| How a people and finance chief found common ground on benefits. |
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Hello, hello! There’s been much debate over the last few years about how companies might operate with workforces comprising human and non-human AI workers. But what if the non-human colleagues are…birds? A hawk named “El Charro” and its peculiar job warding off pigeons at a Ford assembly plant in Mexico was the subject of a recent Wall Street Journal profile. First of all, that’s much cooler than an agent coworker, and secondly, we would love to interview whomever’s job comprises bird resources (BR) responsibilities. 🎤🦅💼 In today’s edition: 🤝 Common ground 💬 People person 📣 Board on board —Courtney Vinopal, Lance Holt, Natasha Piñon |
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TOTAL REWARDS Coaching consensus  Jonathan Heisler | Clay, an AI sales and marketing startup, is scaling rapidly. The company’s headcount went from 80 to 600 employees over the last year, according to its head of people, Alex Shapiro. And it recently closed an $115 million funding round, a development that’s likely to add more fuel to Clay’s growth. Moments like this are a good opportunity to remake the case for certain employee benefits, Shapiro said, and Clay’s longtime coaching program is one offering that recently warranted a second look. Shapiro recently told us how the benefit is evolving, thanks in part to input from Clay’s head of finance, Karan Parekh. For more on how Clay’s people and finance chiefs found common ground on coaching, keep reading here.—CV |
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Sponsored By Bank of America Annual enrollment is coming. Here’s how to make it count.  | Your benefits package may be excellent, but it only delivers value if employees actually understand and use it. Take HSAs, for example: Only 56% of employees who are offered an HSA feel confident they understand how it works, and fewer know they can invest the balance. Meanwhile, 4 in 10 stock award recipients say they’re missing the information they need to make smart decisions. The good news? Employers are well-positioned to change this—but it requires action. Bridging these knowledge gaps starts with proactive conversations and clear, accessible education that helps employees make the most of what’s available. Annual enrollment is right around the corner, and it’s a great opportunity to engage employees about all of the benefits you make available and encourage them to take action to improve their financial wellness. Connect now to learn more. |
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HR STRATEGY All aboard!  | No one posts a board seat on Indeed. So how does anyone actually land one? On this episode of People Person, Kate Noel, SVP and head of people operations at Morning Brew, sits down with Deepali Vyas, an executive recruiter and board member, to demystify corporate board service. Vyas breaks down the difference between public and private boards, why your board-readiness journey should start earlier than you think, and how exactly to land your first seat. (Hint: The first step is to ask.) For more from our conversation with Vyas, keep reading here.—LH |
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Sponsored By Paycor  | Your HR metrics calculator. HR teams have the numbers. Finding time to decode them? Different story. This free cheat sheet calculates time to fill, turnover, absenteeism, absence costs, and referral rates. No email, no PDF, and no spreadsheet-induced spiral. HR teams can bookmark it and rerun when numbers change. |
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TOTAL REWARDS An issue for the board  Getty Images | We’ll stress you out with stats for a second, if you don’t mind: Health benefit costs are expected to climb 8.2% next year, the highest increase since 2003, according to a recent survey from professional services firm Marsh. If that rise occurs, it would mark the fifth consecutive year of climbing healthcare benefit costs. So…good. We’re all stress-y. And that’s probably justified, Antonio Cueto, CFO of Judi Health, a pharmacy and medical benefit management platform, told CFO Brew. “You have double-digit growth in cost of care year over year, and you know, it’s compounding,” Cueto said. “Even the biggest employers in the country, with strong balance sheets and P&Ls, can’t afford it anymore.” What’s the answer for those who want to opt out of the annual health benefits cost shocks? “It’s a moment in time when we need to reimagine how we think about benefits,” Cueto said. “It used to be an HR issue. Now it’s a boardroom issue.” For more on how to prepare for boardroom-level conversations about GLP-1 coverage, keep reading on CFO Brew.—NP |
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work perks (2).jpg) Francis Scialabba | *A message from our sponsor. |
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EVENT Two truths and a hire  Morning Brew Inc. | Your team is racing to adopt AI while quietly worrying about it—sometimes in the same meeting. HR Brew’s next session breaks down how talent leaders are separating real skills gaps from hiring panic and where AI actually helps vs. where it just adds noise. Save your spot. |
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Jobs  | More focus, less fluff. CollabWORK filters out the noise and delivers jobs that actually match what HR Brew readers are looking for. Click here to see the full board of curated roles. |
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