Our panel of experts shared how they’re helping working parents and caregivers thrive in an ever-changing working landscape, and how other employers can do the same.
Jon Shanahan
CEO, Businessolver
“Without empathy in play, organizations risk losing their best asset — employees — as they seek out cultures and benefits that are more aligned with their needs and values.”
Why is it critical for employers to lead with empathy in 2024? How can empathy lead to productivity?
Employees want to feel valued and cared for at work. But as we’ve watched the empathy gap widen, leaders must grab on to the opportunity to adjust course and build meaningful connections across their organizations with meaningful and actionable investment into initiatives employees value most — notably mental well-being, flexibility in the workplace, and DEIB [diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging].
Without empathy in play, organizations risk losing their best asset — employees — as they seek out cultures and benefits that are more aligned with their needs and values.
How can employers and HR leaders leverage AI to improve their employees’ experience?
Benefits confusion and empathy are among the top challenges for organizations. In 2024, empathy in AI will take center stage. When implemented at scale, empathetic AI will transform benefits personalization and access as we know it. Beyond personalization, we’re seeing AI drive benefits engagement and activation, evolving benefits from a one-and-done enrollment event to a front-of-mind, year-round experience.
As companies invest in more diverse and robust benefits, such as consumer spending accounts and mental health benefits, AI will drive improved engagement, ensuring organizations and their employees get true returns from their investments.
Joshua Frick
President, Kiddie Academy
“It is essential that dependable, safe, high-quality educational childcare exists for parents to be able to work outside of the home and provide for their families.”
How can employers support caregivers in 2024?
Employers of caregivers need to have an in-depth understanding of both the fulfillment and the challenges that come not only with being a caregiver in one’s personal life, but also in a caregiving career. At Kiddie Academy, our Franchisees have the unique honor of employing educational caregivers who nurture, educate, and care for children on a daily basis.
These educational caregivers are a cornerstone of our communities. In the caregiving profession, employees need an organized on-boarding program, on-going training, and flexibility from the employer, which results in better employee satisfaction and engagement.
What is the future of work and family in your industry?
Our industry (educational childcare) is at the intersection of work and family. It is essential that dependable, safe, high-quality educational childcare exists for parents to be able to work outside of the home and provide for their families.
This is a responsibility we don’t take lightly. We have always prioritized being a high-quality educational childcare provider that provides families with peace of mind while they are at work and prepares their children for life.
In the future, we will continue to be a leader in our industry by implementing innovative ways to keep parents connected to their children’s progress during the day and strengthen family engagement at every Kiddie Academy across the country.
Arianna Huffington
Co-founder, The Huffington Post; Founder and CEO, Thrive Global
“Well-being isn’t just a perk; it’s a competitive advantage.”
What is the main challenge HR professionals and managers are facing today when it comes to overseeing a hybrid workforce?
We now know an enormous amount about how stress and burnout affect us, both at home and at work. The science is clear that when we prioritize our well-being, we’re more creative, productive, and resilient, and we make better decisions.
Well-being isn’t just a perk; it’s a competitive advantage. And there’s a direct connection between the health of a company’s bottom line and the health and well-being of every company’s most important resource: its people.
So, in the same way well-being boosts our immune system, culture serves as a company’s immune system, giving it the resilience to meet inevitable challenges.
Richard Branson
Founder, Virgin Group
I truly believe that if you take care of your employees, they will take care of your business.
Are there any initiatives or upcoming trends in employee health and wellness that you personally support?
First and foremost, I believe in flexible working. It is important that employers appreciate their employees’ work-life balance and give them the flexibility to work around their personal lives. We have embraced flexible working since 2013 and allowed our people to work from home or remotely, and stagger their working hours if they wish to. We trust our employees to work wherever and whenever they like as long as they get their work done on time and at a high-quality level; other Virgin companies may decide to follow this model in the future.
I also support unlimited leave. In my book, I wrote about how we were introducing an unlimited vacation policy, which is currently applicable to all employees at Virgin’s headquarters (Virgin Management) and our not-for-profit foundation (Virgin Unite). This allows our people to take as much vacation time as they feel they need each year, as long as they take a minimum amount of vacation to ensure they are getting time to rest and recharge. This gives our staff the flexibility to take more vacation time than previously possible, like during a special year when somebody gets married.
Why is company culture so important for employee well-being?
Too many companies are too keen to put multitudes of rules and regulations on their staff. Not only does this stifle flexibility, but it also suggests a lack of confidence in your team to do their jobs as efficiently and effectively as possible. Give your people freedom to be independent and your business will reap the rewards. I truly believe that if you take care of your employees, they will take care of your business.