Beyond the Paycheck

Aura Finance
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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. The Compensation Issue Nobody Has Solved Yet

    6H AGO

    The Compensation Issue Nobody Has Solved Yet

    Summary The Mayo Clinic once surveyed its employees and found a 17% positive perception of pay. A year later, after running better enablement and transparency sessions—without spending a single additional dollar on comp—that number climbed to 80%.  That story says a lot about what's actually broken in total rewards, and it's exactly the kind of thing Chris Toney thinks about every day.  In this episode, Kelsey Willock sits down with Chris Toney, Senior Director of Total Rewards and HR Operations at Quest Software, for a warm and refreshingly candid conversation about pay, benefits, and the deeply personal nature of both. Chris started out as an English literature major who, by his own admission, is bad at math—and somehow ended up leading total rewards for a global tech company. That mix of left and right brain comes through in how he talks about the work. He and Kelsey get into why comp can't be purely prescriptive, how job-hopping has scrambled the math on raises, what he looks for when introducing benefits like fertility coverage, and why the biggest gap in most programs isn't the design—it's the communication. If you lead people, design benefits, or just want to think more clearly about pay, this one's worth your time. Timestamps 01:28 Chris's earliest money memory and the first communion savings bonds05:01 Taking money off the table versus fairness relative to peers07:08 The tension between structured comp and a deeply personal pay experience09:49 The subtle shift from "what do you make" to "what do you want to earn"12:03 Introducing fertility benefits and why it's personal for Chris15:10 Measuring benefits impact through utilization, exit reasons, and round tables17:23 The weight loss benefit coaster and where AI may change the game22:50 The Mayo Clinic pay perception study that moved 17% to 80% Takeaways Design comp structures that are compliant and fair, but leave room for the fact that pay is deeply personalCheck your ranges and then communicate the "why" behind them—enablement moves perception more than dollars doWhen you introduce a high-impact benefit like fertility coverage, pair it with the other programs that make it meaningfulUse round tables alongside surveys to hear from quiet employees, not just the most vocal onesSpotlight one benefit at a time in an ongoing communications channel so employees find the value before they need itEvery time you get a raise, bump up your retirement contribution before you adjust to the extra money Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-toney/ Company website: https://www.quest.com 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/ (01:28) - Chris's earliest money memory and the first communion savings bonds (05:01) - Taking money off the table versus fairness relative to peers (07:08) - The tension between structured comp and a deeply personal pay experience (09:49) - The subtle shift from "what do you make" to "what do you want to earn" (12:03) - Introducing fertility benefits and why it's personal for Chris (15:10) - Measuring benefits impact through utilization, exit reasons, and round tables (17:23) - The weight loss benefit coaster and where AI may change the game (22:50) - The Mayo Clinic pay perception study that moved 17% to 80%

    26 min
  2. Why Most Benefits Programs Break the Moment They Meet Real Life

    2D AGO

    Why Most Benefits Programs Break the Moment They Meet Real Life

    Summary A pharmaceutical company was about to roll out student loan repayment—until they actually looked at the data and realized it was the parents and grandparents carrying the loans, not their employees.  That one insight changed everything about how they approached financial wellness. In this episode, Kelsey Willock sits down with Tom Ellis, VP of Total Rewards at Emplify Health, who has spent over 20 years building people programs inside some of the largest health systems in the country—from Tennessee to Maine to Florida and now Wisconsin.  Tom is one of those rare total rewards leaders who is equally comfortable talking about data warehouses and frontline employees living paycheck to paycheck. Together, Kelsey and Tom get into why so many elegant benefits programs fall apart when they hit real employee lives, how to build a direct behavioral health partnership that actually works (his prevented eight suicidal ideations in its first year), why HR is so bad at telling its own story, and where the future of benefits is heading when it comes to flexibility and shared accountability. If you design, measure, or communicate benefits programs, Tom's perspective will stay with you. Timestamps 00:56 Tom's first paycheck and how growing up without money shapes his work04:11 The student loan assumption that data completely upended06:41 Why data matters for baselines and measuring what's actually working08:30 The ED utilization problem they accidentally created through education11:03 The "messy middle" of employee lives and why programs break there12:40 Building a direct behavioral health partnership that prevented eight suicides15:07 How to actually tell the story of benefits up to executives18:32 Where benefits are heading: flexibility, choice, and shared accountability Takeaways Before building a program, get the data to confirm the problem actually exists the way you think it doesDesign for the "messy middle" of real employee lives, not the theoretical averageMeasure the efficacy of every intervention so you can tell the story when leadership asksPair quantitative data with employee stories; both are needed to make the case stickBuild shared accountability into benefits so employees have a clear role to play in the outcome Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-ellis007/ Company website: https://www.emplifyhealth.org 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/ (00:56) - Tom's first paycheck and how growing up without money shapes his work (04:11) - The student loan assumption that data completely upended (06:41) - Why data matters for baselines and measuring what's actually working (08:30) - The ED utilization problem they accidentally created through education (11:03) - The "messy middle" of employee lives and why programs break there (12:40) - Building a direct behavioral health partnership that prevented eight suicides (15:07) - How to actually tell the story of benefits up to executives (18:32) - Where benefits are heading: flexibility, choice, and shared accountability

    23 min
  3. Why Open Enrollment Isn't Where Employees Actually Use Benefits

    APR 23

    Why Open Enrollment Isn't Where Employees Actually Use Benefits

    Summary Most employees don't think about their benefits until something goes wrong—and by then, they've already forgotten the open enrollment presentation, the brainshark, and the guide they skimmed in October.  In this episode, Kelsey Willock sits down with Chloe Jones, Executive Director of Global Benefits at CACI International, for an honest conversation about where benefits delivery actually breaks down and what it takes to reach people when it matters.  Chloe's path into benefits started with a serendipitous lunchroom friendship at a small insurance brokerage—a colleague she'd chatted with for a year wrote her an unsolicited recommendation on the way out the door, and Chloe got the job that launched everything. That story tells you a lot about how she thinks: relatable, generous, and grounded in the reality that most people don't grow up learning how money works.  She and Kelsey get into why benefits communication has to happen everywhere all year (not just at enrollment), why employees won't tell you they don't understand the information, how AI is about to reshape benefits navigation while raising serious data privacy questions, and what at-home diagnostic kits could mean for the future of preventative care. If you design, deliver, or communicate benefits programs, Chloe's perspective on meeting employees where they actually are—not where you assume they are—will sharpen how you think about the work. Timestamps 00:16 – Chloe's winding path from history degree to global benefits leadership06:17 – First job at Limited Too and the first paycheck that went straight to a manicure07:16 – Why Chloe has no earliest memory of money—and what that says about financial education10:26 – How humble beginnings shaped her approach to employee communication14:22 – Where benefits break down: the delivery gap between enrollment and real life18:23 – AI, PII, and the tension between personalization and data privacy21:00 – At-home diagnostic kits and what's coming next for the employee experience Takeaways Open enrollment gets people enrolled—it doesn't teach them how to use what they have; the real work happens all year longEmployees wear work masks and won't tell you they don't understand the information; you have to communicate across every channel, not just the one that fits your company's "look and feel"Frame benefits so people can find what they need in the moment they need it, not just when you're ready to present itFinancial education is missing from most people's upbringing; staying relatable in how you communicate isn't optional, it's the jobWatch the intersection of AI-powered benefits navigation and data privacy closely—legislation is coming, and your contracts need to be ready Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-jones-5a60556b/ Company website: https://www.caci.com 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 AIpowered 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/ (00:16) - Chloe's winding path from history degree to global benefits leadership (06:17) - First job at Limited Too and the first paycheck that went straight to a manicure (07:16) - Why Chloe has no earliest memory of money—and what that says about financial education (10:26) - How humble beginnings shaped her approach to employee communication (14:22) - Where benefits break down: the delivery gap between enrollment and real life (18:23) - AI, PII, and the tension between personalization and data privacy (21:00) - At-home diagnostic kits and what's coming next for the employee experience

    23 min
  4. What a Dime Jar Taught Me About Pay, Anxiety, and Employee Empathy

    APR 23

    What a Dime Jar Taught Me About Pay, Anxiety, and Employee Empathy

    Summary What does a first confession in 1980s Arizona have to do with how a Chief People Officer thinks about pay and benefits today? More than you'd expect. In this episode, Kelsey Willock sits down with Ann Watson, Chief People Officer at Cover Genius, for an honest, humane conversation about money, empathy, and the quiet benefits that change people's lives. Ann leads people operations for a global insurtech company with roughly 700 employees across 23 countries, and she's spent most of her career guiding tech startups through the messy 50to500 growth phase. She opens up about growing up in a family that didn't have much but valued education, her first salaried job at an earlystage Starbucks, and why she works hard to never assume she knows someone's financial story—even when she technically knows their salary. Ann and Kelsey get into where compensation and benefits are breaking down in the US, the trap of chasing global parity, a failed "will and advanced directive" lunch that taught her a lot about the gap between what people say they want and what they'll actually act on, and why she's a true believer in pay transparency. If you care about building benefits programs that actually show up for people in their hardest moments, this one's worth your time. Timestamps 02:18 – Ann's earliest memory of money (and a first confession confession)05:14 – Her first fulltime salary and what it revealed about generational money07:25 – Why knowing what everyone earns teaches you to assume nothing12:16 – Where US pay and benefits are breaking down most14:50 – The trap of chasing global parity across countries17:30 – The willandtestament lunch that didn't go as planned20:30 – Remote work as a lifechanging benefit, not just a perk26:48 – Why Ann is allin on pay transparency Takeaways Check your assumptions about what employees earn, know, or can handle financially—salary tells you almost nothing about someone's real money storyDesign benefits for the worst moments of someone's life, not just the recruiting pitchResist chasing global parity—build locally relevant benefits and communicate the "why" clearlyTest desire against action before building a program; what people say they want and what they'll show up for are rarely the sameEnroll employees in the safetynet benefits they'll never think to ask for—life insurance, LTD, autoenrolled 401(k)sLean into pay transparency even when it feels uncomfortable; the rigor it demands makes everything else better Guest LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annwatson5404a48/ Company website: https://www.covergenius.com 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 AIpowered 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/ (02:18) - Ann's earliest memory of money (and a first confession confession) (05:14) - Her first fulltime salary and what it revealed about generational money (07:25) - Why knowing what everyone earns teaches you to assume nothing (12:16) - Where US pay and benefits are breaking down most (14:50) - The trap of chasing global parity across countries (17:30) - The willandtestament lunch that didn't go as planned (20:30) - Remote work as a lifechanging benefit, not just a perk (26:48) - Why Ann is allin on pay transparency

    28 min
  5. Why Your Benefits Communications Are Still Too Complicated to Work

    APR 23

    Why Your Benefits Communications Are Still Too Complicated to Work

    Summary A hotel company with 120 properties across the country went from 20% open enrollment engagement to over 85% in a single year—and 21 properties hit 100%. The trick wasn't a new platform or a bigger budget. It was handing ownership to local leaders and a little friendly competition. In this episode, Kelsey Willock sits down with Brian Sosa, Director of Benefits at Crestline Hotels and Resorts, to talk about what actually moves the needle on benefits engagement when your workforce is scattered, multilingual, and rarely sitting at a desk. Brian brings a refreshingly analytical but human perspective to the work. He shares the story of buying a toy Hummer as a kid that taught him it's okay to spend money, how he invoiced his dad in dessert for his first "real" job, and how those early lessons shaped the way he designs tools and communications today. Kelsey and Brian get into why benefits break down most often (hint: it's not just communication), how to translate retirement contributions into "gallons of gas" so employees actually understand them, why sometimes launching the wrong thing is faster than running another survey, and where AI and care navigation tools may genuinely reshape the employee experience in the year ahead. If you lead a distributed workforce or just want sharper ideas for making benefits land, Brian's perspective is worth an hour. Timestamps 00:48 The toy Hummer and the lesson that it's okay to spend04:00 Brian's first "paycheck" paid in dessert by his dad08:18 Where benefits break down: complication, not just communication10:19 Translating retirement contributions into gallons of gas12:37 The 120-property competition that drove 85%+ open enrollment engagement16:31 Why the right benefits admin platform is really a data strategy19:14 Launching things intentionally instead of waiting for survey results21:24 Care navigation, AI, and what may actually shift the employee experience Takeaways Make benefits language relatable — translate percentages into real-world dollars or something people already spend money onHand ownership of engagement down to local leaders and add a little friendly competitionDon't let survey fatigue stall you; sometimes launching the wrong thing surfaces what people actually need faster than askingInvest in data infrastructure, not just benefits programs — the insights shape next year's strategyWatch care navigation tools and AI closely; the real employee impact may be less about features and more about cost and access Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-sosa/ Company website: https://www.crestlinehotels.com 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/ (00:48) - The toy Hummer and the lesson that it's okay to spend (04:00) - Brian's first "paycheck" paid in dessert by his dad (08:18) - Where benefits break down: complication, not just communication (10:19) - Translating retirement contributions into gallons of gas (12:37) - The 120-property competition that drove 85%+ open enrollment engagement (16:31) - Why the right benefits admin platform is really a data strategy (19:14) - Launching things intentionally instead of waiting for survey results (21:24) - Care navigation, AI, and what may actually shift the employee experience

    27 min
  6. Why Your Benefits Strategy Is Failing Employees (And How to Fix It)

    APR 21

    Why Your Benefits Strategy Is Failing Employees (And How to Fix It)

    Summary What if the secret to building a thriving workforce started with a five-year-old saving a dollar a day? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Charmion "Charm" Patton, Chief Human Resources Officer at Hillsborough County Public Schools and a 25-year HR generalist, to explore how personal money lessons shape the way leaders design benefits that actually transform lives.  Dr. Patton shares the childhood habit that taught her financial discipline, then unpacks how that same mindset informs her approach to employee well-being today. From bundled surgery programs that eliminate out-of-pocket costs, to the looming questions around GLP-1 medications, to the simple power of reminding overworked educators it's okay to take a bio break, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom for HR leaders, benefits professionals, and anyone navigating the intersection of compensation, care, and culture.  Dr. Patton makes a compelling case that financial wellness isn't just about retirement — it's about meeting employees where they are today and giving them the tools to build a quality life right now. Timestamps [00:54] – Dr. Patton's earliest money memory: saving a dollar a day  [05:52] – How her money story shapes her benefits philosophy  [06:46] – Why financial wellness matters beyond retirement  [09:15] – Where compensation and benefits break down most often  [12:33] – A bundled surgery benefit that's transforming employee care  [18:07] – Benefits trends shaping the next year: advocacy and GLP-1s  [22:41] – A 30-day financial wellness experiment anyone can try Takeaways Reframe saving as a reward, not a sacrifice, to build sustainable money habitsDesign benefits with the employee's full financial picture in mind, not just the company's bottom lineOffer bundled care options to remove cost barriers and encourage preventative treatmentTrack claims data over time to measure the real impact of new benefit programsPrepare for rising employee advocacy around high-cost medications like GLP-1sStart small with financial goals — $10 saved beats $0 every time 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
  7. How Crunch Fitness Cut Part-Time Turnover 24% With One Bold Benefits Move

    APR 16

    How Crunch Fitness Cut Part-Time Turnover 24% With One Bold Benefits Move

    What happens when you stop assuming what employees need and actually ask them?  Pamela J. Brown, EVP and Head of People & Culture at Crunch Fitness, joins Beyond the Paycheck to share how she's transforming the employee experience across 550+ gym locations in six countries. From implementing a 401(k) with match after an inaugural engagement survey to making Crunch Fitness the only big-box gym offering full benefits to part-time employees — resulting in a 24% retention improvement — Pam reveals the framework behind building benefits programs that deliver measurable ROI.  She opens up about her earliest money memories, the mentor who shaped how she leads, and why mental fitness training, leadership development, and creative no-cost benefits are just as critical as traditional compensation. Whether you're trying to get buy-in from senior leadership on a new pilot program or looking for hidden value in your existing vendor relationships, this episode is packed with tactical strategies you can start using this week. Timestamps [00:49] – Pam's earliest money memory and the Disneyland lesson that changed her perspective [06:00] – How personal money experiences shape her approach to total rewards [07:43] – Driving engagement and utilization: closing the loop on employee feedback [09:30] – Why Crunch Fitness offers full benefits to part-time employees [12:02] – Leadership development and mental fitness as total rewards [16:29] – Getting executive buy-in for mental health programs [18:19] – The hypothesis-test-prove framework for benefits ROI [23:43] – A 30-day experiment: unlocking hidden vendor benefits Takeaways Close the feedback loop — tell employees what you heard, what you did, and show the resultsTest bold hypotheses with pilot programs, prove ROI with retention data, and pivot fast when something isn't workingExplore no-cost and low-cost benefits like low-interest loan programs, EAP negotiations, and vendor partnershipsTreat leadership development and mental fitness training as part of your total rewards package — not separate line itemsAudit your vendor relationships: brokers, 401(k) providers, and EAPs often have hidden benefits you haven't activatedIncentivize preventative care usage to drive healthier outcomes and reduce insurance cost increasesGuest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelabr/Company Website: https://www.crunch.com

    25 min
  8. Why Your Employees Are Choosing the Wrong Health Plan — And How to Fix It

    APR 14

    Why Your Employees Are Choosing the Wrong Health Plan — And How to Fix It

    Summary What if the biggest obstacle to your employees' financial well-being isn't their salary — it's that they don't understand what they already have? In this episode of Beyond the Paycheck, host Kelsey Willock sits down with Erin Desrosiers, CCP, Compensation and Benefits Leader at HOK, the global architecture and design firm with 1,700+ employees across 27 offices.  Erin brings over a decade of experience in compensation and benefits to an honest conversation about the affordability crisis facing today's workforce, why employees consistently choose the wrong health plan, and what companies can actually do about it. From the triple tax advantage of HSAs that most workers overlook, to why fertility benefits generate the most gratitude she's ever seen, to the "job hugging" phenomenon keeping people frozen in place — Erin doesn't shy away from the hard truths. She also makes a compelling case for something deceptively simple: just talk to your benefits team. They want to hear from you. Whether you're an HR leader designing your next open enrollment or an employee trying to stretch your paycheck further, this episode delivers practical, actionable guidance you can use starting today. Timestamps [00:35] – Erin's earliest money memory: the nickel-and-dime sibling hustle [03:10] – Why data matters more than personal opinion in comp & benefits [05:05] – Job hugging, AI anxiety, and why employees aren't moving [08:24] – Shopping for health insurance like car insurance [11:08] – The deductible conversation most adults still need [14:18] – Fertility benefits: the most appreciated offering Erin has ever provided [16:01] – Remote, hybrid, or in-office: why companies are holding to their values [18:00] – The 30-day experiment: HSAs, feedback, and advocating for yourself Takeaways Treat health insurance decisions like car insurance — compare premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums rather than defaulting to the most expensive planLeverage HSA triple tax advantages: pre-tax contributions, tax-free growth, and tax-free withdrawals for eligible expensesShare candid feedback with your benefits team — they hear complaints but rarely learn what employees actually valueConsider fertility benefits as a high-impact offering that transforms employee loyalty and builds familiesRecognize "job hugging" as a real workforce trend driven by AI uncertainty and distrust in hiring processesEducate employees year-round on their benefits, not just during open enrollment seasonGuest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-desrosiers-ccp-50652536/Company Website: https://www.hok.com

    21 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
    Aura Finance
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    50
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Wizards PR
  • Show Website
    Beyond the Paycheck