How Effective Leaders Are Rethinking Employee Well-Being
BY Christopher O'Keeffe July 16, 2025In the early months of the pandemic, companies rushed to offer employees meditation platforms, fitness trackers, and mental health resources, sometimes rolling out half a dozen different solutions at once. The result? Digital exhaustion and programs that gathered dust.Now, three years later, corporate America is taking a more strategic approach to employee well-being. The shift comes as organizations face mounting pressure from economic uncertainty and policy changes. At the same time, they're contending with a workforce that increasingly views mental health support not as a perk, but as a baseline expectation.At From Day One’s Manhattan conference, executives outlined how the wellness landscape has fundamentally shifted and why leading companies now treat employee mental health as a competitive advantage rather than just a compliance checkbox.From Quantity to QualityThe transformation is stark. Matt Jackson, chief growth officer at Unmind, witnessed the initial wave of wellness initiatives firsthand. “There was a big growth in single point solutions being thrown at employees,” Jackson said. “There wasn’t as much intention with the solutions that were being launched, which meant there was low utilization.”The numbers tell the story: Of the 10,000 health and wellness apps available to consumers, only 5% are backed by scientific research, says Jackson. Companies were essentially throwing solutions at a wall to see what stuck, overwhelming employees with choices while failing to address underlying workplace culture issues.The companies that learned from those early mistakes have adopted a radically different approach. Instead of piling on wellness apps, companies are integrating mental health support into everyday operations and tracking results with metrics that drive business performance.The most sophisticated companies are now tying wellness programs directly to business outcomes. NRG Energy has taken this approach to its logical conclusion by linking employee well-being scores to their internal bonus structure. “The result of that, whether it’s better or worse than prior scores, directly impacts the size of our annual bonus pool up or down. So we really put our money where our mouth is,” said Peter Johnson, SVP, head of talent and culture at NRG Energy.Panelists shared insights on the topic, "Building a Thriving Culture Through Comprehensive Health and Wellness Benefits," in a session moderated by Corinne Lestch, independent journalist and founder of the Off-Site Writing WorkshopThe business case is increasingly compelling. Jackson shared that when a management consultant began incorporating psychological safety questions into weekly project check-ins, it found that “where there was greater perceived psychological safety, greater perceived well-being, projects were done on time, they were done on budget, and clients were happier.” When the prioritization of well-being drives measurable business results, even skeptical CFOs pay attention.The urgency behind these changes stems from a fundamental generational shift. Today’s workforce grew up with mental health conversations normalized in schools and universities, creating what Jackson calls “an expectation of today's workforce to provide me with the same openness and same conversation and same resources around mental health.” Companies that fail to adapt, particularly those with traditional leadership approaches, are discovering that their talent acquisition and retention strategies are increasingly obsolete.The Leadership Vulnerability FactorPerhaps the most significant change is how company leaders discuss mental health. The old model of executives maintaining stoic professionalism has given way to what experts call vulnerable leadership, an approach that's proving surprisingly effective.This authenticity extends beyond grand gestures to daily management practices. Amy Onori, SVP of talent acquisition for Publicis Media has added a simple but powerful message to her email signature. It reads: “Managing work and life responsibilities is unique for everyone. I have sent this e-mail at a time that works for me. Please respond at a time that works for you.”The message serves a dual purpose: it sets boundaries while signaling to employees that their personal time matters. It’s a small change that reflects a broader shift in how companies think about work-life integration.Even with all the wellness programs and mental health initiatives, many employees still struggle with a fundamental issue: they’re waiting for explicit permission to prioritize their well-being. The problem runs deeper than policy; it's about psychological safety. “They get so worried that if they leave at four o’clock, that it’s going to look bad. And to me, that doesn’t matter, as long as the work’s getting done," Onori said. For many employees, the fear of judgment outweighs any written policy promising flexibility.This permission-seeking behavior reflects a broader challenge facing HR leaders, who find themselves caught between competing pressures. Chad Deshler, SVP of sales at LifeSpeak, described the dilemma with a vivid metaphor: “As HR leaders, it’s kind of like a grilled cheese sandwich. You have pressure from top bread and bottom bread, and the cheese in the middle is getting burned.” Executive leadership demands cost-cutting while hiring top talent, while employees want better benefits and higher pay.The solution is something along the lines of radical transparency combined with visible boundary-setting. Diana Blancone, chief people officer for Omnicom Media Group, has started announcing her departures for family obligations. “I know myself included, I’ve been more vocal about saying, ‘Hey, I’ve got my daughter's game. I’m going to run out at this time to get home at this time,” she said. When executives publicly prioritize the importance of family and personal commitments, it can foster a culture where employees feel permission to do the same.“I think transparency is really important with my team. I’ve tried to be as transparent as I can, whether it’s good or bad news, and just say, ‘Hey, this is this is what it is,’” Deshler said. By doing so, direct honesty becomes a radical act of leadership.Employee well-being directly impacts the bottom line. Effective leaders treat wellness programs as profit drivers that reduce turnover, increase productivity, and improve client satisfaction. They embed mental health in leadership goals, train leaders to be vulnerable, and build cultures where well-being comes first. This is a competitive strategy, not just social responsibility.Chris O’Keeffe is a freelance writer with experience across industries. As the founder and creative director of OK Creative: The Language Agency, he has led strategy and storytelling for organizations like MIT, Amazon, and Cirque du Soleil, bringing their stories to life through established and emerging media.(Photos by Hason Castell for From Day One)
Gen Z on the Rise: Responding to the Needs of Emerging Talent
BY Carrie Snider July 15, 2025Gen Z isn’t just joining the workforce, they’re reshaping it. As the first digital-native generation to enter the workforce in large numbers, Gen Z is bringing new expectations and challenging long-standing workplace norms. Their arrival has prompted employers to rethink how they recruit, train, and retain early-career talent. While often described as ambitious and purpose-driven, Gen Z workers also face professional gaps due to pandemic-era disruptions and a rapidly evolving job market. At From Day One’s Chicago conference, a panel of leaders shared how they meet Gen Z’s evolving needs. John Pletz, senior reporter at Crain’s Chicago Business moderated the discussion titled, “Gen Z on the Rise: Responding to the Needs of Emerging Talent.”For Gen Z employees, hard work matters, but outcomes still count. That’s the message from leadership consultant Jahnavi Brenner, CEO and founder of Vivid Leader. She referenced a talk by organizational psychologist Adam Grant, where a Gen Z student described working hard on a paper but only receiving a C. Grant responded by explaining that both effort and results matter—you are rewarded not just for trying, but for what you achieve.“It’s not just the effort, it’s also the outcome, and giving recognition for both. [That] can help bridge that divide,” she said. Most Gen Z workers understand that results matter but benefit from more communication that connects their work to the company’s broader goals, she says. She also emphasized the importance of skill-building, particularly around business acumen and communication. “We have to close the gap on the skills they need,” she said. Mentorship, peer learning, and structured feedback, rather than just promotions, can go a long way. “It doesn’t have to be so expensive,” she said. Promotions are still valued, but they’re not the only way to make employees feel appreciated, especially for Gen Z. “At the end of the day, we’re all human beings,” said Shelly Cluff, senior consultant at Workhuman. “We need to be told, ‘I see you. I appreciate you.’”Cluff noted a shift in expectations. “Gen Z really [wants] to be promoted and move super fast,” she said. “That’s not always available, so we have to be more creative.” Spot bonuses, peer recognition, or even a thoughtful thank you’s can help meet that need.She encourages leaders to “democratize recognition,” making it available at every level. “It gives people more opportunities to be recognized without having to receive that promotion.” Recognition, she says, also supports long-term growth. “Even if you’re not at that promotional step, you understand the repeatable behaviors that get you there.”Competency-Based Development for AllAt ACCO Brands, growth isn’t defined by generation, says John Hine VP of global talent and organization effectiveness. The company’s development model is based on skill needs, not age. “We’re not putting kids at the kids’ table. We’re including everybody,” he said. Rather than separate tracks for Gen Z, ACCO combines employees with similar learning needs. “Just because I am an awkward engineer that happens to be a Boomer doesn’t mean that I don’t need that skill,” Hine said. This blended approach fosters learning and supports limited resources. “Those dollars are very sweet,” he said. Panelists shared insights on supporting their Gen Z workforce Honest conversations also matter. “The real target is being honest, so they know what the realities are,” Hine said. And even if people leave, “Don’t forget about us. We’d love to have you back.”Gen Z Brings Speed, But Needs Skill BuildingNikki Slowinski, EVP of talent experience and development at Publicis, sees promise and pressure. “They’ve learned how to get things really fast, which is great,” she said. “They’ve learned how to work smarter, not harder.” But Gen Z still needs help building foundational skills.To meet this need, Publicis launched Ignite, a two-and-a-half-day kickoff program for early-career hires, focused on communication, time management, and business acumen. “We used to wait, but that’s when Ignite came to fruition,” she said. “The goal is to get them to greater impact quicker.”Retention remains a challenge. But building understanding early helps, she says. “They need the recognition, but they also need to understand that promotions don’t just come because we work hard.”Make Purpose Visible to Attract Gen ZBala Swaminathan, global head of talent management and leadership at PPG, knows his company, which is focused on paints, coatings, and sealants, competes with flashier brands. So, to engage Gen Z, he focuses on purpose. “It’s not like you sit there with a bucket and stir paint,” he said. “We paint all the F-15 and F-35 jets, so there’s a lot of fun stuff that happens.”PPG’s 12-week internship program, “Primers,” offers exposure to different departments, from R&D to sales, and builds transferable skills. “Even if they never come back, they develop skills useful to society as they move on,” he said. Recognition matters, too. But not just promotions. “Recognition could be a title, a job, an experience, or money,” he said. And investing in development shouldn’t be seen as a cost. “If you view this as a cost, it’s easy to cut. If you view this as an investment, then you already predict some level of return.”Finally, he encouraged thoughtful navigation of today’s cultural dynamics. “It’s a balancing game,” Bala said. “We don’t want to go down a path of permanence that comes back to bite us later.”The panelists agreed: organizations need to be intentional. But that doesn’t mean catering to every preference or creating generational silos. Many of the best strategies, like competency-based learning and cross-generational mentorship, benefit everyone. As the workplace evolves, those who lead with empathy, transparency, and purpose will be best positioned to attract and retain the next generation of talent.Carrie Snider is a Phoenix-based journalist and marketing copywriter.(Photos by Tim Hiatt for From Day One)
The Human Capital Factor: How Treating People Well Drives Business Performance
BY Ade Akin July 14, 2025Bart Houlahan watched revenues plummet from $250 million to $40 million in just three years after the purpose-driven basketball apparel company he presided over, AND1, was sold to new owners. “The buyer didn’t share our people-first values,” Houlahan, a partner at Irrational Capital and co-founder of B Lab, said during a fireside chat with Andy Serwer, editor at large for Barron’s, at From Day One’s Manhattan conference. Under Houlahan’s leadership, AND1 grew to $250 million in revenue, powered by its people-first culture. The company brought streetball to mainstream media, providing platforms for many who went on to become streetball legends, including Philip “Hot Sauce” Champion, Grayson “The Professor” Boucher, and Rafer “Skip 2 My Lou” Alston, who went on to play for 11-years in the NBA.Houlahan credits AND1’s success during his tenure to a people-first approach. “It was just the type of company we wanted to run, and what that meant for us was putting our people first,” he said. “Over 11 years, we saw time and time again that that wasn’t just the right thing to do, it was a better way to run a business.”Houlahan went on to co-found B Lab, a nonprofit that certifies companies that balance profit with purpose. “We have about 400,000 companies using our tools, and at the end of the day, all we’re trying to do is show clearly that if you put your people first, you’ll end up building a more resilient business,” he said.This belief eventually led the B Lab co-founder to Irrational Capital, where he leveraged employee data points to prove a radical idea: companies with substantial human capital outperform the market by 3-6% annually.Defining the Human Capital FactorBehavioral economist Dan Ariely’s research at Duke University, reveals that traditional metrics like pay and benefits aren’t enough to assess an organization’s growth potential when prodded about how he came up with Irrational Capital’s investment model. According to Ariely’s findings, true motivation depends on pride, recognition, and a sense of psychological safety. Irrational Capital applied those insights to 17 years of employee-survey data, 750 million data points across 70,000 companies, to identify a “human capital factor” that predicts stock performance.Bart Houlahan, Partner, Irrational Capital & Co-Founder of B Lab, left, spoke with Andy Serwer, Editor at Large, Barron'sTo validate the findings, Irrational Capital invited JPMorgan to replicate the analysis on 14 years of data. “JPMorgan did their own independent analysis, and they found that in every year, there was outperformance, and their average outperformance was 4% annually,” Houlahan added. The conversation turned to practical execution. Irrational Capital created three exchange-traded funds (ETFs): a large-cap fund, a small-cap fund, and an unconstrained fund. These ETFs select top-scoring companies based solely on employee-survey metrics, industry, and market-cap weighting.“The large cap is benchmarked against the S&P 500. It takes the top 150 on the human capital factor out of those 500 stocks,” Houlahan said. Houlahan points to Microsoft, where Satya Nadella’s leadership refocused the culture when pressed for concrete examples. “Our human capital score for Microsoft began climbing about two years post-transition. A year later, the stock price followed suit,” he noted. Conversely, Starbucks’ culture score declined during the Covid-19 pandemic as frontline workers faced safety concerns, and its stock suffered a corresponding decline.Serwer asked how HR leaders can leverage this research, and Houlahan offered a two-step playbook. He recommends sharing Irrational Capital’s JPMorgan reports with CEOs to spark boardroom conversations and implementing employee monitoring tools to measure intrinsic motivators, such as pride, recognition, and safety, and embedding them in performance metrics. Culture alone isn’t a solution, he says, but “measuring what matters” gives leaders additional data to help guide strategy.As the conversation wrapped up, Serwer asked Houlahan about the future. Houlahan says the most resilient companies will be the ones that invest in their people—through development, recognition, and trust. Treating people well isn’t idealism; it’s an effective investment strategy with decades of market-proven returns.Ade Akin covers workplace wellness, HR trends, and digital health solutions.(Photos by Hason Castell for From Day One)
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)
Slow to Spend: Why Gen Z Shops More Than They Buy
BY Willow Pawlisch July 10, 2025Gen Z might have a reputation for being impulse buyers, but they’re actually meticulous researchers. They’ll scroll for hours, not to buy, but to compare prices, read reviews, and hunt for the best value before ever hitting “add to cart.” They’re experts at finding one perfect product at a low price, much to the frustration of retailers who try to box them into impulse-buy trends that appeal more to older generations.Financially, that’s a good choice for them to save money as they grow into a cost-of-living crisis and increasing student loan debt, but it’s also a hurdle for retailers struggling to convert young people from shoppers into buyers.Gen Z’s purchasing power is set to reach $12 trillion by 2030, but their spending power isn’t translating into more sales in general. As younger people grow into the major consumer market, Gen Z saves and budgets more than previous generations. A study conducted found that Gen Z on average put away into savings higher percentages of their monthly wages than any other age group. They also had the highest percentage of participants who put away all of their disposable income into their savings accounts. This new mentality around spending was also reflected in a TikTok trend last year, where Gen Z creators talked with friends about choosing not to spend money. The trend was a rejection of consumer culture by proudly declaring,“I don’t want to spend.” These behaviors point to a larger moment of Gen Z choosing to save money more often than they spend. Secondhand Is Everyone’s CompetitionIn 2022, 1.4 billion secondhand apparel items were purchased in the U.S., according to statistics compiled by Capital One. That’s up 40% from 2021, and the secondhand market is expected to hit a value of $64 billion in 2026. Sustainability is top of mind for many young people, and combining the affordability of secondhand shopping with eco-focused messaging resonates strongly with Gen Z consumers.ThredUp educates its consumers on the global fashion waste crisis (photo via ThredUp)According to online clothing re-sale company ThredUp, Gen Z accounts for almost two-thirds of their consumer base, and their latest sales report says Gen Z plans to spend 42% of their clothing budget on second-hand items. One of the major appeals of thrift and consignment shopping is affordability. If second-hand is cheaper, the buyer has the chance to be budget-conscious, but the retailers face the cost of no longer making that sale. This tradeoff between price and profit becomes even more complex when considering how meticulously younger shoppers evaluate their purchases. A study found that 75% of Gen Z generally reads comments, 74% visit the brand’s website, and 72% check product reviews before making a purchase. This suggests that Gen Z spends significantly more time evaluating their options than previous generations could. Younger generations use their access to unlimited data to parse the market for their desired product. Brands may prioritize instant, impulse-driven purchases through social media storefronts, but Gen Z primarily uses these platforms to research products, not to buy them.In-Person vs. Online BuyingEven though they are the first generation to grow up with technology, trends show that teens and young adults prefer to shop in person at the same rates as Baby Boomers. This suggests that despite their digital fluency, the tactile experience of shopping remains important to them.Making everything available for purchase online performs well overall, but it doesn’t generate sales like a physical storefront opening does. Conversely, opening a physical storefront can boost online sales.Members of Gen Z prefer to spend their money in person rather than through social media storefronts or online retailers that can be used to research the purchase. They plan visits to physical stores to purchase their desired products.A Changing Sales FunnelGen Z’s lengthy shopping process has led many marketing analysts to conclude that this generation has disrupted the traditional marketing funnel. Their habits have effectively added a new step: extensive research drawn from sources beyond company advertising. The traditional sales funnel follows the following steps:Awareness InterestDesireActionEach company tends to tailor this funnel differently to appeal to its target audience, but creating a Gen Z sales funnel looks a lot different than the linear path. Between social media, physical media, and everyday life, brands can create a web of touchpoints to explore instead of creating advertisements and information touch points that only exist in a serial, one-note campaign style.Learning how to navigate the new sales funnel can also provide more opportunities to grow a brand’s credibility with Gen Z. Moving beyond the goal of just a sale, building a reputation in the research phase can encourage engaging with the consumer post-purchase. This can help consumers recommend your product to others and build a community of Gen Z customers that keeps coming back. By understanding the processes Gen Z takes in shopping, researching, and ultimately buying products, brands can better cater to the growing buying power that the younger generation seems to be keeping on a tight leash in the current economy. Willow Pawlisch is From Day One’s summer fellowship reporter. She's a student at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, double majoring in Journalism and Latin American Studies/Language. (Featured photo by RyanJLane/iStock)
Building a Veteran-Ready Workforce: Empowering Your Military Hiring and Retention Strategy
BY Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza July 10, 2025Every 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)
Rebuilding Trust, Fueling Growth: Leading With Transparency in Times of Change
BY Katie Chambers July 09, 2025The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer reports an unprecedented decline in employer trust. It’s a troubling shift, given that workplace trust is essential to organizational success. Higher trust correlates directly with improved talent outcomes and engagement, according to MetLife’s annual employee benefit trends study. Employees who trust their organization are 3.8 times more likely to have healthy outcomes and 2.8 times more likely to feel they can be productive. So, what is a forward-thinking employer to do? At a time when external forces can shake employee confidence, MetLife is leaning into what it can control: how it responds. During a fireside chat at From Day One’s Manhattan conference, Shurawl Sibblies, EVP, chief HR officer at MetLife, described how the organization is fostering trust through open communication, transparent leadership, and inclusive career development, creating a workplace where employees feel supported and empowered to grow.“We are living through some interesting times where the employee/employer relationship is really under pressure like never before. Whether it’s economic uncertainty or the rapid rate at which we are seeing technological changes, the workforce is really facing a lot of complex emotions right now,” said moderator Cadie Thompson, executive editor at Business Insider. “At the center of it all is this critical, very fragile component, which is trust.”Shurawl Sibblies, executive vice president and CHRO at MetLife, right, was interviewed by Cadie Thompson of Business InsiderThe key to building a more stable environment, Sibblies says, is first to understand exactly what challenges people are facing, or the “why” behind their uncertainty. A MetLife study found that 81% of employees rely on their leaders to create a trusting environment, one that can support positive outcomes and productivity, she says. Employers can foster that strong foundation through open dialogue. “One of the things we learned, especially over the last few years, is you have to have open, transparent, honest communication,” Sibblies said. “Two-way dialogue creates an opportunity for people to share perspective with you. And you have to listen. It’s so important to listen, and when you ask for feedback from people, you actually have to do something with it.” MetLife puts this into practice through town halls with its CEO, called “Let’s Talk Live.” Employees can ask questions in real time, and the CEO answers directly. “You can’t dodge the hard topics. If you’re going to say, ‘let's talk live,’ it means you are open to what is on people’s minds.” Sibblies encourages leaders to be honest about what they know and what they don’t know yet. “[Vulnerability] makes a difference in the culture.” One significant barrier to trust in today’s workplace is the increasing uncertainty surrounding emerging technologies and their potential impact, or even elimination, of certain job positions. Thompson cites a KPMG study that reports 54% of people are wary of trusting AI, and almost as many are worried about its impact on the workforce. But AI isn’t going anywhere, so employers need to tackle their strategy head-on and be transparent with their workers about what is next. Sibblies suggests positioning AI in your communications as it relates to your organization’s overall mission. “It's not ‘AI in isolation.’ It's in service of what you are doing for your customers. It should be in service of what you need to do for your employees and how they’re getting their work done,” she said. Providing fundamental education on responsible AI usage can also help reduce the fear of the unknown. From there, you can help certain employees dig deeper into AI specialization as needed. MetLife is investing its resources in developing ways AI can be used and managed by humans in everyday applications to make their work more effective. Again, it comes back to communications. “Your company wouldn’t exist today if it wasn’t constantly growing and evolving, which means your people have been growing and evolving,” Sibblies said. “There are lots of ways to lead with curiosity and focus on curiosity and critical thinking.” Talking about AI in the context of your corporation’s ongoing story positions it as “another muscle being developed” rather than something completely foreign.Employee Growth and Appreciation as a Pathway to Trust“Climbing the corporate ladder isn't what it used to be,” Thompson said, noting that the shapes of organizations are changing, with fewer middle management positions. Sibblies encourages leaders to have ongoing “candid career conversations” with employees about their ambitions. Then, follow up those conversations with solid opportunities to develop and grow, ideally within the organization. “My responsibility as a leader is to help my people,” she said. “Growth starts with marrying the person's aspiration and ambition with where the company has a need, and [where] it’s also growing.” MetLife offers employees an AI-driven resource called My Path, which enables them to articulate their goals and be matched with internal opportunities, such as stretch projects, volunteer events, or open positions in other departments. Sibblies says this helps engagement by cultivating employee ambassadors. “They realize, ‘Wow, I can do something new and also contribute to the company,’” she said. Consistent recognition and rewards when employees rise to a challenge also build a supportive, secure, and reliable environment where they feel safe to take risks and reach higher. “Benefits are really powerful, because you show up for people in times of their greatest need,” Sibblies said. “You don’t want to have to choose between your health and well-being and being able to earn a living. You want an employer to be able to back you in those times.” Providing access to a variety of benefits options so employees can choose what is best for their family engenders their trust in your organization. “When you think about people you trust, you trust them because they’re consistent, they show up for you,” Sibblies said. “That’s our responsibility as employers. Show up for people, be consistent, be open with them. Culture truly matters.” Katie Chambers is a freelance writer and award-winning communications executive with a lifelong commitment to supporting artists and advocating for inclusion. Her work has been seen in HuffPost, Top Think, and several printed essay collections, and she has appeared on Cheddar News, iWomanTV, On New Jersey, and CBS New York.(Photos by Hason Castell for From Day One)
Immigration Policy Guidance Under the New Trump Administration
BY Jessica Swenson July 07, 2025Sweeping 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)
Designing Holistic Benefits: Balancing Cost With Real Impact
BY Katie Chambers July 02, 2025“The world is evolving. Our companies are evolving. How we do work evolves, and different people need different things to help support their journey to feel healthy, safe and secure,” said Kim Nero, EVP and CHRO of GATX Corporation.During a panel discussion at From Day One’s Chicago conference, industry leaders shared how HR teams are innovating to control costs, meet diverse employee needs, and reassess benefits through new tools and feedback methods.With five generations working side by side, today’s workforce requires a more tailored approach to employee benefits that reflects a wide range of needs and priorities. Many employers are opting to provide expansive benefits packages that allow employees to activate whatever benefit makes most sense for their current circumstances, be it retirement saving, family planning, or elder care support. But employers should be careful to make sure their offerings are fair and comparable, no matter an employee’s life or work circumstances.“Our hourly associates have exactly the same benefits as our salaried employees,” said Michele Miller, SVP and CHRO, Ideal Industries, Inc., citing equal health and retirement benefits and PTO. “That's really important around the wellness that you need to be able to have your passion projects, support your family, take care of yourself,” she said. “No one’s family is more or less, and that’s been so powerful.” Panelists spoke during From Day One's session titled "In Employee Benefits, Balancing Cost Efficiency with Good Employee Outcomes" This is also crucial from a DEI standpoint. “It’s important for our employees to know and be able to trust that we have their best interests at heart, and for them to feel like they have secure, safe and healthy lifestyles while they’re with our companies,” Nero said. “And that requires a lot of open dialogue between employees and us. There’s education and awareness both ways.” Leaders should remember, says Jon Lowe, chief people officer at DailyPay, that “fair doesn’t mean equal.” “When we think about this narrow description of what benefits look like, we’re really only talking about half of half of the American population,” Lowe said. He advises thinking beyond the traditionalist view of insurance as “medical, disability, and vision” and expanding into mental health, skills training, and beyond to approach each employee holistically. Financial education and savings benefits should be part of that approach. “The resilient, adaptable employee is one who has the financial reserves to not be terrified about missing a paycheck. And that’s where you come in,” said moderator Karl Ahlrichs, HR leadership columnist and consultant.Tracking Programmatic Success Of course, the ROI on these programs is important. Leaders should be open and direct with employees about whether the benefits are working and the importance of measuring their success. “If you’re paying for these programs, there’s a conversation you need to have with your employees, which is, ‘We’re all in this together. These costs, whatever they’re going to be, we’re sharing them, and we need to work together to figure out how, overall, we get those costs down.’ And there’s a tradeoff there, which is you make sure that your data is available, and you can tell that story back to your finance team,” said George Spurling, CEO of Budgie Health. One problem with ROI measurement is accurately assessing positive outcomes of preventative care. For example, how can one prove that having free access to Ozempic for weight loss, rather than a diabetes diagnosis, prevents an employee from getting expensive-to-treat weight-related illnesses down the line? Miller suggests letting science drive your health benefits strategy. It’s important to have ample benefits that accommodate all lifestyles and stages, so not every benefit will be used by every employee. That means standard metrics might incorrectly imply that a program isn’t being used enough if only some, not all, employees activate it. HR should make sure this is communicated effectively to CFOs and decision-makers. “Sometimes people push back on some of our programs, [saying] that we don’t have high utilization, but I say, ‘we have appropriate utilization’ because we’re not trying to fit a one-size-fits-all,” said Sherry Nelson, senior director, benefits and well-being at TransUnion. Her team uses surveys to gauge and demonstrate whether employees are getting what they need in the moment they’re in now. Communication as Employee EmpowermentWith a diverse range of benefits comes the challenge of communicating all the many bits and pieces to employees effectively and consistently. “You may have really great benefits, but in the middle of the year when you have some sort of devastating back pain, you’re not going to remember that at the beginning of the year, on page 12, there was something about [physical therapy],” Spurling said. “How do you get all of this complexity and get it to the right person at the right time?” AI can help, searching the employee handbook and manuals for benefits programs and providing detailed information to employees on demand. “But it’s only as smart as the data it has, and if it doesn’t know what your claims experience is, if it doesn’t know what dependents you have, if it doesn’t know information about you as an individual, then it’s just like you’re having a conversation with a really smart person that knows nothing about you,” Spurling said. So, there still needs to be human oversight and availability. TransUnion makes mental health first aid part of its manager training to encourage leaders to get involved directly with employees who need help, and to have the knowledge to direct them to appropriate resources, Nelson says. Post-Covid, leaders and workers are more open and vulnerable with each other, leading to better dialogues about support, “There’s been some liberation to do that without judgment,” Nero said. Having so many benefits options to choose from can lead to decision paralysis on the part of both the employer and the employee. Lowe advises looking ahead to workplace and lifestyle trends, such as the rise of part-time “gig” workers and people working well past traditional “retirement age,” and planning accordingly. “Three-and-a-half years is the average tenure of the American worker, and it’s probably not going up,” Lowe said, citing portability as an attractive quality of a benefits package. “As we think about the composition of what our organizations look like, benefits will need to include creating value for that portion of the population.” Katie Chambers is a freelance writer and award-winning communications executive with a lifelong commitment to supporting artists and advocating for inclusion. Her work has been seen in HuffPost, Top Think, and several printed essay collections, and she has appeared on Cheddar News, iWomanTV, On New Jersey, and CBS New York.(Photos by Tim Hiatt for From Day One)
From Barriers to Breakthroughs: Elevating and Empowering Women in Leadership
BY Ade Akin July 02, 2025Women hold just 28% of C‑suite positions in U.S. companies. That’s a significant improvement from several decades ago, but still far from parity. “Closing this gap isn’t a pipeline problem, it’s a systemic one,” said Kim Quillen, a business editor for the Chicago Tribune.That blunt assessment set the stage for five leaders to share concrete strategies for recruiting, retaining, and advancing female talent into executive roles. Quillen moderated the discussion at From Day One’s Chicago conference.“If you want women to rise, you must show them it’s possible,” said Molly McCabe, SVP of people success at Ulta Beauty. She pointed to Ulta’s numbers, noting that 70% of its C-suite and 90% of its workforce are women, as proof that representation fuels ambition. “When your CEO is a woman and your senior leaders look like you, the notion of becoming a decision‑maker stops feeling like an impossibility,” she said. Christina Dietz, VP of HR at Northwestern Medicine, echoed that view. She described how her health system intentionally mirrors the demographics of the patients it serves. “Our executive team reflects the community we treat across gender, race, and background,” she said. That alignment strengthens both patient trust and employee engagement by demonstrating that leadership is accessible and accountable.Designing Intentional Career Paths and Measuring Progress“Fortune favors the prepared,” said Jaclyn Trovato, the CHRO at ComEd. ComEd’s 48% female executive ratio didn’t happen overnight. The utility company began sponsoring STEM camps for girls and creating apprenticeship programs for female technicians two decades ago. “By training women on the front lines, we built a pool of skilled candidates ready for engineering and leadership roles,” Trovato said.Tisha Danehl, SVP of ecosystem partnerships at LHH, described her firm’s cohort model. “Our Engage Program brings 30 high‑potential women together for six months of executive presence and strategic‑thinking workshops,” she said. “Within 18 months, every member of our 2020 cohort earned a promotion or expanded role.” This year, LHH is extending the cohort concept to male allies, pairing them with women to foster reciprocal sponsorship, says Danehl. Measuring progress is similarly important, panelists agreed. Panelists shared their insights on the topic "Bridging the Gap: Empowering and Supporting Women in Leadership"Dietz added that Northwestern Medicine’s HR portal now offers real‑time analytics on female representation at every leadership level. “Transparency holds us to our own standards,” she said. “When executives see the charts, it sparks immediate action.”Supporting and Uplifting Women in the WorkplaceQuillen asked the panel to define the often-misused terms “mentor” and “sponsor.” “A mentor offers guidance; a sponsor uses influence to open doors,” said Liza Jager, partner at RHR International. True sponsors, she says, publicly advocate for their protégés in C‑suite rooms and ensure they get stretch assignments. Mentorship alone can’t accelerate careers without that active advocacy, agreed Danehl. Trovato encourages organizations to formalize sponsorship programs, pairing high potential employees with senior executives who have the power to champion their promotions. “Random connections can yield results, but structured sponsorship drives more consistent outcomes,” she said. At Northwestern Medicine, maternity leave is supplemented with informal “phone‑a‑friend” support networks, pairing new parents with experienced colleagues they can call anytime for advice and encouragement. “Knowing there’s someone on the other end of the line who understands your challenges makes all the difference,” she said.That kind of personal support reflects a broader need: career aspirations shift with life stages, says Danehl. “What motivates a 25‑year‑old moonlighting for side hustles differs from a 45‑year‑old eyeing board seats,” she said. The panel urged organizations to tailor their development offerings, such as offering flexible hours for caregivers, rotational assignments for early-career talent, and executive coaching for seasoned leaders.Support also needs to take place in the form of psychological safety. “Psychological safety is currency,” McCabe said. At Ulta, managers are trained to interrupt bias in real time. For example, noting when someone is being talked over and inviting that person back into the conversation. “We teach leaders to say, ‘I realize I cut you off, please share your perspective,’” she said. Jager also echos the importance of psychological safety. “Organizations that invest in creating psychological safety benefit from increased trust and reinforce a culture of belonging. When this is paired with purposeful leadership-development initiatives, not only women executives are positioned for greater success, but all employees. Everyone wins.” Through its cultural-assessment work across organizations, RHR International has helped organizations to go deeper, understand their succession pipeline, and employ systemic solutions that increase the visibility of high-potential women, Jager says. She adds that “organizations that are achieving greater success in building a strong pipeline of women executives are looking more deeply into their promoting practices and investing in sponsorship and allyship initiatives. While mentorship programs are powerful, they are still a passive way to support women leaders. However, through sponsorship and allyship initiatives, executives have the power to raise visibility and more actively give an opportunity for women leaders—and others—to rise.”Trovato highlights the value of listening tours, where senior leaders visit women’s resource groups not to deliver speeches, but to hear directly about the challenges women face. “That practice surfaces issues early, before they become retention risks,” she said. Closing the leadership gap will take more than conversation—it demands measurable, ongoing commitment to listening, building support systems, and driving real change.Ade Akin covers workplace wellness, HR trends, and digital health solutions.(Photos by Tim Hiatt for From Day One)
Helping Employers Navigate Costs and Care in the GLP-1 Era
BY Stephanie Reed July 01, 2025As 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)
The Jobs Aren't Getting Done: How the Immigration Crackdown Is Hurting Business
BY Bill Saporito June 30, 2025The resistance to President Trump’s immigration crackdown began with dramatic street theater. The scenes got uglier by the day. Masked, heavily armed agents from the Immigration and Customers Enforcement (ICE) agency descended on workplaces where immigrants are employed and hauling them away, some in front of their terrified children. In Los Angeles, local protests over the sweeps prompted the White House to federalize California’s National Guard and dispatch U.S. Marines, purportedly to restore order and protect federal buildings. A U.S. senator was forcibly removed and arrested at a press conference by Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem. Now, however, resistance is coming from other quarters. Business owners—farmers, restaurateurs, meatpackers, hoteliers—are finding their operations under siege. And understaffed. They’re letting their Congressional reps know it; and alarmed farmers, with a shortage of workers to pick their crops, complained to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. In Florida, State Senator Ileana Garcia, co-founder of Latinas for Trump, labeled the raids as “unacceptable and inhumane.”The us-vs.-them tension that has characterized America’s relationship with its immigrants has been a feature of national politics for centuries. Today it is a focal point of the second Trump administration. After all, making migrants the targets of MAGA helped get Trump elected. But support for mass deportation is now being viewed in the harsh reality of its execution. And harsh may underestimate the level of cruelty involved in the detentions. No wonder there are some reverberations. That’s why Trump, no stranger to vacillation, briefly reversed course, ordering ICE to stop raiding farms, hotels and restaurants, tweeting that “Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace.” Days later, in the face of blowback from MAGA’s hard-liners, he reverted to TACO mode and ordered the raids to resume.The friction is playing out within the Administration too. Weeks before, former First Buddy Elon Musk clashed with America Firster Steve Bannon over immigration: Musk wants to allow more tech emigres, while Bannon wants to tighten the screws on programs such as H-1B visas. Given that crypto bros like Mark Zuckerberg backed the Trump campaign with hundreds of millions of PAC money, the faceoff had a particular edge to it.The internal politics aside, the heavy-handed ICE tactics are hitting a nerve with most people. Already, 54% of Americans are against increasing the raids, according to a recent Pew poll. More videos of parents being torn away from their children, or ICE agents arresting American citizens for being Hispanic, won’t play well. Nor should they: this is not the view of America that most Americans want to see. And it’s counterproductive.A Long and Fraught Dependency on Immigrant LaborThe conflicted relationship with immigrants, who we have always relied on to do the actual work of building the nation and the economy, actually predates the nation. You can trace it all the way back to Peter Stuyvesant and New Amsterdam in the 17th century. Stuyvesant, the director general of New Amsterdam, initially resisted some non-Dutch immigrants but lost that battle to the practical priorities of developing New Amsterdam as a global trading hub. (Which, to be clear, included the slave trade.)Our tortured history with new arrivals vacillates between exploitation and demonization, as befits the times and the politicians. The No Nothings, or “American” party, of the 1850s were anti-Catholic—and thus by definition anti-immigrant. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Gentleman’s Agreement of 1907 discriminated against Chinese and Japanese emigrants. Yet the exploitation of immigrant labor proved to be one of America’s great bargains: workers accepted low wages and sometimes brutal conditions because the U.S. did indeed promise far more opportunity than did their native countries. Immigrants labored in the steel mills of Pittsburgh (those of Slavic origin were referred to generically as “hunkies”), in the brass works in Connecticut, the thread mills in Massachusetts, the meatpacking plants in Chicago, the auto plants in Detroit, and the coal mines in Pennsylvania, Kentucky and West Virginia. And on farms from Minnesota to Louisiana, New Jersey to California. New York City, where 40% of the population is foreign-born, could not thrive without immigrants, and that’s been true of most big U.S. cities for the last two centuries. (My family arrived in New York’s teeming Little Italy from Naples in the late 19th century.)Within this pool of immigrants was a steady stream of entrepreneurs such as Amadeo Pietro Giannini, who founded the Bank of Italy in San Francisco in the aftermath of the Great Earthquake. You may know that institution by its current name: Bank of America. Or Adolphus Busch and Eberhard Anheuser, Germans who formed what would become the great American beer company, Anheuser-Busch. Later came Andy Grove, the Hungarian co-founder of Intel; and Google’s co-founder, the Russian born Sergey Brin. And yes, the South Africa via Canada émigré Elon Musk, whose auto company is named after the astonishing Serbian immigrant Nicola Tesla, whose own genius paved the way for the electric grid that powers the device you are using to read these words.Why America Needs Immigrants to Fuel Its Future EconomyToday, from a demographic perspective, the U.S. cannot achieve significant economic growth unless it increases the supply of people. GDP growth is proportional to population growth and population growth has declined from 1% in 2000 to 0.5% in 2025 and is projected to fall further. The current birthrate is at a record low. The demographics also tell us that the ratio of older people to the working-age population is expanding. We can’t solve the coming Social Security insolvency unless there are more working-age people. People who weren’t necessarily born here.Immigrants help solve those demographic issues: they’re younger, have a higher birthrate than citizens, and are clearly willing to work and contribute to their communities. And while Congress debates the deficit, immigrants—legal or not—are paying taxes and contributing to Social Security. In fact, in 2023, households led by undocumented immigrants alone paid nearly $90 billion in taxes, according to the American Immigration Council. Meanwhile, the median pay of immigrants was about 16% below native-born Americans in 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s known as value for money.And immigrants are not the people that Trump and his anti-immigration extremist Stephen Miller have so viciously characterized. Immigrants are less likely than American citizens to commit a crime. Despite claims that they suck up state and federal resources, their labor participation rate is higher than Americans. Immigrants, in fact, are more likely to start a business and create jobs. They are more likely to build your house or pick your vegetables. Or take care of your children or your aging parents. The greatest danger most Americans face from an immigrant is if you got hit by one who fell of your roof while repairing it.While we need more special people like Steve Jobs, whose father was a Syrian immigrant, the greater demand is for people willing to fill the everyday jobs that make the economy go. What we currently lack, though, is better a path to citizenship, a middle way that balances the nation’s requirements against the overwhelming desire of non-Americans to get here. Yet bipartisan efforts in Congress to reform immigration law has repeatedly collapsed, at least partly because conservatives have found it to be such a powerful wedge issue.The economic and social cost of the current immigration crackdown is going to become even more visible in the coming months. Summer is prime time for industries that rely on immigrants. Corn and tomatoes, peaches and peas, and plumbs and cherries have to be harvested nationwide. Hotels and resorts require staff to take care of vacationers. And at many rural hospitals, the July inflow of residents and medical students relies heavily on foreigners. This is also prime time for homebuilding, and we’re short of new homes. But the White House has created a double whammy that’s likely to make homes more expensive and less available by reducing the labor pool and increasing the cost of materials through tariffs.Meanwhile, there are 7.4 million job openings as of April, according to the Jolts data from BLS. As for all those manufacturing jobs Trumps thinks he can reshore, he might want to inquire whether anyone wants them. Manufacturers are currently short 400,000 workers.That doesn’t sound like a winning proposition; nor is our current immigration policy. With his poll numbers declining across the board, it’s quite likely that Trump could soften his anti-immigrant stance and the ICE raids. Whatever Americans may think of the crackdown as social policy, if the economy weakens (which looks to be the case), we will once again realize that as an economic policy, xenophobia is a loser.Bill Saporito is a veteran business journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times and Washington Post. Previously, he worked as an editor at large at Inc. magazine, an assistant managing editor at Time, and as a senior editor at Fortune. He has written for From Day One on the power gap among labor unions, the myth of the “woke” corporation, and the perils of getting technology and people misaligned.(Featured photo: Seasonal immigrants picking strawberries near Salinas, Calif. Photo by rightdx/iStock by Getty Images)
How AI Teammates Are Transforming HR Operations
BY Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza June 27, 2025HR teams are about to expand, according to Jim Barnett, founder and CEO of Wisq. Pretty soon, our teams will comprise both human and AI colleagues, the latter taking on the tedium and grunt work HR was once famous for, while the former, the real humans, will be free to focus on people, on strategy, and on human connection.Barnett spoke in a From Day One webinar about how AI teammates are reshaping HR operations, offering a detailed look at how agentic AI is driving that transformation. Formerly the CEO of AltaVista, one of the web’s first search engines, Barnett also has impressive HR tech credentials. He co-founded the employee success platform Glint, which was acquired by LinkedIn, and later served as LinkedIn’s head of product. With his newest venture, Wisq, he’s built an agentic AI HR generalist for enterprise teams. Her name is Harper. To develop Harper, Barnett logged hours with HR leaders across companies, big and small, studying what they need most. “I heard the same thing over and over: that the HR team was overwhelmed,” he said. “They were under a lot of pressure to improve the efficiency of the team. They were flooded with tickets and a lot of repetitive tasks. And we really said to ourselves, ‘How might we use AI to automate a lot of these non-strategic, repetitive tasks?’” And so he did. “Harper can answer 80% of HR requests for information. She can coach your teams on how to develop and grow and handle situations,” said Barnett. “She can handle policy automation and policy compliance.”Jim Barnett, the CEO and co-founder of Wisq, pictured, spoke with journalist Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza during the webinar (company photo)When HR teams aren’t bogged down with the tedium of managing problems like absenteeism, they can spend time on more strategic projects, like talent development. “There’s no question: There’s going to be a shift. There are going to be some changes in roles,” he said.The rote tasks of HR are often shouldered by the lowest on the ladder, but entry-level jobs won’t evaporate, Barnett says. “That’s the next generation of great HR leaders. It’s just the things that they’ll be doing will be more creative, less repetitive, and more strategic.”So, let’s start freeing up their time. Policy compliance is something they can already hand over to an AI HR generalist. At one of Wisq’s clients, a large manufacturing company, 85% of their HR generalists’ time was spent on just two things: time and attendance and safety. Barnett thought Harper could do better.“It might be the first time somebody’s been late, or they’ve been late twice, but they’ve never had any type of verbal warning or verbal discussion,” he said. Wisq found that in roughly half of those instances, Harper was able to flag that it’s too early for an HR intervention and coach the manager on what they should do instead. And if it does come time to involve HR, Harper can help them with the relevant paperwork.There’s room for Harper in talent management too. Let’s say you’re writing a performance review for one of your employees, and you’re planning to give them a “meets expectations” rating. But then Harper reminds you that just 30 days ago, you had a serious conversation with that employee about their efficiency. With a simple signal, Harper can ensure that employees get clear, accurate feedback so they can avoid a performance improvement plan. And when it’s time to write goals for that employee, Harper can ensure those goals are specific, measurable, and time-bound.Barnett believes that in the future, we’ll all be working alongside humans and AI teammates, “The change that’s coming is dramatic, and it’s coming fast,” he said. Yet he’s not cynical about AI personas taking over HR. People are far more valuable to him. “My personal life mission is to help people be happier and more successful at work, and so that’s really what I’ve dedicated my career to.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Wisq, 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 ismagilov/iStock)
How to Stop Being Nice and Start Being Kind About Skills and Development
BY Ade Akin June 26, 2025Many leaders today default to being “nice” when it comes to employee development and feedback, often opting to avoid truths in favor of protecting feelings. Maria O’Keeffe, the chief people officer at Ogilvy, says this approach is ultimately a disservice to both employees and organizations. Her suggestion to other leaders: to stop being nice and start being kind. “Being nice is protecting people’s feelings, which is important. I don’t expect anyone to be rude or caustic, but I don’t think it’s authentic. I don’t think it helps people grow," O’Keeffe said during a fireside chat at From Day One’s Chicago conference. “Being kind is about authenticity. It’s about transparency, and it’s about not shying away from those difficult conversations that ultimately will help people grow,” she told moderator Alex Maragos, anchor and reporter at NBC 5 Chicago.O’Keeffe says that the tendency to “say as little as possible” during performance reviews or termination meetings is often driven by a fear of liability, and typically fails employees on the receiving end. This absence of courageous honesty seeps into meetings, letting bad ideas go unchallenged because no one wants to stand alone as the dissenting voice.In contrast, kindness requires the courage to be direct and authentic. It provides the clarity that employees need to understand expectations, develop skills, and find the right career path in an era that demands rapid adaptation.O’Keeffe, who joined Ogilvy after spending 25 years with Edelman, emphasized the power of founder-led organizational cultures, like Ogilvy’s, which is grounded in the values of David Ogilvy. “We cling to that in a very important way,” she said, noting these historical values remain relevant today. However, Ogilvy consciously avoids dwelling in the past. “We try to modernize those values and those tenets so that they fit a modern organization today,” O’Keeffe said.This intentional culture, visibly reinforced through quotes on walls, homepages, notebooks, and meeting discussions, serves as a critical anchor for employees navigating relentless uncertainty. O’Keeffe described the current climate as mirroring the unprecedented challenges 2020 brought: economic headwinds, regulatory shifts around diversity, equity, and inclusion, the ongoing complexities of hybrid work adoption, and heightened demands for emotional well-being support. A strong, clearly communicated culture provides stability in the face of uncertainty. Maria O'Keeffe of Ogilvy spoke with Alex Maragos of NBC 5 News TodayIncreasing economic pressures inevitably lead organizations to make tough decisions, including potentially downsizing their workforce. How companies handle the aftermath of these decisions is pivotal, she says. At Ogilvy, the approach centers on radical transparency about the financial situation and a swift pivot towards purpose. “We give people a sense of purpose in every role at every level within the agency,” she said. Leaders at Ogilvy articulate how each employee’s contributions help to unlock growth, drive better outcomes, or create new offerings, connecting everyone to the organization’s goals.This transparency extends to strategic decisions. “Employees crave information. Information is power, and it’s empowering when you have facts to be able to make informed decisions,” O’Keeffe said. Transparency matters too, when it comes to adopting new tools and technology. O’Keeffe acknowledged the initial “angst and concern” within Ogilvy's creative ranks about AI’s capabilities. The agency overcame resistance by demonstrating AI's practical role: handling rote, administrative, and repetitive tasks that “empty people out,” freeing up time for the deeply human-centric, creative work that “feeds their soul.”Ogilvy leverages WPP’s, its holding company, AI platform, Open, through its “Open for Open Days.” The agency essentially shuts down for a full day, allowing employees to immerse themselves in the platform within their specific roles, learning practical applications in familiar environments. “We [look at] the adoption trends right after those days, and the line continually increases,” she said. When asked for her defining word of 2025, O’Keeffe chose inclusion. She defined it as fostering a profound sense of belonging and connection for every employee. “I want people to feel they are in a safe, inclusive space doing something that is part of something bigger,” she said. This means ensuring that employees are included in growth opportunities, working on meaningful teams, and contributing to client work with a positive impact.Ade Akin covers workplace wellness, HR trends, and digital health solutions.(Photos by Tim Hiatt for From Day One)
Meaningful Recognition: Empowering Managers to Elevate Employees
BY Carrie Snider June 25, 2025As the modern workforce stretches across five generations, employee recognition must adapt accordingly. “Boomers expected to maybe work for one to two companies,” said Guy Westermeyer, founder of Westcomm. “Fast forward to the youngest generation, and we’re hearing about 25 companies.” That shift has transformed employee expectations—recognition must be personal, timely, and authentic.Westermeyer, whose agency supports HR teams in employee communications, says that meaningful recognition can’t be limited to a once-a-year training or an annual holiday message. “We can’t just do this during February, and then again by Thanksgiving. We’ve got to do this year-round,” he said during an executive panel discussion at From Day One’s Minneapolis conference. One of the most powerful strategies? Specificity. “If I know that dad wants to buy a zoo membership, are there ways to reward that person with buying that zoo membership?” Westermeyer suggested. Personalized gestures show employees they’re truly seen, and that managers are listening.Recognition shouldn’t just be top-down, he says. “We need to create ways for peers to give each other thanks and praise,” he said. At Westcomm, that includes a “love bomb” Slack channel, where team members can post spontaneous shout-outs. For bigger wins, he suggests curating those shout-outs into a newsletter or email roundup to help remote or hybrid workers relive the moment.Developing Everyday AppreciationAt UnitedHealth Group, panelist Lukas Mudra believes everyday appreciation is the heart of meaningful recognition. As VP of people, inclusion, and culture, Mudra sees firsthand how authenticity and small, personalized gestures can shape workplace culture more than elaborate programs. “You have to pay people, right?” he said. “That’s table stakes. But beyond that, people want to be seen—for who they are and what matters to them.”Megan Thompson, special correspondent at PBS News Hour, moderated the panel discussion about "Employee Recognition and Rewards: How Managers Can Be Empowered"Appreciation doesn’t have to be over-engineered, he says. “If you pause and truly take time to listen to your people, it’s a lot easier to align recognition that is meaningful and that matters to that person,” he said. Something as simple as acknowledging a new father for balancing work and home life can leave a lasting impact. “Those are the moments that people reflect on and that build that sense of loyalty to the organization.”In a virtual world, leaders need to be intentional. “Even if they physically need to put it in their calendar to say, ‘I need time to consider what’s happening in my employees’ lives,’” Mudra said. Whether it’s a public “shoutout,” a private thank-you email, or a stretch assignment, the key is knowing what recognition each person values.Mudra also highlighted the role of employee resource groups (ERGs) and internal platforms. “It’s not direct recognition in the traditional sense, but it’s incredible to see the engagement when people share life milestones and personal wins,” he said. “It brings humanity back into the workplace.”Embedding Recognition into Company CultureAt Xcel Energy, recognition is core to culture, not just compensation. Panelist Yen Ly explained that the company is redefining its employee value proposition, with employee experience standing alongside customer satisfaction and organizational performance.“It’s not just about pay,” Ly said. “It’s about showing appreciation—especially from leaders to employees.” Recognition should feel natural and integrated into everyday work, not like an extra task.Ly, VP of total rewards, admitted that even as a leader, she’s working on pausing to celebrate small wins. “There are always 101 things to do, but it’s important to stop and say, ‘Great job,’ even for the little things.”Xcel uses a company-wide recognition platform, but Yen noted that cultural adoption still has room to grow. She’s exploring ways to simplify the process—like integrating thank you emails with the platform for easier, more visible recognition.She also pointed out a missed opportunity in how leaders assign stretch projects. “Sometimes I give someone extra responsibility because I see their potential,” she said, “but I forget to say that’s why. That clarity matters.”Hybrid work makes intentional recognition even more critical. “It’s easier to recognize people you see daily,” Ly noted. Leaders must be mindful of proximity bias and strive for inclusive recognition across all work settings.To track impact, Xcel uses engagement surveys, but Yen stressed the importance of digging into employee comments and following up. “Even if you think you’re showing appreciation, it might not land the way you expect,” she said. “Don’t assume—ask.”Connected Recognition MomentsAt Allina Health, culture and recognition go hand in hand. Panelist Jen Bailey, VP of total rewards and HR shared services, shared how the organization recently launched a new “Compass” outlining its vision, mission, and values—and used it to update formal recognition programs. “We aligned our platforms to reflect our values,” she said. “When you see compassion or teamwork, share it.”Allina celebrates “All Together Better Month,” a time for employee appreciation and storytelling. A private Facebook page helps employees across 12 hospitals and 70 clinics connect, celebrate wins, and recognize each other’s work. LinkedIn is also used for professional recognition.Leadership modeling plays a key role. “Recognition grows when leaders are seen doing it,” Bailey said. “It creates a culture where people feel valued and want to stay.”Personalization is essential. “Ask your employees how they like to be recognized,” she said. “Some want public praise. Others don’t. Tailor your approach.”In hybrid environments, recognition must be intentional. “You don’t have hallway conversations anymore,” Bailey said. “Use IMs, emails, or team chats—just make it visible.”Allina tracks recognition impact through KPIs like turnover and engagement. “We’ve reduced first-year turnover significantly, thanks to stronger onboarding and manager support,” she said.Finally, Bailey emphasized managing change with care. “When programs evolve or sunset, explain the why and offer new tools to keep appreciation alive. Recognition should never just disappear.” Recognition is the heartbeat of thriving workplaces. When managers genuinely appreciate their employees, they build stronger cultures and lasting loyalty.Carrie Snider is a Phoenix-based journalist and marketing copywriter.(Photos by Travis Johansen for From Day One)
The Real Impact of AI on Hiring: Staying Ahead of the Curve
BY Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza June 24, 2025“This pressure to do more with less can be really challenging, let alone when you start to bring in a lot of what we’re seeing today in spam and in fraud,” said Meredith Johnson, chief product officer at applicant tracking platform Greenhouse. Recruiters face more than an applicant volume challenge today: They also have to sift for the highest-quality candidates who have sincere enthusiasm for the role while lazy applicants spam hundreds employers with AI-generated resumes and bad actors try to wiggle their way into companies to steal trade secrets or work on behalf of hostile nations—a problem few recruiters ever imagined they would encounter.Johnson spoke during a From Day One webinar on the impact of AI on hiring and how talent acquisition teams can stay ahead of the curve. Greenhouse is among the companies leading the charge on combating applicant fraud while preserving the candidate experience for good-faith applicants. The company recently announced its partnership with Clear to verify applicant identity and combat fraud and spam at the top of the hiring funnel. Adopting AI for Maximum ImpactFor companies that haven’t jumped on the artificial intelligence train, the good news is that the barriers to entry are low, and the easiest tools to adopt can offload some of the most time-consuming tasks. Early stages of the hiring process are ideal for AI intervention. It’s in the setup phase that TA teams often spin their wheels, Johnson said, over-polishing job descriptions or hand-tailoring candidate outreach emails one at a time. This, she noted, is a great place to start with AI.“You might send a communication that says, ‘I hope this email finds you well. We’re currently looking for individuals with these skill sets for this role, and I was really impressed with your experience in: Enter personalization token that’s drawing from all that goodness automatically for you.’” Once the recruiter reviews and signs off, that outreach is ready to roll. And when you’ve built a solid slate of candidates, recruiters can use AI to generate questions tailored to the role and most-sought-after attributes. Though this tool has been available only for a few months, Johnson said it’s their most used AI-assisted feature, with an 80% acceptance rate, “meaning that 80% of the time, our users are just accepting, without any condition, the suggested questions that are being provided.”Of course, what every recruiter hopes to find are those candidates who are not only qualified, they’re interested and able to take on a new role. Greenhouse is now using sentiment analysis to suss out the candidates that have the greatest affinity toward specific jobs. “One of the capabilities that we rolled out with the auto-generated sentiment analysis that automatically interprets and categorizes information from the prospect email, and so it can turn back results and signals to the hiring team. How interested are they? Could it potentially be bad timing?”Journalist Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza moderated the discussion with Meredith Johnson of Greenhouse (photo by From Day One)The goal is to move the best matched and most engaged talent along in the hiring process. Actually hiring stand-out applicants can be a matter of a good candidate experience, which can be a differentiator for an employer, she says, especially as companies lose good candidates among a deluge of applications.Companies may be prone to using time-saved as the primary KPI when folding AI into recruitment, but most recruiters don’t just want to move faster, they want to make better hires. Prioritizing–and measuring–the candidate experience mitigates against a hiring strategy that prizes speed at all costs. “You’re starting to get into that higher altitude of a more effective process, and that’s really important,” she said. “We want to do it with speed and have a little fun, but really, we want to get a really, really good result, and that’s what matters.”Greenhouse doesn’t operate without internal guardrails. The company runs a formal AI ethics committee that reviews all their products and updates, and they’re keen on transparency into not only what the tools do, but also what models they run on. Candidates can even opt out of some features, like interview recording and AI assistants in calls.Johnson sees challenges and opportunities beyond just sourcing, but deep “into the actual meat of recruiting.” As a hiring manager, she’s using Greenhouse’s platform to build her own team, and it’s through first-hand experience that she’s testing and developing new tools.“We think about not only solving problems in this space, but doing it with purposeful delivery and placement of AI-supported and AI-assisted capabilities,” she said. “There’s lots to uncover there where we can provide more AI-assisted time saving, efficiency, and boosting experiences in the interview process.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Greenhouse, 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 imaginima/iStock)
People-Centered Approaches to Workplace Productivity
BY Jennifer Yoshikoshi June 23, 2025Workplace productivity isn’t just about policies and perks anymore, it’s about fluency in human difference. As new generations enter the workforce with different expectations, the challenge for employers isn’t just keeping up, but tuning in. Jodi Hill, vice president of global talent attraction and engagement strategic initiatives at Wells Fargo says HR leaders should evolve their strategies to bring out the best in every employee.Hill spoke during an executive panel discussion at From Day One’s Minneapolis conference, where leaders shared how their workplaces lead initiatives to create environments that support worker productivity in sustainable ways.To address the needs of employees, leaders often use surveys to understand how they can better support their workers. Dustin Wellik, vice president of HR strategy and solutions for 3M says his company uses what it calls “active and ambient listening strategies.” By collecting the comments and questions that are made through communication channels, events and town halls, 3M will consolidate them for themes. “You can also start to understand tone,” he said.“If you start to get hints of anxiety that could be they don’t feel like they’re equipped or capable to perform what we need them to do, or at the volume we need them to do it,” Wellik added. “If they’re resistant, perhaps we're not quite hitting what's in it for them or incentivizing them to lean in.”At U.S. Bank, one focus is on uplifting employees through a campaign called “Innovation Week.” Kelly Johnson, senior vice president and HR advisory services lead for U.S. Bank said this is part of its attempt to create a culture that fosters innovative ideas and empowers employees to share them. “I think this really allows the team to feel comfortable and to bring those ideas forward and to create that space for change,” said Johnson.With a new generation of workers entering the field, leaders need to learn how to adjust their management styles and acknowledge differences in the way younger generations like Gen Z function and work. Dr. Colleen Flaherty Manchester, professor in the work and organizations department at the Carlson School of Management, moderated the discussion Hill said that social media is key to recruiting and attracting new workers because the younger generation has grown up with technology and media. She suggested that “Day in the Life” videos can offer a glimpse into the work day, offering potential applicants with a very raw and realistic image of what it’s like to be an employee for the company.Enhancing Wellness and Productivity Through ChangeWhen employees are struggling financially or mentally, it can take away from their ability to be productive at work. One of the ways that companies are cultivating an empowered and engaged work culture is by using demand pay or earned wage access. This benefit allows workers to access a portion of their accrued wages prior to payroll at no cost.“They now have the power to access a portion of those wages and utilize those wages in a way that puts them in a better financial situation, and they’re not coming to work stressed out,” said Steve Davis, national sales manager of business partnerships for Global Payments.Davis encourages company leaders to look into ways that they can emphasize financial wellness and benefits that can create a better culture. When it comes to ensuring that workers' needs are met, leaders should also be able to hold conversations with their staff about what challenges they might be facing and how they as leaders can help. Johnson added that it’s key to have education for leaders to train them on how to start conversions and how to engage in dialogue about employee performance, potential external stressors and what’s impacting the employee. At U.S. Bank, the company offers support circles for their employees, a group that allows individuals to connect with others who are experiencing similar things in life. This can include being a new mom, dealing with aging parents or becoming an empty nester. “I think sometimes those connections with others that you may not work with day to day, those connections can be very impactful for employees to find a safe space to talk through that get ideas, to be able to be more successful as well,” said Johnson. Aside from personal stressors, the economic and political changes can also be distracting, impacting the ability for employees to focus. In these situations, Hill encourages transparency from the company while also putting a lens on what’s impacting the organization and using that as a guardrail for conversations. “At Wells Fargo, one of the things I think we have done really well is that we’ve had our leaders be very vocal with conversations about diversity, equity and inclusion and its commitment,” said Hill. She encouraged HR leaders to hold conversations with frontline leaders and guide them on how to navigate discussion about these topics. “The volume of change and chaos out there is so overwhelming that sometimes we forget about what’s not changing,” Wellik added. He suggested that while it’s still important to acknowledge the changes, highlighting what will remain the same is equally as powerful, including company values, objectives, goals and culture.(Photos by Travis Johansen for From Day One)
The Quiet Excellence Among Federal Workers—and What Corporate Leaders Could Learn From Them
BY Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza June 20, 2025The employees at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory are among the most high-performing teams on earth. They explore the farthest edges of galaxies, photograph cosmic events millions of years old, dream up some of the most advanced technology humans have ever made—and build vehicles to go where no one has gone before.More milestones are on the way. In 2027, the JPL will launch into space the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope—the most sophisticated to date—and, as the writer Dave Eggers puts it, they’re “within striking distance” of identifying not just the existence but also the location of life elsewhere in the universeThis is a world-changing pursuit for everyone born on terra firma, yet most of the folks at JPL don’t seek praise for what they do. When the writer Dave Eggers visited the lab in Pasadena, Calif., to write about its workers for the Washington Post, he noted that “no one at JPL—no one I met, at least—was willing to take credit for anything.”This work ethic, too, is worth some deep exploring. How can people making history by their excellence shun conventional appreciation? Corporate leaders in HR insist that a culture of recognition is essential to a healthy and productive workforce. True enough, yet Eggers found more dimensions of worker satisfaction that many corporate employers could learn from. Among them: an embrace of intrinsic motivation (curiosity and collaboration) rather than only extrinsic forms (compensation and celebrity); the challenges of answering big questions and solving societal problems; and the sense of leaving a generational legacy.“Yes, we are in the space business and in the knowledge business,” one manager told Eggers, “but I’ve always believed that we’re really in the inspiration business, the inspiration that we have lent out and inspired generations of engineers and scientists. It cannot be underestimated.”What’s even more remarkable, writers like Eggers have discovered: the JPL isn’t an outlier. It’s not an exotic planet among federal agencies, but representative of similar values across the workforce of 2.4 million civilian federal workers.At a time when the Trump administration has cut almost 59,000 federal employees and given buyouts to 76,000 as of mid-May, all the while vilifying the federal workforce as lazy and low-performing, a cadre of journalists have taken a closer look at who does the work that makes the U.S. government, and the country, run. The author Michael Lewis got curious about this at the dawn of the first Trump administration, when the incoming president and his team decided to skip the traditional briefing given by the previous administration on the complexities of the executive workforce. Lewis’s reporting produced a series of Washington Post stories and a bestselling book, The Fifth Risk, which explored what happens when the government is controlled by people who have little idea of how itworks.As a follow-up in 2024, Lewis and six colleagues, who include Eggers, the comic W. Kamau Bell, and Pulitzer Prize winner Geraldine Brooks, followed federal employees as they hammered through their day-to-day duties. The often-arcane pursuits included engineering structures that save miners from dying on the job, investigating cybercrime (and nabbing the criminals), burying and memorializing veterans, meticulously calculating the health of our economy, protecting our most treasured national relics, dispensing knowledge to the public, busting monopolies with verve.The series of profiles, called “Who Is Government?,” ran in installments in the Washington Post in 2024 and was published this year as a book by the same name, now a bestseller.Lewis and his co-authors describe a culture within the federal workforce that most business leaders, and HR teams, might only dream of: a high regard for management, routinely doing more with less, a painstaking commitment to measurement, high retention despite comparatively low pay, creativity and innovation with slim budgets, and a deep personal commitment to the cause of the organization. But there’s still that missing piece—no one’s singling them out for praise.One former assistant secretary of foreign affairs at the Veterans Administration tells writer Casey Cep, without apparent resentment, that to be a civil servant is to be invisible. “No one ever knows about the good you do.” What, then, takes the place of that?How Corporate America Is Different, But Could ChangeCorporate America tends to mingle with its own kind. Private-sector conferences seldom invite public-sector speakers, there are few federal bureaucratic influencers on LinkedIn, Fortune isn’t likely to profile cybercrime teams at the IRS, even though they’ve recovered billions of dollars for the American public.Yet, in many ways, the public sector has achieved what the private sector still grapples for.If anyone in the private sector knows about excellence, it’s Lawrence Price. He’s a West Point graduate, an Army veteran, and the holder of a Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology. In the private sector he has worn titles like “director of organizational development and continuous improvement” and “vice president of organizational excellence.” He’s currently the VP of people and culture at Brink’s, the company whose armored trucks transport wads of cash and diamonds.There are three types of corporate excellence, he said. Efficiency, innovation, and proficiency. The federal workforce, which is so large and so diverse in its purposes, contains all three.Companies that create the same product or service repeatedly want to be efficient. Bereaved families can call the National Cemetery Administration (part of the VA) most times of day or night to make funeral arrangements. Though every military member who dies is unique in their way, their burials are democratically the same: Republican and Democrat, male and female, black and white, officer or enlisted. It’s worth noting that they have so mastered efficiency with strict process and deep respect that the NCA ranks above any organization—public or private—on the American Consumer Satisfaction Index.Those that make new things want to be innovative (and are seldom concerned with efficiency). It makes sense that the JPL satisfies this criteria, but, as Sarah Vowell’s story in Who Is Government? shows, so does the Food and Drug Administration, whose CURE ID website allows doctors all over the world to report cases of rare disease and log the treatments that work and don’t work. It’s the first of its kind. And they did it on a shoestring.Companies that gather groups of experts—like a hospital or a robotics firm, for instance—want to be proficient. Most federal departments are proficiency hubs in one fashion or another. IRS cybercrime investigators are experts in digital forensics, archivists are experts in preservation and knowledge dissemination, the Department of Justice’s antitrust division is a concentration of experts in monopolies and mitigating them.All companies want some level of financial sustainability, Price noted. The same is true for government agencies, which need to meet their budgets even as they make difficult decisions between competing programs, dreams, and expectations.And all organizations want engaged employees, a goal easier for those that prize proficiency and harder for those that prize efficiency, but not impossible. Casey Cep writes that the private sector could learn a thing or two from the National Cemetery Administration, especially in the way of commitment. “There is no mission more sacred than honoring these heroes and helping their families through such a hard time, and it’s a job that [the NCA does] with excellence and compassion every single day,” Denis McDonough, the former secretary of Veterans Affairs, told Cep.Price believes that intrinsic motivation and sense of duty–a feeling that it’s a privilege to serve–are far more powerful than what corporate America might call a culture of recognition. “It’s stickier,” he said. “I’m ex-military, and it’s amazing to me what a piece of tin going on a person’s uniform—how it will motivate them, how it makes them feel seen.”Finding Motivation in the Mission It’s easy to imagine self-generating motivation if your mission is to support and defend the Constitution of the United States–an oath sworn by both military and civil servants. But what if you make windshield wipers, or build software, or paint houses? Where–and how–will employees find motivation?It may be a matter of identifying the human dignity in what the company does. Adam Weber, an executive coach in the private sector, told From Day One that organizational excellence begins with a clear vision for the future: “That flag on the moon, that deep understanding of why the business exists and where it’s headed,” he said. This needn’t be some altruistic dream nor a sappy myth about changing the world, but a clear-eyed description of the effects of what your employees do.A commercial painting business beautifies homes simply and efficiently. A sportswear brand helps keep people active and healthy. A payments software company helps people get paid on time. And a cybersecurity company ensures those paychecks stay in the accounts where they belong.The federal employees profiled in Who Is Government? are acutely aware of the downstream effects of their work, and they’re aware of who’s footing the bill. “The scientists I met [at JPL] were exquisitely aware that they’re spending taxpayer money, and they were determined to justify the faith put in them,” Eggers wrote. The sense of dignity in their work is immensely high. In corporate speak: They’re engaged with the company mission, and accountable to their stakeholders.Even so, long before the Trump administration declared open season on federal workers, their advocates decided that they could use a little more limelight in their own interest. Each year since 2002, the Partnership for Public Services gives out what’s called the Oscars of their field. At the award ceremony this week, the top price went to David Lebryk, a former top Treasury Department who “was forced out of his career position for refusing to grant Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency what he considered unlawful access to the government’s payment system,” as the New York Times reported.In accepting his award, Lebryk noted that “most of my career was spent trying to be unnoticed.” But now he was in the spotlight and wanted to encourage his successors. The night before the awards, he addressed a group of incoming federal interns, encouraging them to pursue public service, the Times reported. Eventually, he said, “things will break,” and the administration “will have to turn to people who know how to fix things.” He said he tells government colleagues to “take care of yourself, and take the long view; your skills are going to be needed in the future.”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.(Featured photo: a portrait of employees at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, from left, Tiffany Kataria, Bertrand Mennesson, Vanessa Bailey, and Kim Aaron. Photo ©Jay L. Clendenin)
Prioritizing People: Building Human-Centered Benefits in a Complex Healthcare Landscape
BY Matthew Koehler June 18, 2025Most people don’t think of their health as a roller coaster. But Cody Fair, chief commercial officer at Noom Health, says that’s exactly what weight loss feels like for millions of Americans. “I came today to talk about roller coasters. Not the kind you ride at an amusement park, but the one that millions of Americans are on every day: the roller coaster around weight loss.”Fair’s story is personal and all too familiar. After a life-altering diagnosis in college led to 20 years of struggling with his weight, he tried everything from diets to personal trainers to meal prep to even Noom itself. “I’ve lost the same 20 pounds 20 different times,” he said. Then GLP-1 medications entered the scene, and everything changed—almost.Fair spoke about the complex and frustrating reality of weight loss and accessing GLP-1s, the new class of drugs for obesity treatment during a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s NYC half-day benefits conference. He recounted his personal journey as both a healthcare executive and as a patient navigating a broken system.When Fair first started taking Wegovy, the results were immediate and dramatic. “Weight was basically falling off of me,” but then came the shortage. “I would spend time every day calling pharmacies within 50 miles,” he said, trying to track down a refill. His primary care provider (PCP) bumped him to the highest dosage, warning him of side effects. “I told her, no side effect would matter to getting back to the body that I wanted. Turns out that was a lie.” Fair got so nauseated he often had to leave in the middle of board meetings. “I couldn’t go out to eat with my friends. I couldn’t go play golf.”When another drug, Zepbound, became available in Fair’s formulary, he thought the nightmare was over. But after a few months the supply would vanish, then he’d have to navigate the obstacle of prior authorization. “By the time I’m done with that, I can’t get it. It’s gone at that pharmacy.” Even when Zepbound came off shortage, a change in his company’s insurance plan reset the whole process, or he couldn’t get approved. Cody Fair of Noom Health led the thought leadership spotlight (photo by Hason Castell for From Day One)“The PBM (Pharmacy Benefits Manager) blames the PCP. The PCP blames the pharmacy. If you’ve ever seen the Spider-Man meme where they’re all pointing at each other, that is my vision of what prior authorization in healthcare in America looks like,” he said. But Fair finally found relief, not through the system, but through a colleague at Noom. He received a 90-day supply, “weight is starting to come off, energy is coming back,” he said. Still, Fair says he’s worried for when this 90-day supply runs out.Unfortunately, Fair’s experience is not a unique one. “Hundreds, if not thousands, of your employees are probably going through that same journey.” More are going through this journey across the country. “We are in a system that is broken,” he said.“This isn’t just a personal issue. This is a workforce issue.” Fair points to lower productivity and higher absenteeism. “When you struggle with your health, you're going to struggle at work. If you struggle accessing the care that you need, it's going to affect the organization overall.” Employees, Fair emphasized, “are your most valuable asset.”Noom is helping to offer a way off the ride, says Fair. The company has developed a commercial program aimed at supporting employers and their employees who feel stuck in the cycle. Noom Med with Smart RX starts by carving GLP-1s out from PBMs to bring down cost, by about $200 per script on average, he says. Employers can choose how much of that cost to cover, whether 50% or 25%.But the real value, Fair says, is in the wraparound care. “You meet with clinicians who are experts in obesity care.” Participants use Noom’s digital tools, including a purpose-built GLP-1 companion and even a body scan app that tracks fat mass and waist-to-hip ratio. “Ultimately, we believe all of these things together are how you will truly pull an ROI out of these medications,” Fair said. “And I don’t just mean your bottom line. When I take a GLP-1, I want the ROI out of it myself. Your employees want the ROI out of what they’re doing.”“What we’re advocating for is change. Investing in your employees’ health, their well-being, and their overall future,” he said. “We have the power to reshape this narrative. To create a system where no one is judged, ashamed or left behind, and where everyone has access to the care that they need.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Noom, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. Matthew Koehler is a freelance journalist and licensed real-estate agent based in Washington, DC. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Greater Greater Washington, The Southwester, and Walking Cinema, among others.(Photos by mediaphotos/iStock)
Employee Mental Health and Financial Wellness: How Managers Can Be Empowered
BY Carrie Snider June 17, 2025Burnout, debt, disconnection: today’s workforce is carrying more than just job responsibilities. And when these pressures surface, it’s managers who are expected to respond first—and best.At From Day One’s NYC half-day benefits conference, a panel of experts tackled a pressing question: How can companies better equip their managers to support employees holistically? From emotional intelligence to creative financial wellness tools, the conversation revealed why empowering managers may be the smartest investment a company can make.Mental Health First AidEquipping managers with the tools to support employee mental health and financial wellness may be one of the most powerful moves a company can make, says panelist Sean Masterman, VP of global employer sales at Calm.“Managers are the frontline of employee experience,” Masterman said. “Training them in mental health first aid helps create a ripple effect across the organization. It starts to normalize conversations around mental health and builds psychological safety.”One effective starting point for those conversations? Sleep.“Sleep is the number one reason people come to Calm,” Masterman said. “It’s a non-threatening entry point into broader discussions around mental health, and it helps reduce the stigma.”Masterman also emphasized the connection between financial wellness and mental health, noting that financial stress is a top contributor to poor sleep and overall well-being. “We’re not just talking about financial literacy,” he said. “We’re talking about helping people understand their relationship with money—how it affects them emotionally and mentally.”Engagement with mental health resources can vary across generations, and Calm is developing content to reflect that. “Gen Z is deeply impacted by financial insecurity,” Masterman said. “That’s why we’re creating content that speaks to people at different life stages and helps them feel seen.”Stretching Budgets to Support EmployeesEmployers today are eager to support their workforce’s financial wellness, but many face significant budget constraints and market volatility. “Companies are desperately trying to solve this problem,” said panelist Aaron Shapiro, founder of Carver Edison, a financial wellness company. “They see the data. They know how important financial wellness is, but there’s a lack of tools. Budgets are fixed, and especially over the past couple months, there’s more pressure than ever to become more efficient, increase earnings for shareholders, [and] more volatility in the market.”This tension creates a tricky balancing act for businesses. Many financial wellness programs offer value to employees, but at a cost that directly impacts the company’s budget. The panel discussion was moderated by Tania Rahman, social media director at Fast Company“For every dollar of value that’s typically delivered to employees through some financial wellness programs, it’s typically $1 of expense for the company,” Shapiro said. “So you launch a program, things are going well, but then the market shifts, budgets get tightened, and you have to figure out a way to make money go further.”Despite these challenges, innovative solutions can break this zero-sum cycle. “If we can help companies break out of that cycle, it unlocks a whole new level of possibilities and really gives companies an incredibly unfair advantage, not just from a retention perspective, but also in being able to play offense when the world is playing defense,” he said.One example is Carver Edison’s product, Cashless Participation, which helps employees boost their income without increasing company costs. “Over 87% of employees that use Cashless Participation say that it’s a more valuable financial benefit than some of the others being offered at their company,” Shapiro said. “It not only helps free up disposable income for those employees but gives them a whole new level of flexibility when it comes to managing all of the other financial priorities they have in their lives.”By tailoring financial wellness programs to fit both employee needs and company realities, organizations can better support their teams—even when budgets are tight.Emotional Intelligence in ManagementA key challenge for many organizations today is ensuring managers possess a high level of emotional intelligence (EQ) to effectively support their teams. Panelist Allison Roberts, senior director of HR at Interpublic Group, emphasized that true engagement goes beyond just overseeing work. “They need to have a high level of EQ managers, and what it looks like is truly engaging with your employees and showing them that you do care about them, not just about their work, but about them as a person,” she said.Roberts noted that emotional intelligence is often overlooked when promoting employees into management roles. This gap can lead to managers who lack the necessary skills to provide meaningful support, especially in today’s increasingly complex workplace.To address this, IPG has invested in education and training. Their learning and development team has been doing a lot over the last few years on EQ training for managers to help with understanding different dynamics. Specifically, a wide variety of generations in the workplace together, she added. This kind of training not only equips managers to better relate to diverse teams but also fosters an environment where employees feel truly supported.Roberts also highlighted the importance of leaders modeling emotional intelligence themselves. “For leaders, it’s about modeling desired behavior, and we get them engaged, then the employees will see and they’ll engage more. And a little bit of self-disclosure as well helps with opening those doors for employees to feel a little bit more comfortable engaging.”Holistic Approach to Employee Well-BeingEspecially in sectors like healthcare, supporting employees requires more than just traditional benefits. Panelist Lindsey Garito, AVP of total rewards at Montefiore Health System, talked about the importance of addressing well-being from a holistic perspective. “Financial health and financial well-being isn’t just about finances. It affects our physical health, our mental health,” she said. This interconnectedness means organizations must consider all aspects of an employee’s life when designing support systems.Garito also shared a powerful reminder: “The workplace is not a car wash. It’s not a place where you enter the doors and you’re suddenly cleansed of everything that’s going on in your life.” This insight underscores the reality that employees bring their whole selves to work, carrying personal challenges alongside their professional responsibilities. For healthcare workers, this can be especially demanding given the nature of their roles.To address these needs, Montefiore’s team focuses on proactive communication and accessible resources. They educate employees and managers and HR partners about available tools, Garito said, “making sure that they’re fully equipped to understand all of what we offer.” This approach helps ensure that support is consistent and reaches all levels of the organization.During Financial Literacy Month, Montefiore took extra steps to engage employees with a variety of workshops and on-site fairs, providing “face to face time with employees” that helps break down barriers to accessing benefits. “We get a lot of direct feedback from the employees about what they need and what they’re looking for, and then that helps inform our strategy,” Garito said.Supporting employee mental health and financial wellness is no longer optional—it is a strategic imperative for organizations committed to thriving in today’s dynamic world. By investing in manager training, fostering emotional intelligence, and implementing creative financial wellness solutions, companies can build a culture of psychological safety and holistic well-being. As these approaches take hold, managers become powerful catalysts for change, enabling employees to bring their whole selves to work and navigate life’s challenges with greater confidence. Carrie Snider is a Phoenix-based journalist and marketing copywriter.(Photos by Hason Castell for From Day One)