TOTAL REWARDS

Weighing in on GLP-1s

Some 40% of the US population is obese, but promising drugs that have come onto the market in recent years may offer a solution.

The class of drugs, called GLP-1, has long been prescribed to treat diabetes, but is now available for weight loss as well. Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound are two GLP-1s that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for weight loss.

These medications have a high price tag at an estimated $1,000 per patient per month, and the question of whether to cover them is particularly relevant to workplaces in the US, as almost 60% of Americans rely on their employer for health insurance. Most HR decision-makers (81%) surveyed by the personalized healthcare company Accolade last fall said they felt their employees would be interested in GLP-1s, and 43% said they intend to cover the drugs in 2024, up from 25% in 2023.

Healthcare companies currently working with employers covering GLP-1s for weight loss are emphasizing combining the medications with other lifestyle treatments, asserting that the drugs alone aren’t a silver bullet.

Keep reading here.—CV

PRESENTED BY PYN

It’s all about the (employee) journey

Every employee’s experience comes down to their individual journey. The question on every HR pro’s mind is: Was that journey superb, subpar, or something in between?

With Pyn’s free Employee Journey Designer, investing in the employee experience and avoiding guesswork becomes a whole lot simpler. With it, you can:

• Create your own employee journey map using Pyn’s library of moments that matter.
• Prioritize specific work across the journey and assign ownership.
• Invite team members to collab and share your map.

Insert your own moments + properties and save views. Pyn’s Employee Journey Designer isn’t just customizable—it’s also the start of something exciting for your entire org.

Start designing yours.

RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

LSA lowdown

If you’re in need of a spa day but can’t afford one, don’t worry—your employer will pay for it. Or it might, if it offers a lifestyle spending account (LSA).

LSAs came onto the scene in the 2010s, but employers really started to take notice of them in the last few years, Kevin Robertson, executive director and CRO of HSA Bank, told HR Brew. Some 51% of employers surveyed by benefits provider Benepass offered an LSA benefit in 2023.

LSAs could positively impact employee retention, according to ADP research, because of their potential to help improve employees’ financial well-being. Some 74% of US employees said they are more likely to leave their job for one that offers better financial wellness benefits, a survey by Betterment at Work found.

Zoom out. When 90% of Americans are stressed about their finances, according to a Discover and Thrive Global report, HR is uniquely positioned to provide solutions that can help alleviate their employees’ economic burden. LSAs are one tool they can add to their arsenal that can help staff, while simultaneously making their organization a more desirable place to work, Robertson said.

Keep reading here.—AS

COWORKING

Coworking with Jose Alvarez

Here’s this week’s edition of our Coworking series. Each week, we chat 1:1 with an HR Brew reader. Want to be featured in an upcoming edition? Click here to introduce yourself.

Jose Alvarez’s mother worked at the school district in the Houston suburbs where he grew up. When she became ill, Alvarez accompanied her to meetings with HR at the district office to help her navigate short- and long-term disability benefits and understand others she could use. In these meetings, he began to understand HR went beyond just hiring and firing, employee discipline, and fixing mistakes on payroll.

So, he pivoted. Alvarez landed his first job in HR as a benefits broker, helping small and mid-size businesses in Texas navigate the right benefits for their employees. He later earned his MBA in HR management, and he’s been working to “help people excel in their careers” ever since.

Alvarez has been the HR manager at Pinecroft Realty since June 2022, and is proud of the work he’s done to help improve a corporate culture.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What’s the best change you’ve made at work?

Change in the company culture: When I arrived, the accounting department was forbidden to speak with any other departments unless it went through the assistant controller. Now, after a few changes in personnel and a few new policies, we now have weekly company mix-and-mingle lunches and quarterly charity/volunteer days.

Keep reading here.—AD

TOGETHER WITH CHECKR

Craving compliance clarity? Nearly half of employers aren’t confident their background check policy is legally compliant, according to Checkr’s first-ever State of Screening Compliance report. Peep the full survey results to determine if your own approach is on track—or if it’s putting you at risk. Download your copy for more insights.

WORK PERKS