The Hire thru Retire Podcast

Today's episode features host Kerry Sette, head of Consumer Insights and Research at Voya — a familiar voice to the podcast. With the health benefits open enrollment period ending for companies, this episode is shifting the focus to talk about one benefit that employers are increasingly offering as an option with high-deductible health plans to their employees: Health Savings Accounts (HSA's). With lots of research conducted by Voya on HSAs, Kerry is joined by Matt Farrar, AVP of Strategic Solutions at Voya to talk more about the power of HSAs. Matt has a great deal of experience with HSAs, but particularly when it comes to helping employers communicate their value to their workforce. Tune in to hear more helpful insights to help employees better understand how to use these solutions year-round.      1Average couple has expected health care expense during retirement of approximately $320,000.  Source:  EBRI, Projected savings Medicare beneficiaries need for health expenses remained high in 2022, February 2023.  2$3,700 average balance of HSA.  Source:  Devenir Research, 2022 year-end HSA market statistics & trends, March 2023.  Neither Voya® nor its affiliated companies or representatives provide tax or legal advice. Please consult a tax or legal professional regarding your specific circumstances.  Health Account Solutions, including Health Savings Accounts, Flexible Spending Accounts, Commuter Benefits, Health Reimbursement Arrangements, and COBRA Administration offered by Voya Benefits Company, LLC (in New York, doing business as Voya BC, LLC). HSA custodial services provided by Voya Institutional Trust Company. For all other products, administration services provided in part by WEX Health, Inc.  This highlights some of the benefits of a Health Savings Account. If there is a discrepancy between this material and the plan documents, the plan documents will govern.  Subject to any applicable agreements, Voya and WEX Health, Inc. reserve the right to amend or modify the services at any time.  The amount saved in taxes will vary depending on the amount set aside in the account, annual earnings, whether or not Social Security taxes are paid, the number of exemptions and deductions claimed, tax bracket and state and local tax regulations. Check with a tax advisor for information on whether your participation will affect tax savings. None of the information provided should be considered tax or legal advice.   CN 3251022_1125 

Today's episode features host Nate Black, vice president, Health Solutions Product Development. With open enrollment in full swing, the conversation continues with Ana Perez, Chief Marketing Officer at Benefitfocus. Recent discussions have focused on the important role education plays when it comes to helping workers with their annual enrollment decisions. Today, Ana and Nate discuss how personalization and guidance can also play critical roles in helping employees not just enroll in their workplace benefits, but also ensuring they know how to use them throughout the year. Tune in to hear more helpful insights for your workforce this open enrollment season.   Products and services offered through the Voya® family of companies. CN3199853_1025 

Today's episode features host Nate Black, vice president, Health Solutions Product Development. With benefits elections coming up, we know that a big part of helping the workforce engage and take the time to enroll in their benefits is to provide the right education. With that as a backdrop, Nate is joined by Mona Zielke, SVP of Workplace Solutions Employee Operations and Claims at Voya, to talk more about how voluntary benefits, including supplemental health insurance, can be used. When a covered event occurs, these benefits are paid directly to the insured and they can be used as they choose including on out-of-pocket medical expenses. In some cases, they may offer the potential to help prevent or minimize hardship withdrawals in one's retirement account.  Mona Zielke is a Registered Representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).   Insurance is issued by ReliaStar Life Insurance Company (Minneapolis, MN) and ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York (Woodbury, NY). Within the State of New York, only ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York is admitted, and its products issued. Both are members of the Voya® family of companies. Voya Employee Benefits is a division of both companies. Product availability and specific provisions may vary by state.  CN3166272_1025 

Today's episode takes us back to where we first began with the podcast featuring guest host Heather Lavallee, CEO of Voya Financial, for a very special episode celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). NDEAM celebrates the contributions of America's workers with disabilities past and present showcasing supportive, inclusive employment policies and practices that benefit both employers and employees. To help shed some light on this topic Heather is joined by Kendra Davenport, CEO of Easterseals, an organization that has been dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities for over a century. Tune in to hear more from Kendra and learn more about the role that employers and corporate citizens can play when it comes to advocating for individuals with special needs in the workplace. Kendra Davenport and Easterseals are not affiliated with the Voya® family of companies. CN3132386_0925

Today's episode features guest host Allison Dirksen, head of Wealth Solutions Sales at Voya. Joining Allison is a repeat guest Jeanne Sutton, to talk about the important topic of student loan debt support. Jeanne is best known in the industry as the “401(k) lady,” but also serves as a financial benefits advisor at Strategic Retirement Partners. The impact of student loan debt on Americans today is impossible to ignore, particularly for employers when it comes to the broad scope of workplace benefits and savings options to offer the workforce today. Tune in to hear more about what Jeanne has to share when it comes to the opportunities available for borrowers, and their employers to help support this critical challenge facing the savings landscape today.  Allison Dirksen is a Registered Representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC Jeanne Sutton and Strategic Retirement Partners are not affiliated with the Voya® family of companies.  CN3112866_0925 

Today's episode features host, Nate Black, VP, Health Solutions Product Development. As we're entering the fall, now is an exciting time to talk about open enrollment and to do this, in this episode we are focused on some new trends and areas where many employers are focused. Joining Nate is a guest who will sound very familiar to you all and that is Voya's own Kerry Sette, head of Consumer Insights and Research at Voya. Tune in to hear all that Kerry has to share with new data. CN3065073_0825

Today's episode features guest host Allison Dirksen, head of Wealth Solutions Sales at Voya. Allison is joined bynot one, but two repeat guests: Tom Armstrong, vice president, Customer Analytics and Insight, head of Voya's Behavioral Finance Institute for Innovation at Voya and Nick Maynard, senior vice president at Commonwealth, a national nonprofit focused on building financial security and opportunity for financially vulnerable people through innovation and partnerships to change systems. Tom and Nick join Allison to talk about emergency savings, specifically within the workplace, a topic that's come to light more given the passing of the SECURE 2.0 retirement legislation.Allison Dirksen is a Registered Representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLCNick Maynard and Commonwealth are unaffiliated with the Voya® family of companies.CN2998464_0725

Today's episode features guest host Brannigan Thompson, who leads Human Resources for Voya's Workplace Solutions businesses. In this episode Brannigan discusses something that many leaders are experiencing and even more so as companies continue to operate in a remote setting: how we communicate and lead teams effectively. Brannigan is joined by Alan Nelson, partner at CRA, a leadership consulting and advisory firm. Through his work Alan specializes in the unique communication challenges facing C-suite executives. In addition to his advisory work, Alan is a frequent speaker on leadership and communication and a contributor to several corporate leadership development programs. Tune in to hear more from Alan and Brannigan to better understand how to navigate leadership in a remote world. Alan Nelson and CRA, Inc. are unaffiliated with the Voya® family of companies.CN2956859_0625

Today's episode features guest host Allison Dirksen, head of sales for Voya's Wealth Solutions business. Allison is joined for a popular topic for the podcast and that is a market update featuring Voya's own Barbara Reinhard, senior portfolio manager and head of Asset Allocation at Voya's asset management business. Barbara shares perspectives on the current market environment and how that is shaping the decisions her team makes on a daily basis. Allison Dirksen is a Registered Representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).  CN2953953_0625 

Today's episode features guest host, Kerry Sette, head of Consumer Insights and Research at Voya. To better understand the challenges facing Generation Z and their impact on employers and the workplace, Kerry is joined by Eric Wagatha, head of Consumer Life at GfK North America, part of the GfK Group and one of the largest market research companies in the world. GfK Consumer Life is the most comprehensive and longest-standing consumer trend study in the world. Together, Kerry and Eric discuss the ways in which employers have an opportunity to support this cohort of today's workforce as a group that is already imposing its influence in all aspects of American culture. Eric Wagatha and GfK Group are not affiliated with the Voya® family of companies. CN2863429_0425

In today's digital world, finding the balance between personalization and consumer privacy is top of mind and an important part of the discussion and experiences we create. So, in this episode, Bill is joined by Voya's Chief Information Security Officer Stacy Hughes, to talk more about this balance and to help employers find the right balance for their own experiences. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).  CN2812048_0325

In this episode we have not one, but two CEOs who join the podcast to talk about a topic that's very important to both of them: mental health in the workplace. Joining for the discussion is Voya's own CEO, Heather Lavallee and Christina Mainelli, CEO at Quartet Health. At Quartet Health, Christina and her team are on a mission to improve the lives of people with mental health conditions with technology and services that reach people who need care to connect them to the right care, track the quality of their care, and support their care journeys. Tune in to hear from both Heather and Christina who discuss opportunities for employers to support their workforce as this important conversation unfolds.  Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).  CN2835985_0425

In this episode, we're focused on the discussion of helping to close benefits and savings gaps to improve financial outcomes for a diverse workforce. Sharing some pioneering research conducted at Voya, with the support of our clients, to get some valuable insights and opportunities for employers to consider in their own practice. To engage in the discussion, Bill is joined by Tom Armstrong, VP, customer insight and analytics and head of the Behavioral Finance Institute – and Carole Mendoza, VP of benefits at Voya. Tom and Carole share more about the research which takes a deep dive on understanding of how employees from different ethnic and racial groups, think, feel, and act when it comes to saving for retirement.   Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).  CN2791846_0325

In this episode Bill is joined by Malika Terry, who leads Total Rewards at UPS. During this live event that was hosted at our Chandler office in front of a room full of Voya employees – Malika and Bill discuss the unique emergency savings program that she and her team have built for their nearly 100,000 non-union employees. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).  Neither Malika Terry nor UPS are affiliated with the Voya® family of companies. CN2656687_1224

In this episode, Bill is joined by Voya's very own Christine Hurtsellers, CEO of Voya Investment Management to discuss gender parity — both within the context of corporate America and traditionally male dominated industries like financial services. Beyond the state of the industry, as the now leader of Voya's asset management business, in today's episode Christine shares more about her experience coming up in the finance industry and further shares what inclusion looked like in the early days of her career. Tune in to hear more about her experiences and how gender equality and diversity simply makes good business sense.  Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).  CN2743796_0225

In this episode, Bill is joined by Shawn O'Brien, associate director, Retirement at Cerulli, a research and consulting firm specializing in asset management and distribution trends worldwide. Leading the U.S. Retirement research practice, which focuses on the defined contribution and individual retirement account markets, Shawn also leads and supports strategic consulting projects for asset managers on their DC-related market entry and product distribution strategies. With that, we thought we'd take this episode to discuss recent trends and data behind managed accounts, a solution growing in importance for both employers and their plan participants. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC). Neither Shawn O'Brien nor Cerulli are affiliated with the Voya® family of companies. CN2646610_1224

While in the new year, we thought we'd revisit a topic we've touched on before on the pod, but one that continues to be important to employers today and that is “the future of work.” More specifically, today we're focused on how we work within a hybrid experience. So, in this episode Bill is joined by Phil Kirschner, a Senior Expert from McKinsey. Holding both practitioner and consulting experience in workplace strategy, change management and the future of work from his time at WeWork, JLL, and Credit Suisse, Phil has a broad range of experience including best practices from firms in hybrid working models, the latest industry trends related to future of work.Research referenced in this episode leveraged from the following sources:The McKinsey American Opportunity Survey, Dec. 2022: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/sustainable-inclusive-growth/future-of-america/american-opportunity-survey Women in the Workplace 2022: https://womenintheworkplace.com/Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).Neither Phil Kirschner nor McKinsey, WeWork, JLL, and Credit Suisse are affiliated with Voya Financial.  CN2660474_0125

We're excited to be back after the holidays and starting off 2023 with a “three-peat” guest to talk about the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022. Joining Bill today is Mike Hadley of Davis Harman, to discuss the details of the final bill that will be most impactful when it comes to expanding participant coverage and increasing savings for individuals today. Tune in to hear more about what the bill entails and what employers need to be thinking about today as it pertains to the rollout. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).Neither Mike Hadley nor Davis & Harman LLP is affiliated with the Voya® family of companies.CN2671604_0125

In this episode Bill is joined by a repeat guest back by popular demand, Paul Zemsky, chief investment officer, Multi-Asset Strategies and Solutions at Voya Investment Management. With talks of inflation, recessions and markets looming, Paul joins today to give us the latest and greatest on the market and what to expect in the year ahead. Paul shares his perspective on what's happening in the markets today as well as the long-term implications for retirement savers. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).  CN2628422_1224

In this episode Bill is joined by Kandi Pickard, President, and CEO of the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), the leading human rights organization for all individuals with Down syndrome. While the topic of disability inclusion has been discussed before on the podcast, this episode is centered on the labor market and more specifically a focus on the disability community, an important yet greatly underutilized resource in addressing the increased demand for talent many employers face today. Kandi joins Bill to talk further about opportunities for employers to ensure they're not only looking to the broad community when it comes to hiring practices, but also to ensure that the workplace itself becomes an area for all individuals to thrive. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).  NDSS is not a member of the Voya® family of companies. CN2606635_1124

In this episode Bill is joined by the Director of University-wide Benefits at the State University of New York (SUNY), Michael Consorte. At SUNY Michael manages the plan sponsor team for SUNY's retirement plans along with supporting the administration and coordination of the SUNY employee benefits programs to better support the overall financial health and retirement success of the community. With Open Enrollment in full swing, tune in to hear more from Michael about the perspectives of his workforce and SUNY's supporting approach when it comes to the workplace benefits and savings needs of their workforce.  Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).CN 2570364

In this episode Bill is joined by Voya's very own Amy Heyel, senior vice president and national practice leader for Voya's Government Markets. With many individuals at Voya and throughout the country recently attending the annual National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA) conference, Amy is here to break down key insights from event, which focused on trends that are not only prominent in the Government market, but across the retirement industry at large. Tune in to hear more from Amy and about NAGDCA, an organization with a vision is to develop a network of well-informed defined contribution retirement plan sponsors and industry professionals working together to provide America's public sector workers with a secure financial future.  Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC)Amy Heyel is a registered representative of Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. (member SIPC)NAGDCA is not a member of the Voya® family of companies. CN2516821_1024

In this episode Bill is joined by Voya's own Jeff Cimini, SVP, Retirement Product Management and Mark Sides, SVP, Deputy General Counsel, to help unravel the latest in retirement legislation and provide an update on what may be coming later this year in terms of some new retirement support for Americans. Specifically, they're here to dive further into “what means what" and mostly, "what entails what” when it comes to the Enhancing American Retirement Now Act, which was passed by the Senate in June, but not published until early September, as well as related bills in the Senate (RISE & SHINE) and the House (Securing a Strong Retirement Act).Bill Harmon and Jeff Cimini are registered representatives of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).CN2457156_1024

In this episode we're following up on a recent episode focused on supporting women re-entering the workforce. To build on this discussion, Bill is joined by Cynthia Barnes, Award-Winning Sales Influencer, Professional Keynote Speaker, and Best-Selling Author to talk about identifying opportunities for success for women in the workforce. With a specific focus on women in sales after spending much of her sales career leading sales teams across the nation in a variety of verticals for the nation's top companies, Cynthia is a sought-after expert on women-centric sales training and coaching by companies such as Google, Michelin, and Toyota.  Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC). CN2401399_0824

As environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues are playing an increasing role in the world around us, it can be difficult to cut through the noise when it comes to truly understanding the fast-changing landscape of ESG. In this episode, Bill is joined by Voya's own Laura Kane from our asset management business, Voya Investment Management. Laura joined the firm last year as Head of ESG Research, responsible for leading the ESG investment research process across the firm's equity, fixed-income, and multi-asset strategies. Tune in to hear more from Laura who explains what ESG is and why it has risen in importance over the past decade.Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC). CN2342646_0824

In this episode, Bill and Heather discuss guidance for employers around women re-entering the workforce, a topic of particular importance in a ‘post-pandemic' world. Joining for this discussion is Renee Scherzer, principal, 401K Resources, a firm focused on employer sponsored plans and participant outcomes. Tune in to hear more from Renee on a topic growing in importance for employers today particularly as millions of women left the job market during the COVID-19 pandemic as schools and daycares closed, and the existing caregiving crisis in this country became even more challenging. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC). Neither Renee Scherzer nor 401k Resources are affiliated with the Voya® family of companies. CN2295207_0724

In this episode, Bill and Heather are joined by Beth Conradson Cleary, executive director at the City of Milwaukee. As part of their continued commitment to their participants' financial health and retirement success, Beth and her team have been implementing some really great work when it comes to supporting racial disparities in savings and participation rates specifically as it relates to the retirement plans they offer employees. Most importantly, the improvements have particularly benefited employee demographics who have been historically underserved including women, people of color, and non-collectively bargained employees. Tune in to hear more from Beth and the great work supported by her team. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).The City of Milwaukee is not a member of the Voya® family of companies.CN2287240_0724

In this episode, Bill and Heather are joined by Melanie Moriarty, senior director, HR Rewards at Best Buy to discuss a timely topic that many employers might be asking about: employer benefits for working parents. With working parents having experienced some challenging, to say the least, past few years when it comes to childcare, Melanie joins the podcast to talk more about Best Buy's offerings as a company who is not just talking the talk, but who is also walking the walk when it comes to these employer benefits. Tune in to hear more from Melanie who is responsible for leading a team in the timely and accurate administration of payroll, leave, time off, and work-life well-being benefits for more than 100,000 U.S. Best Buy employees. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).

In this episode Bill and Heather are joined by Matt Greenwald, founder and managing director of strategic initiatives at Greenwald Research, a leading independent custom research firm and consulting partner to the health and wealth industries. By leveraging deep subject matter expertise and a trusted consultative approach, Greenwald offers comprehensive services for weaving rich research stories that answer strategic business questions. Matt shares his insight on the new demands that the current environment is putting on retirement plans today for employers.  Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC). CN2223905_0524

In this episode Bill and Heather are joined by Matt Bahl, Vice President, Head of Workplace Market Development at the Financial Health Network – a company that unites industries, business leaders, policymakers, innovators, and visionaries in a shared mission to improve financial health for all. Matt joins the podcast to talk about an important topic for companies today: the financial health of their workforce. With the pandemic, and now concerns about inflation, the importance of financial health has come to light even more. Tune in to hear from Matt who shares some insight as an industry professional on the topic. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).Financial Health Network is not a member of the Voya® family of companies. CN2192038_0524

In this episode Heather is joined by a special guest co-host and that is none other than Jeff Cimini, SVP, Retirement Product Management at Voya. Jeff joins Heather to welcome a repeat guest, Mike Hadley, partner at Davis & Harman, to talk about a “hot topic” and that is SECURE 2.0. Mike joined the podcast for an earlier episode where he dove into SECURE 2.0, but that was only episode 7 and today he's here for episode 30…so it's safe to say there's been some changes in the retirement legislative landscape. Tune in to hear Mike break down legal jargon into plain English. Jeff Cimini is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).Davis & Harman LLP is not a member of the Voya® family of companies. CN2173568_0424

It's been said on “Hire thru Retire” before, but we're all operating in unprecedented times. Whether this means a virtual workforce, inflation or market volatility – there's a lot of change and uncertainty looming in our worlds today. In this episode, Bill and Heather talk to Paul Zemsky, chief investment officer, Multi-Asset Strategies and Solutions for Voya Investment Management. As a frequent guest and contributor to many financial media outlets including: Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg TV and CNBC, his insight and outlook on what's going on in today's markets is well recognized. Paul shares a broad overview of Voya Investment Management's perspective on the current market environment and how that is shaping the decisions his team makes on a daily basis. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC). CN2163456_0424

Heather and Bill were recently joined by Rick Unser who spoke about trends in investment plan lineups where they dove into a topic that has been making recent headlines and that is: alternative investing in D.C. plans. In this episode, they are expanding on that topic and bringing in a resource that is no stranger to the concept of alternatives, Jonathan Epstein, president, Defined Contributions Alternatives Association (DCALTA). With a mission of enhancing retirement outcomes, through focused research, education and advocacy, DCALTA seeks to better secure and enhance participant outcomes through the inclusion of Hedge Funds, Private Equity, and other alternative investments in the defined contribution model. Tune in to hear more from Jonathon about why alternative investing could be an important consideration for plan sponsors and advisors supporting their plan sponsor clients. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).Jonathan Epstein and DCALTA are not affiliated with the Voya® family of companies.CN2111997_0424

In this episode, Bill and Heather are joined by two “legends” in the retirement industry, Fred Reish, partner at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, and Nevin Adams, chief content officer for the American Retirement Association. With extensive knowledge and insight on the industry, Fred and Nevin share their thoughts on the concept of “forecasting the 401(k)” – tackling all topics from legislation to lifetime income. With many changes in the industry over the past several years there is certainly lots to discuss when it comes to both trends and guidance for employers. Tune in to hear more from Fred and Nevin themselves.   Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC). Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP and the American Retirement Association are separate entities and not corporate affiliates of Voya Financial®. CN2096547_0324

In this episode, Bill and Heather have an important discussion for all individuals, but one that employers particularly can take note and that is: “reverse mentorship.” Voya's own Jay Washington, AVP, Diverse Market Segment, and Natalie Daniels, Vice President, Strategic Relationship Management, join this episode to talk about reverse mentorship, which provides an opportunity to learn from others who may have different perspectives and viewpoints in order to enrich and create a two-way learning. Jay and Natalie share their insight from their own experiences and why this type of opportunity can lead to meaningful change within an organization, particularly when it comes to helping advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  Bill Harmon and Jay Washington are registered representatives of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).Natalie Daniels is a registered representative of Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. (member SIPC)CN2081908_0324

Over the course of the pandemic, research and insights have been even more valuable in reviewing how customers and participants have been managing through the pandemic. Certainly, this includes financial challenges, but also changes in how both employers and employees perceive the idea of the “workplace.” So, in this episode Bill and Heather welcome a well-known industry veteran when it comes to research: J. Walker Smith, Knowledge Lead at Kantar, a data and evidence-based agency providing insights and actionable recommendations to clients, worldwide. Walker shares insights from his recent “Future View” research and the future of work for employers and individuals alike.  Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC). Kantar Group is a separate entity and not a corporate affiliate of Voya Financial®. CN2066487_0324

In this episode Bill and Heather are joined by someone who needs little introduction when it comes to podcasting and that is none other than Rick Unser. Rick is a partner and managing director with Lockton Retirement Services, an offering of Creative Planning, but where you might hear him most, host of the podcast “401(k) Fridays.” Rick joins Bill and Heather to talk about the latest and greatest in investment menu design in retirement plans. Tune in to hear more about the broad trends he's seen around investment menu design in recent years. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC). Rick Unser is a partner and managing director with Lockton Retirement Services, an offering of Creative Planning. Creative Planning is a Registered Investment Advisory firm that manages more than $100 Billion in assets and serves clients in all 50 states.   Lockton Retirement Services and Creative Planning are separate entities and not corporate affiliates of Voya Financial® CN2029254_0224

In an earlier episode Jim Klein shared some interesting survey results from the American Benefits Council on the concept of trust. They found that workers have a great deal of trust in their employer, in fact, at twice the level they trust the government, and really look to them for guidance. As the need for family caregivers explodes, how can employers address a growing workplace crisis and enlist trust in their workforce to help them? In this episode, Bill and Heather are joined by Lindsay Jurist-Rosner, CEO of Wellthy, who shares more about the opportunities employers have to help their workforce tackle the logistical and administrative tasks of caring for loved ones.  Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).All caregiver solutions are provided by Wellthy. Wellthy and Voya are not corporate affiliates. CN2024175_0224

As we're into a new year and of course talks of what's hopefully moving ahead in 2022 are top of mind, we thought we'd bring in an expert to share a little more about the history of retirement and healthcare legislation, and how we got to where we are today. To do that, in this episode Bill and Heather are joined by Jim Klein, president of the American Benefits Council, a trade association based in Washington, D.C. representing primarily Fortune 500 companies that either sponsor or administer health and retirement benefits covering more than 100 million Americans. Tune in to hear more from Jim about the latest in retirement and health policy. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC). CN1996409_0124

Bill and Heather are back today with one Voya's own experienced professionals to talk about an important and popular topic in the industry and that is: lifetime income. In this episode, Bill and Heather are joined by SVP of retirement product management, Jeff Cimini, who you all might remember from last year's episode on Pooled Employers Plans. Lifetime income is becoming a more popular topic and one that plan sponsors are getting more questions about as their participants start to think about how they make their nest egg last throughout retirement. As a result, Jeff's here to share more on why lifetime income solutions so important and why now. Bill Harmon and Jeff Cimini are registered representatives of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC). CN1974246_0123

In one of our very first episodes we talked about Pooled Employer Plans and since then, the industry conversation has broadened with several considerations for employers today including legislation that could create even more opportunity. In today's episode, Bill and Heather talk with Scarlett Ungurean, Executive Director at ABA Retirement Funds Program, a fully bundled retirement offering to approximately 4,000 organizations in the legal community established nearly 60 years ago. As the ABA RF program has a longstanding reputation in the industry, Scarlett joins this episode to talk about some of the insights in the broad pooled plan space that her team has learned along the way.  Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC). Voya and the ABA Retirement Funds are separate, unaffiliated entities, and not responsible for one another's products and services. CN1946751_1222

We've been focused on industry trends recently so thought we'd dive in on one topic that has become an integral way to save for retirement and that is: Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation (NQDC) Plans. In this episode Bill and Heather are joined by Voya's own SVP of Non-Qualified Markets, Kirk Penland, who shares what he's hearing from clients as it pertains to NQDC plans and trends he's seeing in the marketplace at large.  Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).

As the topic of 401(k)'s are near and dear to us at Voya, we thought we'd bring on an industry expert to dive into the topic. In this episode, Bill and Heather are joined by Fred Barstein, Consulting Editor at RPA Convergence with InvestmentNews. Fred is most commonly known for his weekly video series “401(k) Real Talk” where he reviews recent industry news and provides open, honest and candid discussions you won't get anywhere else. Tune in to hear Fred's take on the latest industry chatter and perhaps more surprisingly the topic of mindfulness and the important role he believes it plays in a healthy retirement industry. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).Neither Fred Barstein, RPG Convergence, nor InvestmentNews are affiliated with the Voya® family of companies.CN1901034_1122

In this episode, Bill and Heather and joined by arguably one of the coolest guys in retirement — Owner of Plan Design Consultants, JD Carlson. JD is also the host of Retireholics, a weekly show where retirement industry professionals get together to talk shop. And, while he spends most of his time talking to folks in varying roles across the retirement plan industry, we've asked him to the podcast to share his own perspective to provide a “state of the industry.” Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).Plan Design Consultants is not a member of the Voya® family of companies.  CN1873214_1022

We've been talking a lot about Open Enrollment recently and there's a good reason for it – not only is it an important time of year, but now more than ever there is a heightened focus on the concept of “health and wealth” as a dual strategy when it comes to workplace benefits. In this episode, we welcome Gina Mourtzinou, Co-Founder and CEO at SAVVI Financial, an organization focused on leveraging analytics and modeling to develop high quality, affordable financial advice solutions. Gina joins Bill and Heather to provide a deeper understanding of how employers can support their workforce in these areas, particularly during Open Enrollment.Data referenced in this episode is noted from a Voya Financial survey conducted through Ipsos on the Ipsos eNation omnibus online platform among approx. 1,005 adults aged 18+ in the U.S. Research was conducted throughout 2020: March 25-26, April 22-23, May 29-June 1, June 29-30, July 30-31, Sept. 24-25, Oct. 22-23, Nov. 19-20, Dec. 17-18 and March 12-15, 2021. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).SAVVI Financial is not a member of the Voya® family of companies.  CN1864875_1022

If you've been listening to our recent episodes you know we've been dedicating our conversations to Open Enrollment. We in this industry know that this is a crucial time of year for both employers and participants. As a result, it's the perfect time to talk about one of the fastest growing employer offerings in the market – Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Bill Stuart, director, Planning and Business Analysis at Voya, joins Bill and Heather in this episode to help navigate the HSA waters. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC). The accident insurance claim presented was not the result of coverage offered through the Voya® family of companies and does not constitute an endorsement by any individual.  CN1854354_0922

They say you can never have too much of a good thing and for us at Voya that good thing is data. So, on today's episode Bill and Heather talk to some repeat guests, back by popular demand: Kerry Sette, Head of Consumer Insights and Research at Voya Financial, and Tom Armstrong, VP, Customer Analytics and Insight. Kerry and Tom discuss recent insights from Voya's broad consumer insights and findings from our retirement plan participant data at Voya which showed that the pandemic has clearly made saving for the future a priority for people, within all generations. Tune in hear to hear more on the findings.  Data referenced in this episode leveraged from the following sources:Internal Voya retirement plan participant data as of June 30, 2021.Results of a Voya Financial survey conducted through Ipsos on the Ipsos eNation omnibus online platform among 1,005 adults aged 18+ in the U.S., featuring 499 Americans working full-time or part-time; 284 Millennials and 191 Millennials working full-time or part-time. Research was conducted June 3-4, 2021.Results of a Voya Financial survey conducted through the Engine CARAVAN omnibus online platform among 3,012 U.S. adults aged 18+, featuring 1,113 Americans working full-time or part-time and eligible to participate in their employer's benefits program.  The research was conducted July 22-27, 2020.  Data is weighted to the most recent census data. Results of a Voya Financial survey conducted through AYTM (Ask Your Target Market) online research platform among 500 adults, aged 18-64, who are working full-time or part-time, eligible to participate in their employer's benefits program, and completed their 2021 workplace open enrollment period within 6 months of the survey.  The research was conducted March 10-12, 2021.  Results are balanced by age and gender to reflect the U.S. population.Kantar U.S. Monitor COVID-19 Download Volume 2. The Kantar survey was conducted from April 23 – April 29, 2020 with n=2,000 US consumers. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC).CN1834600_0922

As Open Enrollment approaches we're continuing the conversation today to talk about benefits spend from the advisor lens. In this episode, Bill and Heather are joined by Jeanne Fisher, CFP®, CPFA and managing director at Strategic Retirement Partners — though she is most commonly known as “The 401k Lady.” In addition to building a successful practice serving as an investment advisor representative and financial consultant for families and businesses, Jeanne has truly cracked the code in terms of helping people understand the often complex nature of the financial services industry via her social media presence. Tune in to hear more about what she has to say on the latest benefits she and her team are prioritizing when it comes to client discussions this Open Enrollment season. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC). Jeanne Fisher and Strategic Retirement Partners are not affiliated with the Voya® family of companies. CN1756032_0822

We're entering an important season ahead for many employers and individuals and that is Open Enrollment season. This year — more than ever — is going to be different as both employers and employees reassess their usage of benefits as a result of COVID-19. To help support employers who might be wondering about the “new landscape” when it comes to health benefits, in this episode Bill and Heather are joined by Paul Fronstin, director of the health research program at the Employee Benefit Research Institute. Data referenced includes research from the following sources:·       Voya Financial survey conducted through Ipsos on the Ipsos eNation omnibus online platform among 1,005 adults aged 18+ in the U.S. (featuring 294 who are currently working and benefits-eligible). Research was conducted Dec. 17-18, 2020.·       AARP, “5 Medicare Myths Set Straight” (2021). ·       EBRI “2020 Workplace Wellness Survey Funders' Presentation,” July 2020. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC). Paul Fronstin and the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) are not affiliated with the Voya® family of companies. CN1751450_0822

Higher education is an industry that undoubtedly has seen an impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, but one that even prior to the pandemic has focused on the importance of expanding financial wellness needs. In this episode, Bill and Heather talk with Jennifer Addleman, who oversees benefits and wellbeing at Rollins College, and Voya's own Brodie Wood, who leads our healthcare and education practice. Jennifer and Brodie speak to the developing holistic financial wellness needs that are top of mind right now within the higher education industry.  Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC). Brodie Wood is a registered representative of Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. (member SIPC). CN1717487_0722

On a recent episode, Bill and Heather talked with Voya colleagues on candid conversations about race in the workplace, noting that in order to create meaningful change, leaders need to engage with their workforce and be part of the conversation. In this episode, Bill and Heather are joined by two leaders to talk more about leading with change — Voya's own chairman and CEO, Rod Martin and Idalia Hill, director of strategy and operations at CEO Action. Rod and Idalia share their perspectives about why from a business perspective, diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace are important, and how fostering an inclusive culture helps move the needle toward a more just and equitable future. Bill Harmon is a registered representative of Voya Financial Partners, LLC (member SIPC). Idalia Hill and CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ are not affiliated with the Voya® family of companies. CN1726098_0722