Beyond the Paycheck

Kelsey Willock Jones
  • 5.0 (10)
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  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Beyond the Paycheck brings you candid conversations with CHROs and top people leaders who are rethinking how compensation and benefits impact more than just employee bank accounts. From the first paycheck to financial wellness programs, we explore how money shapes identity, equity, purpose, and power at work, and how forward-thinking companies are using pay and perks to transform lives, not just attract talent. This podcast is sponsored by Aura Finance, the financial wellness platform designed to help employees feel confident, secure, and in control of their money. See more at aurafinance.io

  1. Maggie Ruvoldt, CHRO at LEARN Behavioral

    2D AGO

    Maggie Ruvoldt, CHRO at LEARN Behavioral

    Benefits That Actually Help: LEARN Behavioral’s CHRO on Financial Wellness and Student Debt Summary Most employees don’t need more perks—they need benefits they can actually use. Maggie Ruvoldt, Chief Human Resources Officer at LEARN Behavioral, shares how her early money lessons (thanks, Grandma) shaped a people-first approach to total rewards for a largely hourly workforce. She breaks down where comp and benefits often fail—financial literacy gaps, one-size-fits-all design, and confusing communication—and how to fix them with clarity, segmentation, and vendor partnerships that go beyond retirement. Maggie details LEARN’s student loan support (including counseling via Summer), why HR should measure utilization and outcomes, and how listening tours revealed a childcare benefit no one actually used. She also offers timely guidance for leaders navigating rising medical costs, plus a simple 30-day habit employees can adopt to build money awareness today. If you’re rethinking financial wellness, pay transparency, and benefits equity, this episode gives you the playbook. Timestamps [00:10] – Maggie’s path to CHRO and LEARN Behavioral’s mission [01:02] – Money lessons from Grandma: “Respect your money” and early habits [04:22] – First paycheck: checking + savings, and “pay yourself first” [07:15] – Translating money lessons to HR: hourly vs. salaried needs [09:21] – Where benefits break down: literacy, communication, and one-size-fits-all [12:28] – Student loans and vendor partners: education beyond 401(k), plus Summer [16:44] – Measuring impact: utilization, surveys, and unsolicited employee stories [24:20] – What leaders should do now—and a 30-day daily money check-in Takeaways - Segment your workforce and tailor benefits by population; hourly, salaried, and clinical roles need different solutions. - Communicate total compensation simply and often; teach beyond base pay so employees see real value. - Demand more from vendors: budgeting, debt reduction, and student loan guidance—not just retirement talk. - Measure what matters: track utilization and contribution rates, then validate with qualitative feedback and stories. - Reallocate dollars from low-impact perks by listening in the field and replacing what employees don’t use. - Lead with empathy and transparency—especially in an employer’s market—to show employees they’re valued year-round. Sponsor Aura Finance helps you simplify compensation and benefits planning by bringing everything into one streamlined platform. No more juggling spreadsheets, disconnected tools, or manual calculations Aura gives you a single place to design, compare, and communicate total rewards packages with confidence. With AI-powered insights, it takes the guesswork and busywork out of comp decisions, helps you spot pay equity gaps early, and makes it easy to model scenarios that keep your teams engaged and your budgets on track. See a demo at https://www.aurafinance.com/

    30 min
  2. Dr. Jermaine King, CHRO at US Air Force

    4D AGO

    Dr. Jermaine King, CHRO at US Air Force

    Rethinking Total Rewards: Dr. Jermaine King on Pay, Flexibility, and Custom Benefits Summary Are your pay practices and benefits keeping pace with what employees actually value? HR executive and leadership consultant Dr. Jermaine King—retired from the United States Air Force—breaks down how to modernize compensation and benefits with clarity, choice, and data. He explains the biggest gap he sees today: market pay is a living, moving target, while reviews are still annual. Dr. King shares why HR must teach the “how and why” of benefits (not just list them), how flexibility has become real currency alongside pay, and why recruitment marketing should spotlight all roles, not just headline ones. He offers concrete examples—from building a transportation program to reduce turnover to pairing Power BI dashboards with Qualtrics to capture the “why” behind the numbers. He closes with a 30-day listening experiment any leader can run to increase trust and take action fast. Timestamps [00:45] – Guest intro: USAF roots, HR leadership, and consulting focus [01:29] – Early money lessons and how they shape views on security and priorities [05:19] – From “what” to “why”: teaching employees how and when to use benefits [07:41] – The comp gap: living market data vs. annual reviews—and what to change [09:24] – Flexibility as currency: pay trade-offs, hybrid/remote, and total rewards clarity [12:16] – Case studies: recruiting beyond clinicians; transportation as a retention-driving perk [16:24] – Proving impact with data: Power BI dashboards + Qualtrics “voice of employee” [23:51] – 30-day experiment: 15-minute listening sessions and micro-actions Takeaways - Educate employees on the how and why of benefits—when to use 401(k), PTO, and care options. - Recalibrate pay practices: align review frequency with real-time market data, not just annual cycles. - Treat flexibility as part of compensation; quantify and communicate total rewards trade-offs. - Broaden recruiting messages to highlight critical support roles and strengthen employer brand. - Combine quantitative dashboards (Power BI) with qualitative insights (Qualtrics) to guide decisions. - Pilot choice-based benefits so employees pick what fits their life—and negotiate options with carriers. Sponsor Aura Finance helps you simplify compensation and benefits planning by bringing everything into one streamlined platform. No more juggling spreadsheets, disconnected tools, or manual calculations Aura gives you a single place to design, compare, and communicate total rewards packages with confidence. With AI-powered insights, it takes the guesswork and busywork out of comp decisions, helps you spot pay equity gaps early, and makes it easy to model scenarios that keep your teams engaged and your budgets on track. See a demo at https://www.aurafinance.com/

    27 min
  3. Anthony Renella, VP Total Rewards & People Analytics

    FEB 11

    Anthony Renella, VP Total Rewards & People Analytics

    Beyond the Paycheck: Total Rewards, Recognition, and Pay Transparency with Anthony Renella Summary If employees only see a salary number, they undervalue what they receive—and engagement suffers. Anthony Renella, VP of Total Rewards with global experience across media, tech, retail, and real estate, shares how to turn compensation from a “black hole” into a clear, trusted system. He outlines how to publish personalized total rewards statements, automate them through your HRIS, payroll, and vendor data, and help employees understand employer contributions, incentives, and long-term value. Anthony also unpacks recognition as a culture driver—peer-to-peer and leader-led—using social feeds and on-the-spot tools that tie directly to company values. He explains how to measure impact through engagement, performance, and retention, and how to prepare leaders for pay transparency with practical coaching on ranges, midpoints, and comp ratios. Expect actionable steps to de-risk transparency, close inequities with ongoing analytics, and make recognition part of daily operations. Timestamps [00:15] – Guest intro: Anthony’s global total rewards leadership across multiple industries [03:57] – From money mindset to rewards philosophy: holistic, inclusive pay and benefits [05:53] – Where Comp & Ben breaks down: the transparency gap and “black hole” effect [07:35] – Building total rewards statements: HRIS, payroll, and vendor data automation [09:38] – Recognition that changes culture: peer-to-peer feeds, on-the-spot apps, thank-yous [12:49] – Measuring impact: engagement, performance linkage, and retention outcomes [14:12] – The year ahead: pay transparency, manager enablement on ranges and comp ratios [17:43] – Tools and cadence: pay equity analytics and continuous monitoring Takeaways - Publish personalized total rewards statements by integrating HRIS, payroll, and vendor data. - Train managers to explain salary structures—ranges, midpoints, comp ratios—and your pay philosophy. - Build a recognition system: peer-to-peer and leader-driven, with social feeds and on-the-spot nominations. - Tie recognition to company values and performance; track engagement, retention, and award patterns. - Treat pay transparency as ongoing: surface inequities, act with a plan, and communicate the “why” behind pay. - Invest in pay equity analytics and review continuously, not as a one-time audit. Sponsor Aura Finance helps you simplify compensation and benefits planning by bringing everything into one streamlined platform. No more juggling spreadsheets, disconnected tools, or manual calculations Aura gives you a single place to design, compare, and communicate total rewards packages with confidence. With AI-powered insights, it takes the guesswork and busywork out of comp decisions, helps you spot pay equity gaps early, and makes it easy to model scenarios that keep your teams engaged and your budgets on track. See a demo at https://www.aurafinance.com/

    21 min
  4. Shannon Nelson, Director of Global Benefits at Anthology

    FEB 9

    Shannon Nelson, Director of Global Benefits at Anthology

    Flexibility Is the New Currency: Personalizing Benefits with Anthology’s Shannon Nelson Summary Benefits are costly and complex—so how do you ensure employees actually understand, value, and use them? Shannon Nelson, Director of Global Benefits at Anthology (formerly Blackboard), shares how she designs programs that meet people where they are—balancing data, compliance, and real human needs. With a career spanning retail, nonprofit, and tech, Shannon explains why one-size-fits-all programs fall short, how misalignment and knowledge gaps derail value, and what leaders can do to communicate smarter. She details “life-centered” flexibility—from paid family leave to tuition support and caregiving benefits—plus a practical, multi-metric way to show ROI to executives. Shannon also breaks down the next wave in total rewards: personalization, financial wellness, and proactive pay equity analytics powered by AI. She closes with a 30-day experiment listeners can try to curb impulse spending by identifying triggers, not just cutting purchases. Timestamps [00:45] – Meet Shannon: global benefits at Anthology and a people-first rewards philosophy   [02:01] – Early money memories: small-business lessons and the human impact of finances   [04:50] – First paycheck to first choices: independence, taxes, and spending pride   [06:54] – Funny fail: the pandemic garden that became a weed sanctuary   [08:52] – From spreadsheet to human: how money stories shape benefits design   [11:10] – Where total rewards breaks: misalignment and lack of employee knowledge   [14:36] – Fixing the gap: know your population, time education to life events, invite feedback   [17:19] – Life-centered flexibility: paid leave, tuition aid, and benefits that change lives   [18:54] – Proving ROI: retention, time-to-fill, pulse scores, and benefit engagement   [20:45] – What’s next: flexibility, personalization, LSAs, mental health, and financial wellness   [24:10] – Tools that help: predictive pay equity analytics and real-time pulse surveys   [26:30] – A 30-day experiment to improve financial wellness: spot and replace spending triggers Takeaways - Design benefits around life stages—avoid one-size-fits-all and meet employees where they are.   - Close the knowledge gap: segment messaging, time education to milestones (e.g., Medicare at 65), and communicate just-in-time.   - Prioritize life-centered flexibility: paid family leave, tuition reimbursement, caregiving support, and lifestyle spending accounts.   - Prove value with a portfolio of metrics: retention, time-to-fill, pulse results, and program utilization—not just cost.   - Use analytics and AI to spot pay equity issues, compression, and trends early; integrate performance data to act proactively.   - Elevate financial wellness: offer student loan support, emergency savings tools, and encourage behavior-based habits (identify spending triggers). Sponsor Aura Finance helps you simplify compensation and benefits planning by bringing everything into one streamlined platform. No more juggling spreadsheets, disconnected tools, or manual calculations Aura gives you a single place to design, compare, and communicate total rewards packages with confidence. With AI-powered insights, it takes the guesswork and busywork out of comp decisions, helps you spot pay equity gaps early, and makes it easy to model scenarios that keep your teams engaged and your budgets on track. See a demo at https://www.aurafinance.com/

    30 min
  5. Megan Nail, Senior Vice President, Total Rewards Practice at NFP, an Aon company

    FEB 6

    Megan Nail, Senior Vice President, Total Rewards Practice at NFP, an Aon company

    Making Pay Make Sense: NFP’s Megan Nail on Pay Transparency, Total Rewards, and Financial Wellness Summary If your merit budget is flat while healthcare costs climb, employees can feel like they got a pay cut—even with a raise. How do you fix that? Megan Nail, SVP of Total Rewards Practice at NFP and a 25-year HR leader, lays out a practical playbook to move compensation and benefits off autopilot and into a coherent strategy. She explains how to align comp and benefits decisions, time financial wellness support to raises and bonuses, and communicate pay with clarity and fairness. Megan demystifies 2026’s biggest shift—pay transparency—covering what to publish, how to explain it, and how to equip managers for better conversations. She also shares real-world pay equity approaches (from Excel regressions to software) and why root causes—not one-time fixes—matter. Expect concrete guidance on targeted increases vs. “peanut butter” budgets, sunsetting low-usage benefits, and a 30-day experiment any listener can use to get more value from their paycheck. Timestamps [00:21] – Guest intro: Megan’s path to compensation and NFP’s Total Rewards practice [01:48] – Early money lessons and a first job that foreshadowed “total rewards” [07:56] – Where comp/benefits break down: autopilot strategies and siloed comms [10:16] – What’s working: joint decision-making, reallocation, targeted increases, incentives [12:20] – Pairing financial wellness with raises; bringing comp into year-round benefits comms [15:58] – The 2026 shift: pay transparency laws, ranges, and explaining the why/how [18:27] – Pay equity in practice: analyses, tools, and fixing root causes [22:35] – A 30-day experiment: decode your paycheck and realign elections Takeaways - Build a total rewards strategy—stop autopilot. Align comp and benefits decisions and messaging. - Reallocate for impact: sunset low-usage benefits, restructure high-cost areas (e.g., pharmacy), and target comp to market gaps over across-the-board increases. - Time financial wellness coaching to raises/bonuses so employees channel new dollars to their highest priorities. - Prepare for pay transparency now: publish ranges, explain how pay is determined, document processes, and train managers to talk about the “why” and “how.” - Run recurring pay equity analyses (Excel or software) and fix root causes by standardizing decision-making—not just one-time adjustments. - Equip managers with guardrails, FAQs, and career-path talking points so pay conversations build trust and momentum. Sponsor Aura Finance helps you simplify compensation and benefits planning by bringing everything into one streamlined platform. No more juggling spreadsheets, disconnected tools, or manual calculations Aura gives you a single place to design, compare, and communicate total rewards packages with confidence. With AI-powered insights, it takes the guesswork and busywork out of comp decisions, helps you spot pay equity gaps early, and makes it easy to model scenarios that keep your teams engaged and your budgets on track. See a demo at https://www.aurafinance.com/

    26 min
  6. Ryan Seman, VP Total Rewards at Starkey Hearing

    FEB 4

    Ryan Seman, VP Total Rewards at Starkey Hearing

    Designing Benefits People Actually Use: Starkey’s VP of Total Rewards on Global Mental Health, Onsite Care, and Financial Wellbeing Summary With healthcare costs rising and five generations in the workforce, how do you build benefits that are clear, equitable, and actually used? Ryan J. Seman, VP of Total Rewards (Health & Wellbeing) at Starkey in Eden Prairie, MN, shares how his team pairs transparency with hands-on guidance so employees make smarter decisions in moments that matter. With three decades of experience across healthcare, manufacturing, and Goodyear, Ryan explains Starkey’s pillars of social, mental, financial, and medical wellbeing—and why “every dollar matters” from the front desk to the C‑suite. He details the company’s new global mental health program with Spring Health (and what real engagement should mean), how an onsite wellness center reduces avoidable ER visits, and why inviting spouses to financial sessions boosts outcomes. Expect practical, repeatable ideas: cross-promoting care options when employees need them, helping early-career talent choose between HSA and 401(k), and using peer stories to break stigma and drive adoption. Timestamps [00:20] – Ryan’s path to Starkey and four-industry view of Total Rewards [01:34] – Money memories: allowances, Lemonheads, and early lessons on value [02:50] – First job, layaway in retail, and saving a first paycheck for a bike [04:49] – “Every dollar matters”: affordability, flexibility, and coaching employees [07:00] – Navigating healthcare costs: onsite wellness center, urgent care vs. ER, and timely education [10:18] – Where benefits break down: clarity, early-career choices, HSA vs. 401(k), PPO vs. HDHP [15:55] – Launching a global mental wellbeing solution with Spring Health and aiming for >15% true engagement [22:38] – Tools that work: Spring Health; Beyond Medicare and the RAINN group’s Social Security/Medicare/“aging well” series [20:34] – Trends ahead: transparency, equity, and giving employees permission to pause and use resources Takeaways - Redefine engagement beyond account creation; target meaningful use and peer-driven adoption. - Equip employees to navigate care choices in the moment—promote onsite clinics, nurse lines, and urgent care to reduce ER overuse. - Coach early-career talent on HSA (triple tax advantage) vs. 401(k) and maximize the employer match. - Build a global mental health strategy with local language, local providers, and clear privacy assurances. - Treat wellbeing as multidimensional—social, mental, financial, and medical—and invite spouses to key financial sessions. - Normalize “set it and forget it”: automate contributions and nudge increases with each raise. Sponsor Aura Finance helps you simplify compensation and benefits planning by bringing everything into one streamlined platform. No more juggling spreadsheets, disconnected tools, or manual calculations Aura gives you a single place to design, compare, and communicate total rewards packages with confidence. With AI-powered insights, it takes the guesswork and busywork out of comp decisions, helps you spot pay equity gaps early, and makes it easy to model scenarios that keep your teams engaged and your budgets on track. See a demo at https://www.aurafinance.com/

    29 min
  7. Sharon John, VP Global Total Rewards & Mobility at Thoughtworks

    FEB 2

    Sharon John, VP Global Total Rewards & Mobility at Thoughtworks

    Building Trust in Compensation: Pay Transparency, Skills-Based Pay, and the Manager’s Role with ThoughtWorks’ Global Head of Total Rewards Summary If pay transparency is the destination, what foundations do you need to build first? Sharon John, Global Head of Total Rewards and Mobility at ThoughtWorks, shares a practical blueprint for designing fair, relatable rewards that employees actually understand. With two decades across tech, fintech, and financial services, Sharon blends the art and science of compensation grounded in governance, clear job architecture, and plain-language storytelling. She explains where rewards programs break down (skipping basics), how to equip managers to communicate decisions without jargon, and why skills-based pay is becoming the new currency. Sharon also details ThoughtWorks’ path to global transparency, how simulations can pinpoint inequities for targeted remediation, and the role of AI-era “hot skills” in retention. Expect clear guidance on lifecycle benefits, dual career paths (IC vs. manager), and a 30-day financial well-being experiment you can pilot immediately. Timestamps [00:45] – Guest intro: Sharon’s career journey and rewards philosophy (fair, relatable, data-backed) [02:08] – Early money lessons: intentionality, boundaries, and how values shape rewards design [03:24] – First paycheck story and the meaning behind money: experiences over transactions [05:35] – Where rewards break down: skipping basics, missing job architecture, rushed transparency [07:46] – Equipping managers: remove jargon, provide toolkits, and unify messaging across the lifecycle [10:31] – Designing for lives, not just jobs: lifecycle benefits and dual career paths (IC vs. manager) [13:31] – What to measure: retention, engagement, and clarity—plus the art and science of pay [15:02] – Operationalizing transparency: simulations, EU directives, and targeted pay equity remediation [16:36] – 12–24 month outlook: skills-based pay, expanded transparency, and personalized benefits [19:41] – Build, buy, or borrow: skills inventories, cross-pollination, and recognizing hot skills [22:58] – 30-day experiment: 50–30–20, emergency funds, and modern budgeting tools Takeaways - Ground transparency in basics—job architecture, pay education, and clear methodology—before publishing ranges. - Equip managers with plain-language toolkits and narratives so they can explain decisions confidently and consistently. - Adopt skills-based pay: run skills inventories, define progression, and reward demonstrated capability (not just tenure). - Use modeling to detect pay inequities, plan remediation within budgets, and stay ahead of global regulations. - Design rewards that support whole careers: lifecycle benefits, visual communications, and both IC and manager growth paths. - Try a 30-day financial well-being sprint: apply the 50–30–20 rule, build a 3–6 month emergency fund, and use online planning tools. Sponsor Aura Finance helps you simplify compensation and benefits planning by bringing everything into one streamlined platform. No more juggling spreadsheets, disconnected tools, or manual calculations Aura gives you a single place to design, compare, and communicate total rewards packages with confidence. With AI-powered insights, it takes the guesswork and busywork out of comp decisions, helps you spot pay equity gaps early, and makes it easy to model scenarios that keep your teams engaged and your budgets on track. See a demo at https://www.aurafinance.com/

    28 min
  8. Jeff Bettinger, CHRO and Chief Administrative Officer at Hudson Talent Solutions

    JAN 30

    Jeff Bettinger, CHRO and Chief Administrative Officer at Hudson Talent Solutions

    HSAs, AI, and Total Rewards: A CHRO’s Playbook for Employee Financial Wellness Summary Employees are overwhelmed by benefits choices—and it’s costing them real money. Jeff Bettinger, Chief Human Resources Officer at Hudson Talent Solutions, shares how he’s putting power back in employees’ hands with clearer total rewards, an HSA-first strategy, and early moves into AI-driven guidance. A former high school teacher and now a three-time CHRO, Jeff explains how living on low wages and watching premiums outpace raises shaped his people-first lens. He breaks down where benefits commonly fail (option overload, short-term thinking), why uptake of financial planning remains low, and how one employee used company-provided planning to fund a future restaurant. Jeff details Hudson’s shift to an HSA-compatible plan tailored to a young workforce—keeping rates flat while many employers saw 12–20% increases—and how employer contributions can help employees harness compounding. Looking ahead to 2026–27, he outlines how AI agents can personalize benefits decisions, the need for portability as job moves increase, and practical guardrails amid ACA noise and fast-changing rules. He closes with a simple readiness framework—Maslow’s hierarchy—to time education when it will actually stick. Timestamps [00:09] – Guest intro: from teacher to three-time CHRO at Hudson Talent Solutions [01:13] – Early money memory: saving, agency, and the “karate chop” piggy bank [03:26] – Costly mistake: buying a franchise and the due-diligence lesson [06:52] – Where benefits break down: option overload, empathy from lived experience, and planning that pays off [09:01] – Redesigning total rewards: HSA-first plan, employer seeding, and keeping rates flat [11:51] – 2026–27 trends: AI benefits agents for personalized decision support [14:09] – Guardrails and clarity: portability, ACA noise, and benchmarking to stay competitive [19:14] – Readiness to learn: applying Maslow to money and benefits education Takeaways - Reframe open enrollment as a long-term strategy—nudge employees to use financial planning and revisit goals twice a year. - Introduce HSA-compatible plans where demographics fit; seed accounts and teach the triple-tax advantage to harness compounding. - Deploy AI decision-support agents to simplify choices, personalize recommendations, and boost benefits literacy. - Benchmark benefits to your industry to balance competitiveness and cost—and adjust as margins and markets shift. - Design for portability and clarity so employees can navigate job changes without losing continuity of coverage. - Teach to readiness: stabilize base needs first, then deliver benefits education at moments of high relevance. Sponsor Aura Finance helps you simplify compensation and benefits planning by bringing everything into one streamlined platform. No more juggling spreadsheets, disconnected tools, or manual calculations Aura gives you a single place to design, compare, and communicate total rewards packages with confidence. With AI-powered insights, it takes the guesswork and busywork out of comp decisions, helps you spot pay equity gaps early, and makes it easy to model scenarios that keep your teams engaged and your budgets on track. See a demo at https://www.aurafinance.com/

    24 min
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About

Beyond the Paycheck brings you candid conversations with CHROs and top people leaders who are rethinking how compensation and benefits impact more than just employee bank accounts. From the first paycheck to financial wellness programs, we explore how money shapes identity, equity, purpose, and power at work, and how forward-thinking companies are using pay and perks to transform lives, not just attract talent. This podcast is sponsored by Aura Finance, the financial wellness platform designed to help employees feel confident, secure, and in control of their money. See more at aurafinance.io

Information

  • Creator
    Kelsey Willock Jones
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Kelsey Willock Jones
  • Show Website
    Beyond the Paycheck