo by: REUTERS / Nick Oxford - stock.adobe.com
BY JULIE COOK RAMIREZ
T
rayvon Martin, Botham Jean, McHale surrounding Floyd’s murder created the ideal situation survey also found DE&I was the top concern for HR
Rose, Jamee Johnson, Michael Dean, for people to see firsthand the unjust nature of his death. leaders, ranking ahead of strategizing for a post-COVID
Elijah McClain—just a few of the young “When these things happen, they’re often in alleys culture.
Black men who have died at the hands of or places where someone has stopped someone in a car In addition to the actions organizations took, the
U.S. police officers in recent years. Each of on the side of the road, but this happened in the middle language they are using in the statements relating to
these cases was covered by the media, but none struck of the day in public,” says Harris. “The overwhelming Floyd’s murder and their ensuing responses has shifted.
as much of a nerve as the murder of George Floyd, the evidence, the video recording made it very hard to put a “Organizations started using words like ‘structural
unarmed 46-year-old Black man who died from a lack spin on it.” racism’ and ‘racial injustice’ or ‘social injustice,’
of oxygen caused by Minneapolis police officer Derek Perhaps just as noteworthy as the public response words they were not using before,” says Kerrien
Chauvin pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck for nearly was the response from corporate America. Typically, Suarez, executive director of Equity in the Center in
nine minutes on May 25, 2020. Throughout the summer, when tragedy strikes, organizations issue a standard, Washington, D.C. “That shift in language is notable,
the nation was rocked by mostly peaceful protests. PR-drafted statement expressing heartbreak and and it resulted in a significant amount of unrest within
Nearly one year later, Chauvin’s long-awaited murder condemnation. This time was different. companies because they were using language that
trial concluded in April with guilty verdicts on all three According to an HR Policy Association survey this people on their board might not be comfortable with.”
charges. spring of nearly 400 HR leaders representing 11 million
With so many Black men—and a few women— employees, 85% said their organizations expanded Driving Sustainable Change
meeting their fate during police encounters, why was it inclusion activities and increased C-suite involvement At Radnor, Pa.-based Lincoln Financial Group, the
that Floyd’s death galvanized the nation? According to in DE&I since Floyd’s murder. Seventy percent have board of directors was not only comfortable with the
Doug Harris, CEO of the Chicago-based Kaleidoscope started or expanded unconscious bias training, while language in the company’s public statements, it actually
Group, a consulting firm specializing in customized more than half moved to disaggregate workforce data to led the way, joining Chief Diversity Officer Allison
diversity and inclusion strategies, the circumstances provide a better picture of employee demographics. The Green Johnson and then-CHRO Lisa Buckingham to
6 Human Resource Executive ®
form the Chairman’s Diversity Committee during the
summer of 2020. With the goal of driving sustainable
change, the committee met weekly to address not only
diversity, but racial justice as well. “Organizations started using words like
The result was several sustainable, long-term
actions to support racial justice and equity, Johnson ‘structural racism’ and ‘racial injustice’ or ‘social
said. Those include formally tying senior leadership
compensation to the company’s diversity and inclusion injustice,’ words they were not using before.”
objectives and implementing enhanced practices
in recruiting, retention and employee development
—KERRIEN SUAREZ, EQUITY IN THE CENTER
to increase Black employee populations at Lincoln,
especially among officer level leadership, where the
company has committed to increasing the minority
population by 50% over the next three years. Floyd] happens, you step back and say, ‘What can we do company could not be truly serious about diversity
To ensure diverse representation at all levels of better?’ ” says VanHoorelbeke. “We took a look and said, and inclusion without addressing racism as one of
the company, Lincoln hired two dedicated diversity ‘This is a basic human rights issue and that’s how this the key root causes of the need for it. In line with
recruiters—one focused on early career talent, company is going to look at it.’ ” that acknowledgment, Cargill engaged employees in
the other on executive talent—to source diverse Papadourakis reinforced that message to the “courageous conversations” that Beatove characterizes
candidates through relationships with Historically organization. However, VanHoorelbeke says the as “essential to learning what it feels like to be a person
Black Colleges and Universities and professional emotionally charged and contentious political of color today.”
organizations for people of color. Lincoln also adopted environment led to calls from “a lot of people” who While she agrees it’s good that organizations are
several practices designed to remove unconscious considered anti-racism actions to be a political move. finally acknowledging “structural racism is a thing,”
bias from the hiring process. Voice-only candidate Over time, such chatter dissipated, but VanHoorelbeke Suarez is concerned that workplace conversations
pre-screening has been employed to eliminate isn’t entirely convinced it’s gone. Rather, “we’re just not often consist mostly of Black employees standing
appearance-based hearing it.” up and sharing their experiences of racism in
hiring decisions, while Johnson reports similar pushback at Lincoln society, rather than focusing on identifying ways
the “balanced slate” Financial after the company launched a series of to counteract racial inequities both internally and
approach mandates dialogues around race. Crucial Conversations were externally.
that every open officer held for the officer population, while Meaningful “Often, the nature of these conversations is to
position (assistant vice Conversations were essentially “open mic” sessions bring white colleagues up to speed on structural
president and above) facilitated by Employee Relations based on a concept racism, but it’s not the responsibility of folks of color
must include a woman initiated by Lincoln’s African American Business to explain structural racism and white privilege to
and a person of color in Resource Group. Unfortunately, some employees their colleagues,” she explains. “Those conversations
the interview process. didn’t grasp the need for such conversations. should not be mistaken
While removing Consequently, Johnson says, she received comments for transformational
unconscious bias from such as, “I didn’t realize Lincoln was so liberal” and change to dismantle
hiring, promotion and “Why are you bringing politics into the office?” institutional racism
professional development “This is not a partisan issue,” says Johnson. “It’s not within corporations and
Kerrien Suarez processes is important about left or right, liberal or conservative. It’s about structural racism in
to battling racism in humanity and what’s right or just. We’re a microcosm broader society.”
the workplace, it’s just one component of “building a of our country and we remain firmly committed to Not so at Cargill,
race equity culture,” according to Suarez. All too often, diversity, equity and inclusion in our workplace and in says Beatove, where
she says, companies focus on diversity, rather than our communities where we live and serve.” the company has not
dismantling structural racism, the ultimate goal. only expanded the
“Structural racism is not the same as diversity; Condemning Racism involvement of its Ebony
it’s this centuries-old legacy of white supremacy that At Minnetonka, Minn.-based Cargill Inc., where Council in supporting
preferences white Americans over everyone else,” diversity and inclusion has been “woven into the the participation of
says Suarez. “Reckoning with that individually and fabric” since it established its first Office of Equal Myriam Beatove Black, African American
institutionally is a completely different conversation Opportunity in 1969, Floyd’s death “reinforced the and Pan-African
and process than ‘we need to hire more people in this sense of urgency and created the environment and employees to reach their full potential at Cargill, but
corporation who are not white.’ ” momentum to make [the company’s commitment to has also joined together with 30 other companies in
According to Suarez, dismantling structural racism drive] “meaningful, sustainable, systemic change a the OneTen coalition. The group aims to leverage its
is a multi-year process that requires senior leader reality,” according to Chief Human Resources Officer collective strength to drive meaningful, sustainable and
involvement and a five-step path of: Myriam Beatove. systemic change to address one of the root causes of
1. establishing a shared vocabulary, The global food giant issued a formal statement the racial divide in the U.S.: economic opportunity.
2. identifying race equity champions at the board and two weeks after Floyd’s death that read, in part: “… “Engaging and leveraging the entire system of
senior leadership levels, Our resolve is stronger than ever to defeat the racial Cargill, looking at our processes with rigor to address
3. naming race equity work as a strategic imperative, violence, hatred and discrimination that have no place potential bias, and improving and including innovation
4. opening a continuous dialogue about race equity in our world.” The statement went on to “condemn anti- in how we address racial inequality will really have a
work and Black racism” and, like Lincoln, to focus on removing huge impact for us,” says Beatove. “I’d like to believe
5. disaggregating data. bias from hiring processes and talent selection. In we will win the fight for DEI with a combination of
the weeks that followed, Beatove says, Cargill shifted inspirational and transformational actions.”
A Human Rights Issue its strategy to include equity alongside diversity and As for Suarez, she acknowledges that Floyd’s death
Just one week after Floyd’s murder, Antonis inclusion. led to an increased awareness of systemic racism and
Papadourakis, president and CEO of the North “It’s good to talk about representation, which is a greater number of employers moving beyond static
American region for specialty chemicals and plastics diversity, and it’s good to talk about inclusion, which statements of condemnation. However, she remains
company Lanxess Corp., openly condemned the is making our current workforce feel valued and cautiously optimistic that organizations are truly
ongoing racial inequity in American society, writing welcomed and heard, but at the end of the day, we had committed to living the values they’ve professed.
“these simple yet sacred ways of humanity are not a huge population of underrepresented people that “There’s absolutely been a spike in awareness
equally granted to everyone.” Papadourakis urged didn’t even have access to the opportunity of being and a spike in action in terms of people signing up
his leadership team to come up with an action plan, recruited or being part of that inclusive environment,” for trainings on structural racism or engaging with
which subsequently led to an open call for people from says Beatove. “That’s a significant part of our shift in consultants to facilitate conversations on race and
across the organization to serve on an employee task strategy. We need to address equity. We need to address racism,” says Suarez. “We’ll just have to wait and see
force to advise management on issues of racism and fair treatment and access to opportunity to even access how many of these organizations will make the true,
social inequities. Response was overwhelming. Jack the representative group and make them part of our deep commitment to the years’ long work of dismantling
VanHoorelbeke, head of HR Americas, was one of the company.” white supremacy within their institutions.”
first to volunteer. According to Beatove, the other major shift in
“I like to think that Lanxess is a very welcoming Cargill’s strategy—the specific call-out of anti-Black Send questions or comments about this story to
place to work, but when something like [the murder of racism—was the result of a realization that the hreletters@lrp.com.
June 2021 7
HR Leadership
Meet the 2021 HR’s Rising Stars
already made to their respective
organizations and are eager to see how
they, and all of this year’s nominees,
will continue to shape the HR industry.
For each winner’s full story, visit
HRExecutive.com.
T
he COVID-19 pandemic redefined including those selected as Human the most innovative, accomplished and Judges for the competition were
how people work, where they Resource Executive®’s 2021 HR’s Rising promising talent: Erik Alicea, Acacia former Rising Stars winner Ben
work and even what work itself is. Stars—stepped up to the plate and Network; Judy Huie, Freddie Mac; Brooks, founder and CEO of PILOT;
Central to all of those transformations proved why this is HR’s moment. John Klein, Maxim Integrated; Jennifer Jen Colletta, managing editor of HRE;
have been HR professionals, who HRE received a record number of Singman, Kapsch TrafficCom USA Inc.; Gregory Hessel, partner, HR Practice
provided guidance, direction, support nominations for the 2021 competition, Carrie Wadman, Goodwill Industries at Korn Ferry International; former
and a lot of creativity when it came with a pool of candidates who were of Southeastern Wisconsin; and Angie Rising Stars winner Leslie Mikus, VP,
to navigating the fluid crises of the pivotal to helping their organizations Wideman-Powell, ClearCompany. talent at Merge; and HRE Honor Roll
last year. Through these challenges, not just survive, but thrive, through the We congratulate the winners on winner Ruth Stricklen Pullins, CHRO
the next generation of HR leaders— pandemic. Ultimately, six emerged as the impressive contributions they’ve of Truman Medical Centers.
Erik Alicea Judy Huie John Klein
Acacia Network Freddie Mac Maxim Integrated
Director of HR Senior Director and Chief Talent Acquisition &
New York City of Staff to the CHRO and Staffing Manager
Chief Diversity Officer San Jose, Calif.
Greatest HR Challenge:
Washington, D.C.
There was little time for Ali- Greatest HR Challenge:
-Baltimore Area
cea to acclimate to his new Differentiating between what
job last year as director of Greatest HR Challenge: is urgent and what is truly
HR. COVID began chang- Building two new HR oper- important. Klein says it’s too
ing nearly everything about ations from the ground up: easy for HR professionals to
the HR landscape at the social services agency. Alicea the strategic communications group, which develops slip into a reactive state, with an endless cycle of urgent
had to operate at full speed while creating policies and and delivers messages that tie back to Freddie Mac’s tasks. He aims to take time to step back and consider
practices that ensured the safety of the organization’s corporate strategy, and the shared services team. the strategic landscape, and identify what is truly impor-
3,000 employees, many of whom worked at either the Greatest HR Accomplishment: Watching people on tant, which he says allows him to invest in automating
organization’s nursing home or client sites across the her team grow as professionals and move into jobs with and optimizing processes that end up reducing the need
country. ever-greater responsibility. Examples include moving in- to constantly put out fires.
Greatest HR Accomplishment: Over the past 10 terns into HR’s full-time risk and control team, supporting Greatest HR Accomplishment: Building a global
years, Alicea has climbed up the ranks at the organiza- an admin staffer to earn a CPA and become a finance network of relationships within HR and across Maxim’s
tion, holding numerous HR jobs, before stepping into division manager, and seeing a relocation manager in the employee services team, the business and other functions.
his current role. He worked smart and hard to earn shared services operation go on to head international The enabling factor in those relationships has been his
the respect of his former co-workers as a progressive relocations for a defense contracting firm. passion for helping others succeed, empathetic approach
leader who is evolving the organization’s culture into to partnering and genuine curiosity about the products,
one that’s more welcoming, inclusive and engaging. work and people with which he interacts globally.
Carrie Wadman
Jennifer Goodwill Industries Angie
Singman of Southeastern Wideman-
Wisconsin
Kapsch TrafficCom Director, HR Operations
Powell
USA Inc. Greendale, Wisc. ClearCompany
Manager, VP of People
Learning & Talent Greatest HR Challenge:
Making HR support acces- Boston, Mass.
McLean, Va.
sible to all of Goodwill em- Greatest HR Challenge:
Greatest HR Challenge: ployees, especially since the Breaking into the HR pro-
Breaking into the “HR club” organization has a relatively broad geographical reach— fession. For years, Wide-
without specific HR experience. Once she stepped into with 70 stores and the headquarters spread out between man-Powell had operated on the peripheral of HR,
the field, she had to change her thinking and slow down Southeastern Wisconsin and Northern to Mid-Illinois. handling some HR matters as an account manager
her reaction time, which often meant biting her tongue Given that all employees would need HR support in some and office manager. Although she obtained both SCP
and honing her ability to look at all angles of a situation, in- form, it has been a challenge, and a focus, to ensure and PHR certifications from SHRM and a master’s de-
cluding legal, disparate impact and other risks. In the past, everyone could easily access HR’s support services. gree in HR management, she had never held a full-time
she would default to standing on the people side, but now Greatest HR Accomplishment: Getting the new HR job. Then, one year after joining ClearCompany
stands in the middle, considering all aspects equally. Employee Service Center up and running—in a very ac- as a customer success manager, CEO Andre Lavoie
Greatest HR Accomplishment: After just over a year celerated timeframe of three weeks—and receiving posi- asked her to fill a vacant HR position because of her
with Kapsch, Singman’s role was expanded to include tive feedback from employees and senior management. HR background and academic credentials.
talent management. She inherited a Climate Assessment Wadman and her team had to triage the demand for help Greatest HR Accomplishment: Helping the company
project that was partially completed. Despite a steep in a very quick turnaround, and the effort has made a real survive COVID. Last year, Wideman-Powell successfully
learning curve for both the process and technology used difference for employees. shifted the company’s 165 employees from office work-
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© 2021 LRP Publications | CD2104-8Health & Benefits
Benefits Priorities for a Post-Pandemic World
HRE’s Health & Benefits Leadership Conference
explored how COVID has reshaped
employee benefits.
BY KATHRYN MAYER
B
enefits have always been a vital choose between their careers
company strategy. But in the age and their families”; waived
of COVID-19—when health and deductibles for the testing
safety were the biggest priorities, and treatment of COVID-19;
employees struggled with caregiving added programs for
responsibilities, mental health emotional and mental health;
issues rose and so much more—the and more free mental health
importance of benefits has reached visits, made available for all
new heights. Smart employers and HR employees. For parents, the
leaders turned to benefits as one of company also provided tips
their biggest COVID-19 strategies to and resources to navigate
help struggling employees—a focus virtual learning and homeschooling. makes no sense. It makes no sense for word—besides secure—that I hope
that will only continue during the “We had to step up our game when the the employees and the employer. you want to give to all your employees
pandemic and beyond. pandemic struck,” Johnson said. “We are in the middle of a is hope. Without hope, it’s like you’re
“We had to be responsive, be TIAA also leaned on benefits caregiving crisis, and it’s a problem asphyxiated; you can’t breathe. And
agile and be able to look around and as its biggest COVID-19 strategy, that’s only going to grow,” Lunden sometimes, just a little action instills
anticipate and make decisions on the Woodroffe explained during a said. “We need to support families, and hope.”
basis of what’s in the best interest of keynote we need people to stay engaged in the 4. Mental health is in the
our associates,” TIAA CHRO Sean address workforce.” spotlight. Mental health issues also
Woodroffe said during a keynote Thursday. 3. Emergency savings is a rising were already a massive issue before
session at HRE’s 2021 Health & Among the benefit trend. The statistics painting COVID-19: “Before this pandemic,
Benefits Leadership Conference last many benefits a picture of employees’ financial there was a pandemic called the
month. The virtual three-day event, enhancements situation were bad before COVID: 40% mental health crisis,” Louis Gagnon,
which drew more than 4,500 attendees the financial of Americans couldn’t afford a $400 CEO of Total Brain, said during a
and 63 exhibitors, went in-depth on ser vices firm unexpected expense; about two-thirds of panel discussion. But a year-plus
COVID-19: what employers have made over Americans lived paycheck to paycheck, of social distancing, lockdowns
learned, the steps they took to use the last year and “short-term money matters” were and dramatic shifts to remote work
benefits to address the short-term were expanded the top source of stress for Americans. upended the day-to-day realities for
effects of the crisis, and what changes Sean Woodroffe mental health The pandemic worsened these statistics many employees. Workplace mental
the pandemic will make on the and telehealth and exacerbated financial problems health has moved from conversations
industry long-term. programs, work from home stipends, for scores of employees. “The day has in the C-suite to a pandemic within a
Here are some of the biggest backup child and elder care support come where we need workplace savings pandemic. “We all know mental health
takeaways from the event. and even free at-home COVID to have more than just a single option,” has been an issue; the pandemic just
1. The pandemic has forced testing. “Treating associates with Devin Miller, CEO and co-founder of completely ripped the Band-Aid off
employers to get creative with respect, dignity, care and compassion Secure, an emergency savings fintech and made this front and center for
benefits—and leadership. Although is the best approach an employer platform, said during a session. “You employers,” said Colleen McHugh,
the past year has been difficult, it also can take,” he said. “It’s a welcoming need to have variation to support executive vice president of the
brought new opportunities for better approach in great times, and it’s the different employees in different stages American Health Policy Institute,
serving employees and rethinking only approach in challenging times.” of life. You can’t be using your 401(k) as noting that improving employee
leadership, experts said during 2. Employers need to make an emergency fund.” mental health is going to be a strategic
the event. “As human resources moves to help caregivers. Although Expect employers to offer imperative going forward.
executives, we were in the thick of a number of states have passed their emergency savings programs as an Employers made many moves to
everything, which is appropriate own comprehensive paid leave policies employee benefit, keynoter Melissa help struggling employees in the last
because the pandemic, at its heart, is and more companies are offering Gopnik, senior vice president year, helping to mitigate some issues,
a human crisis,” Kristin Johnson, chief versions themselves, “the vast majority at financial security nonprofit but there is still much work to be done.
human resources officer at Edward of families in the U.S. still don’t have Commonwealth, said during a Looking ahead, the new mantra for
Jones, said during a session. “It made access to paid leave and medical keynote. Split deposits—which can employers will be helping employees
us more aware than ever how much leave,” Joan Lunden—former Good put some of a worker’s paycheck disconnect, said Michael Thompson,
value we place on human connection Morning America host and caregiving directly into a savings account— president and CEO of the National
and relationships.” advocate—said during the event’s are an especially low-hanging Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser
For Edward Jones, that focus on opening keynote. She called that a opportunity for employers to Coalitions. “This whole issue of
connection and employee relationships huge problem. embrace, she said. continuously ‘being on’ is burning
came in the form of new benefits and “The lack of access to paid leave or Meanwhile, Suze Orman, personal people out.”
programs and a heightened focus on the ability to work flex schedules or finance expert, Secure co-founder 5. The workplace after the
employee health and wellness. Among from home—of course, the pandemic and podcast host, said during the pandemic is coming into focus.
the changes the company made due has changed all that—but these are the conference that employers have an For more than a year, employers have
to the pandemic were 10 extra COVID factors that can force terrific, talented, obligation to help employees save and been laboring through the pandemic
days off, because, Johnson said, “we hard-working employees to drop right feel financially secure. “An emergency transition—adjusting employees
didn’t want any of our colleagues to out of the labor force entirely. And it fund offers hope,” she said. “The one to remote work, adapting benefits
12 Human Resource Executive ®to meet their evolving needs and help employees start to course-correct more momentum for employers to
revamping policies to provide needed from stress, Huffington said. take action in helping underserved
support. Now, the focus is starting That’s the approach that Michael populations. But that help needs to
to shift to the long-term. “We need Fracarro, go beyond “clickbait” anti-racism
to think about creating the model of CHRO of initiatives launched only in response challenges employers have right now,”
the future, not the model any longer Mastercard, to the national reckoning on racial she said during a keynote session
in reaction to the pandemic,” said said leadership injustice, experts said during the Tuesday.
Viq Pervaaz, partner and health took at the conference. Jennifer Benz, senior vice Morrison noted that i4cp research
sciences leader at EY, in a session credit card president and communications leader finds that encouragement—through
with Fernando Salinas, global senior company, of Segal Benz, said during a panel that education efforts or incentives like paid
vice president of HR, R&D, robotics, a partner there is “tremendous opportunity, time off—is the top COVID vaccine
digital solutions and external of behavior desire and pressure” for employers strategy for employers. Education is
innovation at Johnson & Johnson. change to play a significant role in driving the vaccine strategy being embraced
The pair recommended employers platform change around racial inequities in by Elkay Manufacturing. Although the
rely on a structured framework— Arianna Huffington Thrive. healthcare and benefits design. Such company took time to decide whether
informed by guiding principles and Last year, issues have gone unaddressed for too to require, encourage or stay silent on
taking into consideration all potential Mastercard conducted a series long, speakers said, in part because vaccines, it “ultimately decided that
variables—to move from transition of pulse surveys and found that people of color were not centered in encouraging our employees to take the
to transformation, in everything “Zoom fatigue” was common corporate DE&I strategies—leading vaccine aligned best with our culture
from benefits offerings to workplace among employees. In response, the to a dearth of data, including related of respecting the individuality of our
technology. company rolled out new meeting to health, and ultimately to a lack of employees,” Tonie Lyubelsky, senior
“We are severing our ties with the guidelines to ensure employees have momentum. director, total rewards at Elkay, said
pandemic and saying, ‘How do we build at least 15-minute breaks between Among the actions that benefits during the keynote. Elkay regularly
for the future in a sustainable capacity, meetings and that no meetings last and HR leaders can take include educates employees on vaccination,
one that engages employees?’” Pervaaz longer than 30-45 minutes. It also strategically redesigning benefits with its CEO discussing the merits of
said. instituted “meeting-free days” and to directly respond to healthcare the vaccine in weekly video meetings
That question also was addressed “summer Fridays,” where employees disparities facing certain populations. and other company leaders regularly
by John Sumser, founder and editor of are encouraged to take time for For instance, with higher rates of talking about the efficacy and safety of
HRExaminer, who explored during his themselves and their families. breast cancer among Black women, the shots.
session how the very goal of benefits Tara Scott, medical director of does plan design allow for earlier American Benefits Council
has changed in the last year and what’s integrative medicine at Summa Health screening? Is the co-pay a barrier? President Jim Klein, meanwhile, said
to come. and chief medical officer at Revitalize Consider during the event’s closing keynote
The pandemic upended the social Medical Group, echoed that sentiment that people of that employers contemplating
contract between employees and in another session, likening the need color are also their vaccination plans—whether
employers, he said. The flexibility for preventative stress-reduction to a dealing with it’s incentivizing workers to get
extended over the past year will likely six-month oil change, regular dental pay inequities, vaccinated or requiring them to
become more permanent, and both appointments and retirement savings. and that can do so—should consult with legal
employees and organizations saw None is mandatory, but if you’re influence counsel.
that innovation can happen quickly— proactive, you’ll see better outcomes healthcare 10. Use crisis as an opportunity.
prompting a new relationship eventually. outcomes Silver linings to a tumultuous year?
where employees have more voice “Let’s treat our health this way,” as well. You bet. Optimism over how the
in benefits design. Driven by an Scott said. “There’s never a time like Accountability pandemic, and social and racial unrest,
upcoming surge in new benefits the present to cultivate resilience.” is another key Jessica Brooks will change things for the better was a
software, Sumser envisions benefits 7. Don’t fear remote work. factor. Work common theme throughout the event,
targeted to helping lower-income COVID-19 prompted a massive shift to with benefits brokers, vendors and with industry insiders pointing to
workers overcome inequities, a remote work, with the vast majority of consultants who adhere to anti-racist several positives.
continued rise in telemedicine, and employers moving their workers home principles; even sit through anti- Edward Jones’ Johnson said
a focus on health and safety, among when the pandemic began. Industry racism training with them and work although the last year has been the
other areas. insiders say with the experiment going together to create culturally competent toughest of her career, it’s also been
“The golden age of benefits is well, we won’t be going back to a strategies, said Jessica Brooks, a rewarding one that helped reinforce
coming,” he said. “All of these new full in-office experience even post- president and CEO of the Pittsburgh HR’s commitment to meeting the
circumstances are going to create pandemic—and employers shouldn’t Business Group on Health. needs of employees and being
an explosion in the kinds of benefits try to. Look at racial inequality from a agile with benefits strategies. “To
employers can extend to employees.” “The good news is that many broader lens as well, she added, noting succeed during COVID, we need to
6. Organizations need to work companies have come to realize that employers need to “be visible” display qualities that aren’t always
on creating cultures of resilience. their worst fears about remote work on all the drivers of public health associated with leadership—empathy
Resilience is the word of 2020 and have not come true, and there are disparities. “There’s so much that we and vulnerability,” she said, noting
2021, said Arianna Huffington, many things about remote work that can do that if we don’t do something,” that her company will take these
founder and CEO of Thrive Global improved engagement, productivity Brooks said, “we’re choosing to be part lessons and let employee feedback
and founder of The Huffington Post. and more,” Zoë Harte, chief people of the problem.” and employee engagement sur vey
Particularly after the challenges officer at Upwork, said during a 9. COVID-19 vaccination is one results help guide them on benefit
of the last year, Huffington said session. Remote and hybrid workforces of employers’ biggest priorities— and program changes.
during a keynote, nearly all C-suites made up of full-time employees, some and challenges. After more than Huffington said employers and HR
recognize the connection between of whom may be in the office, plus a year of social distancing, remote leaders have an opportunity to create
stressed, anxious employees and a remote employees and independent or work, lockdowns and more, COVID-19 a thriving workplace culture and help
halt in productivity. Now, it’s time freelance talent, Harte said, have many vaccinations have represented a crucial employees with their mental wellbeing
for employers to take that awareness benefits for employers—if managed key to overcoming the pandemic and resilience. “This is a once-in-a-
“upstream,” Huffington said, helping correctly. The arrangement can offer and restoring safe interactions. But, generation opportunity to redefine
workers identify the triggers of mental employers the ability to scale up and said Carol Morrison, senior research productivity, how we work and live,”
health challenges and incorporate down when they need to, it can spark analyst at the Institute for Corporate she said. “We’ve stopped assuming we
behaviors to build resilience into their innovation, and it can improve diversity Productivity, vaccines also represent have to continue living in a breathless,
daily routines. For instance, “micro- and inclusion efforts. a top concern for employers. “While frenetic way to achieve great results.”
steps”—such as taking short breaks of 8. Employers should lean they represent great hope, vaccinations
just 60-90 seconds for deep breathing on benefits to address racial also demand close attention from Send questions or comments about
or reflection throughout the day—can inequities. There has never been business leaders. It’s one of the biggest this story to hreletters@lrp.com.
June 2021 13You can also read
