Are We Aligned?

“I think asking questions like, ‘Are we aligned on mission and values?’, ‘Do our benefits and policies foster empathy?’, ‘Are we building a good environment?’ are a great way to understand where there might be opportunities to improve.” - Rae Shanahan

Building alignment is a crucial component of a productive and empathetic workplace. With the right people, benefits, policies, and technology in place, you can build an incredible culture that supports the total wellbeing of your workforce.?

Here’s what we’re covering in this edition:?

• What does accountability have to do with empathy in the workplace???

• 3 ways to infuse empathy into your enrollment event.?

• Can technology help you drive more empathy for your workplace? Signs point to yes.?

Plus, news you might have missed.?

Let’s dive in!?

8 in 10 say empathy is undervalued at work. Here’s why you should care.?

Empathy is beyond a buzzword, but the real question remains: are organizations really holding themselves accountable to putting it in action? Data points to no: 86% of employees, HR, and CEOs agree that empathy is undervalued in today’s workplaces.??

Maria Ross from The Empathy Edge joins as a guest host on the Benefits Pulse, chatting with Rae Shanahan , Businessolver 's Chief Strategy Officer, about how employers can take action on empathy.??

Rae’s top recommendation? Stay accountable to your people and your culture.?

Listen Now: Get your empathy game plan?

Hey, are we aligned??

One of the best questions you can ask yourself about whether or not you’re being accountable to empathy at work is: Are we aligned???

Annual enrollment is a great opportunity to reflect on how these questions apply to your organization’s benefits. Our latest empathy data highlighted that many benefits that sit on employees’ most-wanted lists likely aren’t being used or aren’t visible to employees due to a lack of alignment—or in this case, communication and understanding. In fact, average 70-point gaps exist between the benefits employees say they want versus what they say they’re using. Yikes.?

Getting aligned doesn’t always require a “quick call,” ?? but it does require good communication and partnership.

Read more: Here’s how you can align your employees’ wellbeing needs with your benefits offerings?

Is your technology helping you deliver on empathy??

Putting empathy into action is not a solo project. Technology can play a huge role in amplifying empathy for your organization, especially when it comes to supporting employees’ wellbeing: 90% of CEOs and 68% of HR teams said that they think AI can help their organization be more empathetic.??

Janice Minn , Director of Product Management at Businessolver, shares how AI is doing just that for benefits teams in Businessolver’s technology.??

HR teams shoulder a lot of empathy activism for the organization. How is your technology helping you achieve the desired results???

Here are 3 questions to ask your technology partners to make sure they’re aligned with helping you build a more empathetic workplace:?

• How do you define your product roadmap? When and how is my feedback considered in this process??

• How does your technology make it easier for employees to view, access, and use their benefits???

• What tools are available to me to help deliver more information to my people??

Having the right service partner can be a game changer for more than just benefits delivery.?

More perspective: Can your benefits administration partner do this??

News you might have missed?

Does community play a role in workplace productivity??

New research shows what’s keeping your employees up at night?

3 ways you can prioritize your mental health during busy season?

?