'You're on mute.' This tech tool combats Zoom fatigue with fun ice breaker activities

ENGAGEMENT: In response to the shift to remote work, Donut , a team building platform, recently launched a new?Zoom extension?that gives employees conversational ice breakers before workplace meetings, including one-on-ones, onboarding and even informal hang outs between colleagues. The prompts ask things like, "Are you an early bird or a night owl?" and "What's your favorite instrument?"?

The point of Donut — however users engage with it — is to promote organic connection between employees, says Dan Manian , Donut's CEO.

"Hopping onto a Zoom with people you've never met with really no context or prompt can be a little awkward," he says. "If the conversations deviate and go somewhere else, that's great. This is really just to kind of get things going."?

Read: Suffering from Zoom fatigue? This platform is making virtual calls more engaging

FERTILITY BENEFITS: The recent wave of tech layoffs, along with budget cuts due to inflationary pressures, has put employers and employees on edge as both talent and?benefits?are sacrificed. For employees who hope to build their families, there may be a fear that fertility benefits could be the next thing to go.?

For many, fertility benefits are the deciding factor in whether they can afford to grow their families. One round of in vitro fertilization, including ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval and embryo transfer, can cost between $15,000 to $30,000, with most patients undergoing three or more rounds.?

Dr. Timothy Hickman, medical director and co-founder of reproductive health clinic CCRM Fertility Houston, underlines how American families live in a precarious system, and what employers can do to support people on their family-building journeys.

Read: Lost jobs, and lost hope: How layoffs are impacting employer-provided fertility benefits

EXCELLENCE IN BENEFITS: We're opening our nominations up early this year (tell us who deserves to be celebrated here!), and expanding our class of honorees, too. And for the first time ever, the winners of 2023's Excellence in Benefits Awards will be recognized live and in person this fall, with a dedicated honoree luncheon celebrating their accomplishments, held at EBN's new?Benefits at Work conference, Sept. 27-29 in San Diego.?

Please submit your nominations for leading HR and benefits execs,?benefit advisers, and?tech innovators?no later than April 14, 2023.

Read: Nominations are open: Celebrate industry leaders with EBN's 2023 Excellence in Benefits Awards