Alight on Podcast

How can you engage people at their point of need to help them make smarter decisions around their health, wealth and wellbeing? Listen to our interview with Lenny Fayard, VP of Product Management and Strategy as he reveals how Alight Worklife meets people in the moment - helping employers drive positive outcomes.

In this episode, Alight data science leader, Geoffrey Peterson, explores how you can channel AI for good and transform employee experiences. 

Matt Bragstad discusses how Social Determinants of Health impact employee wellbeing with Dr. Bipin Mistry and Ali Cusic. 

When an employee needs to take a leave of absence from work, getting the details right really matters...to everyone. Join Matthew Bragstad as he quizzes Jason Endriss and Rachel Biederman on what well-managed leave administration can do for both the employee and their company, too. https://www.alight.com/solutions/leave-management/

With the open enrollment season right around the corner, the focus is shifting from merely offering benefits to optimizing the value employees derive from them. This podcast explores how organizations are working towards the important task of strategically aligning benefits with their workforce's diverse needs and preferences. Join our open enrollment experts Laine Thomas Conway and Karen Frost for their insights.

Kimberly Williams, Clinical Director of Behavioral Health Services,  discusses mental health and how it impacts wellbeing at work and at home.

Xan Daniels, Global Vice President, Inclusion and Diversity, discusses the employee point of view on wellbeing and why diversity, equity and inclusion are so important.

Alison Borland and Josh Welch discuss opportunities to improve the wellbeing of employees and their families as well as its impact on business outcomes.

In this Alight on episode, our optimization director speaks with two of our cloud customers who made the decision to take a deeper look at their optimization strategy and discuss why they opted to invest further in their platforms, how they made their business cases and the impact on their technology ROI.

In this episode, we provide a first look at the findings of the 2021 Global Payroll Complexity Index. In addition to ranking the top 40 countries in order of payroll complexity, the report looks at the many factors that make processing payroll so challenging.

How do you define the value of an HR modernization project at a time when multiple departments are fighting for post-Covid budget?Project managers can fall into the trap of being unrealistic with business cases and not fully taking into account innovation, available resources and budget constraints. Failing to do this heightens the likelihood of project failure, or at least issues with the timeline or smooth running of the project.It's therefore crucial that before all else project viability is proven. Start with the stakeholder who have most influence on your project. These usually control the essential resources and expertise needed for success. Getting their formal buy-in upfront is crucial.Next, depending on the project size, scope and complexity, you must fully understand the operational objectives of each stakeholder. By doing this, you get their support, feedback and identify any potential resistance, ahead of building out and presenting the business plan.In this Alight On episode, our expert team will provide you with powerful tips to help get your business case, and give your HR transformation project, the best chance of long term success.

The average Fortune 500 company combines between 50 and 150 different technology platforms and programs to deliver a range of employee solutions—from benefits, to payroll, to career and talent management, to voluntary benefits.   This means employees often are pushed to multiple systems to make decisions, leaving them overwhelmed, confused and frustrated trying to navigate so many different places.  This fragmented approach results in a stressed and struggling workforce and impacts organizations' bottom line. HR teams have an opportunity to address these challenges, and help drive business success and deliver value.Listen to our podcast where key leaders from Alight discuss how employers can rethink the array of technology platforms and programs needed to deliver employee solutions and implement technology that engage employees in both work and life and drives better business outcomes.

Accelerating digital financial transformation is no longer a choice for organizations. To remain resilient, conquer growth and enable business agility, organizations must have a clear strategy for how they will digitize their finance function.Cloud-based applications play a significant role in financial transformation, with benefits including better reporting, improved visibility, more accurate forecasting, and better efficiencies in processes with reduced errors. In fact, a recent report by Gartner found that 49% of CFOs expect to spend significantly more time on Cloud ERP technology in 2021.Join us for this episode to hear from Alight clients Ameriprise and Atlas Professionals on how they transformed their finance function. We will share insights on:Achieving business case approvalThe role of technology in the transformationValue realized since undergoing the transformationTips and tricks for organizations looking to embark on a similar journey

As we enter a new chapter of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations are now analyzing what the future state of their workplace will look like. If there is one thing that we have learned, it is that every company and their workforce has had a unique experience with responding to the pandemic.

As digital transformation projects that were stopped or delayed due to the pandemic look to restart, they are competing for limited company resources, changing priorities and uncertain budgets. Companies are faced with returning to some level of normalcy but with new cost-optimization challenges, an increased list of lessons learned from the pandemic, and less budget to get it all done. With a renewed appreciation for how quickly the world can change, companies no longer have the luxury of time and money to get their transformations done, they are faced with prioritization challenges and resource constraints and are increasingly looking for a way to mitigate the project risks.Join us for this episode to learn how you can transform your HR/Payroll service to an enhanced, agile, and more future-proof service experience using an accelerated approach that reduces risk and guarantees cost savings.   

Leaders understand strategy and data-driven decision-making, yet many struggle to operationalize insights across the entire enterprise — particularly when it comes to applying the same rigor around people decisions as they do to other financial considerations. Unfortunately, without an in-depth understanding of, and visibility into, employee experience, organizations risk long-term repercussions, including poor morale, a tarnished brand reputation, and revenue loss.Listen to this month’s episode to learn how you can better use your own data to increase employee engagement, while simultaneously improving business outcomes.

The pandemic has highlighted numerous societal Inequities that impacts a person’s health care. Now, more than ever, we are aware of the many factors that contribute to a person’s overall health - where they live, their education, employment status, income, social network, cultural beliefs, etc. As an organization, how can you take these factors into consideration to better understand – and improve – your peoples’ health behaviors and wellbeing?

2020 brought its fair share of challenges to the workforce. The impacts of a global pandemic on healthcare were widely experienced, and employees were hit with change and uncertainty like never before. People’s personal health and wealth were evaluated more closely, and organizations looked for new ways to keep employees engaged and confident in their work and wellbeing.In this episode we will evaluate the behaviors and overall wellbeing of employees and discuss the types of changes and support we’ve seen organizations provide to alleviate some of the challenges and disruptions this year has presented.

A smooth start to the new year requires a well thought out planning strategy to close out 2020. Companies that have invested in cloud technology enjoy many advantages over their competitors around year-end planning that allow them to predict their budgetary and workforce needs more accurately, minimize costly human errors and stay on top of their data throughout the year to cut down on the amount of work that must be done now. Our panelists discuss how their HR, finance and payroll teams have been positively impacted around year-end prep with Alight’s move to cloud technology and what you and your company can expect to see as you make the decision to modernize your business.

From expanding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) so it includes public insurance options to increasing the corporate tax rate, President-elect Biden has proposed a broad set of policies, many of which could have long-term implications for employers.Listen to our podcast, Alight on the 2020 U.S. election, where our experts discuss what employers can expect during the Biden presidency and what impact his proposals could have on healthcare coverage, retirement security and tax rates.

Organizations today must compete for top candidates more aggressively than ever before and once they have secured this top talent, what can they do to retain these workers? This episode reviews the recruiting and talent capabilities of the Cloud that are designed not only to assist in attracting candidates to your organization, but also to keep them from seeking out your competitors.

Accelerated by a global pandemic, the future of the workforce – and their needs – has evolved overnight. Creating meaningful experiences while achieving the right outcomes is paramount for any organization’s strategy. With work and life blending, is your benefits platform hitting the mark? Join us for this month’s episode to learn how you can unlock value for your organization and people with data and AI.We’ll discuss:How employers can transform their strategies to meet the needs of an evolving workforceWhat types of experiences create the greatest impact for the varying needs of employeesOutcomes that organizations can achieve by integrating their benefits into a single destination

As the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be felt and uncertainties on Wall Street and in the workplace remain, financial health is now more top of mind than ever for U.S. workers. These challenges present employers with a prime opportunity to provide their people much needed support to help improve their financial wellbeing.Traditionally, when we think about financial wellness and employer-sponsored initiatives, the focus is often on saving for retirement. In recent years, as the makeup of the workforce has shifted and workers continue to have more diverse savings needs, the traditional definition of financial health has grown to encompass the entire savings journey up to and including retirement.

Real-time data analytic capabilities are now a non-negotiable application feature in today’s technology landscape. Find out how the Cloud gives organizations an advantage when growing their analytics strategy and how this is key to delivering on promises to your stakeholders, including reduced cost, process improvements and actionable data driven insights.

The necessity of a remote workforce showed organizations the range of virtual employment possibilities and many have opted to keep these flexible working policies in place. Ensure your organizational platform can support business continuity within your workforce as operations continue outside of the office.

The global pandemic has heightened uncertainty for employers and their people in all aspects of their lives, but one thing is certain – mitigating risk is imperative as employers prepare for annual enrollment. As the unemployment rate increases, how do organizations minimize eligibility risks to their benefit plans and address healthcare cost backlogs from COVID-19?Join us for this latest episode to learn:Employer compliance trends in the era of COVID-19How to minimize healthcare cost risks for the 2021 plan yearValuable business outcomes beyond compliance

To deliver on your business goals, you must look at innovating more than just your technology. We'll discuss the importance of transforming your operating model and the optimal mix of in-house and external support.

As HR and business leaders begin to evaluate how and when to start bringing their people back to physical workspaces, employee wellbeing has never been more top of mind. But regardless of whether your people are headed back to the workplace or will continue to work remote for the foreseeable future, the importance of maintaining a happy, healthy and productive workforce remains a constant. Employees are looking to their employers to help support their holistic wellbeing now more than ever before, and organizations need to be ready to adapt their strategy to meet those needs.

In this episode, learn how to leverage your finance, payroll and HR cloud platform 1, 3 and 5+ years after go-live. Our panelists review the first considerations to think about after your cloud solution is live, as well as where the areas for optimization lie for seasoned cloud users and how Application Managed Services can support your business from an ROI perspective.

When planning models or ERP systems haven’t kept pace with company growth or market changes, it could be time for a restart.Whether it's a planning rebuild or an ERP switch, we'll discuss how to assess and move forward, with a focus on the value of bringing accounting and FP&A together on one platform.

As we navigate healthcare benefits during COVID-19, employers have even more to consider when they think about their upcoming enrollment needs and goals. Effectively educating employees on their benefits offerings and reducing healthcare costs are now more important than ever before.Join us for this episode to learn:How the pandemic changes the course of this year’s annual enrollmentTips for aligning your enrollment tactics to your overall benefits strategyHigh-tech and high-touch strategies for improving the enrollment experienceHow to effectively communicate with employees during enrollment and beyond

As payroll continues to transform around workforce needs and growing technology, organizations must ensure they can keep pace. Our newest episode discusses what payroll solutions and services can help keep organizations technologically capable of handling these changes today and into the future.

In light of the current landscape, employee perceptions of their benefits have shifted. As an employer, you want to provide the best for your people when it comes to their offerings. Join us to learn how you can drive certain behaviors and better engage your employees during times of disruption and uncertainty.

In this episode, we will provide insights on why establishing your cloud transformation strategy is important and how a solid foundation is formed when you have the right tools and model to support your workforce.

What’s new in the world of AI and RPA? We’ll cover how and where to focus for the most strategic impact and discuss the latest technology trends.

When it comes to meeting your benefits technology needs, are you asking the right questions in your RFP to set yourself up for success?

As a new decade begins, employers are looking for new ways to diversify their benefits and optimize their usage among employees. From the rise of healthcare navigation to the increasing importance of employer-sponsored financial wellbeing initiatives, the world of health and wealth benefits continues to expand beyond its previously defined limits.Benefits that were innovative at the start of the decade are table stakes for today’s workers. Alight on is a video series too! Watch the episode here: http://alig.ht/ZE6050yaaBNSee what’s coming next and watch past episodes: http://alig.ht/rybC50yaanj

Ready for 2020? In this episode, we cover the top finance, HR and payroll trends as you prepare for the year ahead. Our panel of Alight experts share insights on what we expect to see going into 2020, and what will evolve throughout the year.We also reveal the top tips for proactively preparing your teams to start the year with confidence and identify potential opportunities for the future.Alight on is a video series too! Watch the episode here: http://alig.ht/X3BQ50yaaIQSee what’s coming next and watch past episodes: http://alig.ht/rybC50yaanj