Beyond the Paycheck

Kelsey Willock Jones
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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. Ademar Martins, Head of Total Rewards and People Operations at Kong Inc.

    1 DAY AGO

    Ademar Martins, Head of Total Rewards and People Operations at Kong Inc.

    Summary If employees don’t understand their rewards, they can’t value them. Ademar Martins, Head of Total Rewards and People Operations at Kong Inc., shares how he turns complex comp and benefits into clear, trusted programs. With nearly two decades in HR across public and private companies, Ademar blends budget-savvy design with crisp communication—think shifting merit timing to preserve value, launching a companywide bonus funded thoughtfully, and equipping managers with simple, personalized calculators. He details how Kong uses pay equity tools like Sindio Solutions, analytics via Visier and Workday, and a “test with non-HR first” rule to make messaging stick. Ademar also breaks down time-off practices that truly change lives—flexible time off, quarterly unplugged days, a year-end shutdown, sabbaticals, and flexible work—plus how he measures impact with benefits pulses, engagement, and eNPS. He closes with the implications of pay transparency mandates, AI’s effect on roles and ranges, and a 30-day experiment to spark financial well-being. Timestamps [00:45] – Guest intro: Ademar’s role at Kong and two-decade HR journey [03:36] – Early money lessons: integrity, first jobs, and how they shape pay decisions [06:20] – Budget creativity: changing merit effective dates to meet savings without gutting raises [09:04] – Where comp breaks down: communications; rolling out a bonus with calculators and cascade training [14:08] – Manager enablement: simplify tools, test with non-HR, record sessions, hold office hours; pay equity audits with Sindio [17:18] – Programs that transform lives: FTO, year-end shutdown, quarterly unplugged days, sabbaticals, recognition, flexible work [19:51] – Measuring impact: benefits surveys, engagement, and internal NPS [24:52] – What’s next: pay transparency mandates, AI’s impact on compensation, and a 30-day experiment to boost financial well-being Takeaways - Make rewards understandable: use simple calculators, show before/after, and cascade training from execs to managers to employees. - Equip managers to communicate: strip jargon, test with non-HR partners, record sessions, and host office hours. - Stretch limited budgets: adjust timing (not only amounts) and design bonus transitions with higher individual weighting to reduce risk. - Build time-off into the system: FTO, companywide shutdowns, quarterly unplugged days, sabbaticals, and flexible work drive real-life impact. - Measure and iterate: run benefits pulses and engagement/eNPS, and refine programs based on what each workforce values most. - Prepare now: embrace pay transparency, monitor AI-driven market shifts, and use tools like Sindio, Visier, and Workday to stay proactive. 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. K Bighom, Benefits Leader

    1 DAY AGO

    K Bighom, Benefits Leader

    HR as Healers: Pay Equity, Earned Wage Access, and Holistic Benefits with Universal’s K Bighom Summary Rising costs are squeezing employees at every level—so how do you design pay and benefits that truly meet people where they are? K Bighom, a benefits leader at Universal Destinations & Experiences with 20+ years in global benefits (US, UK, Canada, APAC), shares a pragmatic, human-first playbook. A former pre-med student turned HR pro, K frames people leaders as “healers,” responsible for financial, physical, and mental well-being. He breaks down where compensation and benefits most often fail (inequitable pay, plan design gaps), how to fix them with data and empathy, and why supporting your lowest-paid employees lifts the whole organization. K details practical tools like earned wage access (e.g., DailyPay), EAP expansion, and pay equity analysis—plus how to measure ROI quickly with utilization data and pulse surveys. He also forecasts the benefits trends to watch next: HSAs/FSAs/HRAs, parental leave, onsite childcare, wellness, and transit support. K closes with a simple 30-day savings experiment listeners can start today. Timestamps [00:45] – Early money memories: saving, big families, and the real cost of living [02:41] – First job at Walmart pharmacy: the “Jordans” lesson and building a savings habit [04:06] – From money story to policy: fair pay, equity, and earned wage access done right [06:30] – Career pivot from pre-med to HR: choosing your path and “HR as healers” [12:55] – Where comp/benefits break: pay gaps, plan design misses (dental/vision), and EAP [15:38] – Measuring impact fast: claims/utilization, surveys, and presenting ROI to leadership [22:07] – What’s next: HSAs/FSAs/HRAs, parental leave, onsite daycare, wellness, and transit [25:48] – A 30-day savings experiment and K’s growth goals in global benefits Takeaways - Audit and close pay gaps using data (gap analysis, market benchmarks); meet employees halfway with phased increases and clear timelines. - Design benefits holistically—fill real-life gaps (e.g., missing tooth clauses, annual frames), and invest in EAP and mental health support. - Offer earned wage access to reduce hardship and 401(k) loans; pair it with education and thoughtful guardrails. - Measure ROI early: track speed-to-impact, utilization, and sentiment with quick surveys; bring board-ready visuals and stories. - Expand supportive benefits: HSAs/FSAs/HRAs, parental leave, childcare solutions, wellness/gym, and transit subsidies. - Build personal resilience: automate a small monthly transfer to a separate account to grow an emergency fund. 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/

    31 min
  3. Kerry Seppala, Global Total Rewards Executive | HR Technology & Governance Leader

    2 MAR

    Kerry Seppala, Global Total Rewards Executive | HR Technology & Governance Leader

    Trust-First Total Rewards: Pay Transparency, Manager Training, AI, and Frontline Benefits Summary If employees don’t understand their pay and benefits, even great programs miss the mark. Kerry Seppala, a 25+ year executive in Total Rewards, HRIS, and Payroll across manufacturing, public/private, and government organizations, breaks down how to build trust-first compensation and benefits that people actually use. Drawing on experience with large frontline workforces and deep Workday expertise, Kerry explains where comp/benefits communication fails, how to train managers to discuss ranges, compression, and fairness, and why flexibility must extend to the shop floor—not just corporate roles. She explores the EU’s pay transparency ripple effects, the rise of employees as “benefits consumers,” and how personalized benefits allowances could reshape cost and choice. Kerry also shares where AI already adds value—bots for first-line HR questions and recruiting—and why consolidating tools inside core systems matters. Expect practical tactics: building HRIS to surface total rewards clearly, enabling on-the-clock biometric screenings to drive wellness and equity, and creating feedback loops through engagement surveys and town halls. She closes with a 30-day experiment to sharpen personal financial wellbeing. Timestamps [00:45] – Guest intro: 25+ years in Total Rewards/HRIS across manufacturing, public/private, and government [04:45] – Where comp/benefits break down: education gaps on benefits, paychecks, and program design [06:13] – Systems and transparency: Workday done right; manager training; Illinois pay ranges [08:14] – Manager mindset shifts: compression, equitable decisions, and bias-proof review cycles [09:44] – Frontline-first benefits: on-site flexibility and paid biometric screenings to boost wellness [15:59] – What’s next: EU pay transparency, employees as savvy consumers, and personalized benefits [18:25] – Practical AI in HR: bots for first-line questions and recruiting; fewer bolt-ons, more integration [21:18] – 30-day experiment: track every expense to reveal savings opportunities and habits Takeaways - Train managers to talk pay with confidence—ranges, comp ratios, compression, and bias checks. - Build HRIS (e.g., Workday) to surface total rewards clearly; pair with ongoing employee education. - Extend flexibility to frontline teams; pay for wellness screenings on-the-clock to drive participation. - Prepare for pay transparency at scale—upgrade systems, craft clear talking points, and expect more questions. - Treat employees like consumers; pilot personalized benefits or stipends to align cost with actual usage. - Deploy AI bots for first-line HR and recruiting questions to speed responses and reduce ticket volume. Sponsor AllVoices brings all your employee relations work together in one place. No more jumping between spreadsheets, emails, and legacy systems just one place to document and manage reports, cases, investigations, and performance conversations. It helps you run a more consistent process, takes busywork off your plate with AI, and makes it easier to spot trends early, so you can work proactively, not just put out fires. See a demo at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.allvoices.co/

    24 min
  4. Eric Rodriguez, CHRO at Dallas College

    27 FEB

    Eric Rodriguez, CHRO at Dallas College

    Clear Pay, Real Trust: Dallas College’s Deputy CHRO on Employee Experience and AI Summary When compensation gets complex, trust erodes. Eric A. Rodriguez, Deputy CHRO at Dallas College, shares how he simplifies pay and benefits to reduce anxiety and build credibility—grounded in a personal money story that equates every paycheck with unseen effort, dignity, and stability. With oversight of HR operations, shared services, HRIS, and quality improvement, Eric explains how to move HR from programs to operational excellence: communicate early, remove jargon, and design for the day-to-day employee experience. He details a practical model for bridging leadership and employee needs, why “best practices” must be tailored to each organization, and how a culture of curiosity turns employees into co-creators. Eric also breaks down Dallas College’s HR transformation, from clearer ways of working across EX centers, COEs, and HRBPs to de-risking AI through hands-on training. Expect real examples—from a kid-run car wash to grocery-store tips that shaped his service mindset—and actionable guidance on role-based flexibility, development that employees actually want, and leading with the “why” behind work. Timestamps [00:18] – From sales to senior HR: Eric’s role and remit at Dallas College (HR ops, shared services, HRIS, QA) [02:23] – Money as sacrifice and dignity: how early lessons shape views on pay [04:19] – First jobs: entrepreneurship, tips, and the power of service [08:46] – Turning beliefs into practice: trust, stability, and plain-language pay/benefits [12:27] – Where comp/benefits break down: overcomplexity, late comms, copy-paste “best practices” [15:21] – Bridging the gap: the “why” behind work, autonomy, and modern leadership [19:51] – Beyond surveys: building a culture of curiosity and treating employees like customers [22:34] – Transforming HR: operating excellence, EX centers/COEs/HRBPs, and AI training to reduce fear [26:14] – What’s next: AI adoption, RTO nuance, and role-based flexibility Takeaways - Simplify pay and benefits—strip jargon to build trust and reduce employee anxiety. - Communicate early and often; co-design solutions with leaders and employees. - Customize “best practices” to your culture, workforce mix, and stage of maturity. - Treat employees like customers—ask specific, frequent questions to uncover real needs. - Invest in development that matters (especially AI literacy) to drive engagement and retention. - Define flexibility by role and outcomes, pairing empathy with high-performance expectations. Sponsor AllVoices brings all your employee relations work together in one place. No more jumping between spreadsheets, emails, and legacy systems just one place to document and manage reports, cases, investigations, and performance conversations. It helps you run a more consistent process, takes busywork off your plate with AI, and makes it easier to spot trends early, so you can work proactively, not just put out fires. See a demo at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.allvoices.co/

    32 min
  5. Andrew Dawson, Chief People Officer at BVI Medical

    25 FEB

    Andrew Dawson, Chief People Officer at BVI Medical

    Beyond One-Size-Fits-All: BVI Medical’s CPO on Global Benefits, Pay Equity, and Employee Care Summary Designing fair, effective compensation and benefits across countries isn’t about finding a unicorn vendor—it’s about listening locally and leading with care. Andy Dawson, Chief People Officer and Head of Corporate Affairs at BVI Medical, brings two decades of global HR experience (UK, Switzerland, US; Novartis alum) to unpack how he builds programs that work for diverse markets, life stages, and frontline populations. He shares why BVI rejected a “perfect on paper” U.S. healthcare renewal after a disruption analysis, how pulse and onboarding data guide local benefit design, and why money alone delivers only short-term engagement. Andy dives into pay equity, transparent ranges, and hiring for potential (not years of experience), plus simple-but-powerful communication tactics—like a quarterly “B Well” newsletter—that help employees actually use their benefits. Expect a pragmatic blueprint for localizing global benefits, balancing costs with continuity of care, and empowering managers to make fair, human decisions. Timestamps [00:45] – Guest intro: global HR journey from UK/Switzerland to the U.S. and BVI Medical [01:51] – Early money lessons at McDonald’s: value exchange and frontline empathy [04:00] – Evolving views on pay: life stages, geography, and avoiding “race to the top” [06:56] – Global benefits without the unicorn: local tailoring, acquisitions, and demographics [09:57] – Listening loops: pulse surveys, revamped onboarding, TA insights to shape offerings [13:02] – Choosing a U.S. healthcare partner: disruption checks vs. “paper savings” [15:25] – Where comp breaks down: beyond pay, culture and meaningful work matter [20:14] – Pay equity in practice: internal fairness, manager trust, and hiring for potential [23:45] – Turning benefits into behavior: the “B Well” newsletter and showing up in crises [27:07] – Practical AI and life-stage education: college savings, retirement, and quick answers Takeaways - Localize benefits by market and demographic—define core tenets, then tailor country-by-country. - Build a continuous feedback engine: use pulse and onboarding surveys and TA data to guide decisions. - Prioritize continuity of care: run disruption analyses on providers, not just cost comparisons. - Treat pay as part of a total offer—optimize environment, recognition, and meaningful work. - Protect internal equity: trust managers, price to market, and avoid breaking bands for one hire. - Educate simply and often: newsletters and lunch-and-learns boost benefit usage across life stages. - Hire for potential, not just years of experience; embrace transparency with managerial courage. 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/

    32 min
  6. Alana Gisleson, Senior Manager, Compensation & Benefits at Orion Innovation

    23 FEB

    Alana Gisleson, Senior Manager, Compensation & Benefits at Orion Innovation

    Pay Transparency, Total Rewards, and AI: Orion Innovation’s Rewards Leader on Building Trust Summary If employees don’t understand how they’re paid, trust erodes—and performance follows. Alana Gisleson, Senior Manager of Compensation and Benefits at Orion Innovation, shares how she turns “total rewards” from a spreadsheet into something people can feel: clarity, stability, and growth. With a background spanning HR generalist roles, Rutgers labor studies, and WorldatWork certifications, Alana explains why pay transparency is now table stakes and how to operationalize it with job architecture, governance, and manager enablement. She details what breaks down most—opaque decisions and under-communicated benefits—and how to fix it with education and total rewards statements. Alana also walks through building tangible wellness programs (from mothers’ rooms to decompression spaces), designing variable pay and sales incentives that drive revenue, and “managing up” with a business case that wins Finance and the executive team. She closes with practical ways to use AI as an augmentation—not a replacement—to make rewards data actionable and benefits choices simpler, plus a 30-day savings experiment listeners can try immediately. Timestamps [00:42] – Guest intro and career path: from HR generalist to rewards leader at Orion Innovation [01:42] – Early money lessons shaping a human, fairness-first approach to pay [05:34] – Where comp and benefits break down: transparency gaps and lack of education [08:00] – Pay transparency as table stakes: job architecture, governance, and manager enablement [10:59] – Tangible programs: wellness/mothers’ rooms and revenue-driving incentive design [12:19] – Managing up: building the business case, winning FP&A, and measuring ROI [15:46] – Practical AI: aggregating rewards data and improving benefits decision support [18:22] – A 30-day savings experiment to boost personal financial well-being Takeaways - Make pay transparent with clear job architecture, ranges, and decision rules that employees can understand. - Show total rewards value year-round—use simple education and total rewards statements to close knowledge gaps. - Equip managers with talking points and tools to lead confident, consistent compensation conversations. - Build cross-functional governance with Finance/Tax/HR; bring a business case and track retention and post-bonus attrition. - Leverage AI to aggregate rewards data and support benefits decisions—augment human judgment, don’t replace it. - Run confidential, purpose-built wellness/benefits surveys and turn insights into visible programs (e.g., wellness and mothers’ rooms). 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
  7. Maggie Ruvoldt, CHRO at LEARN Behavioral

    18 FEB

    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
  8. Dr. Jermaine King, CHRO at US Air Force

    16 FEB

    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
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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
    35
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Kelsey Willock Jones
  • Show Website
    Beyond the Paycheck