Banjos to Benefits | Are we making music or just clapping along?

Calli Adamson Bakken
As many do, Calli fell into Human Resources through a passion for employee development and creating safe, supportive environments for people to do their best work. A self-proclaimed “hole-filler”, she transitioned to Human Resources technology after recognizing a significant need for quality technology and supportive, knowledgeable, service. Filling yet another hole, she’s currently the Director of Outreach and Engagement for Wanido Workforce Well-Being. She focuses her energy educating employers on the extensive benefits of creating an engaged and empowered workforce. When she’s not boldly championing employee well-being you can find her walking her adorable westies with her husband and toddler, strumming a banjo, or teaching pregnancy classes.

A good benefits plan has a lot in common with good music: timing, audience, and authenticity are everything. As HR professionals, we need to move past the traditional view that basic medical, dental, vision, etc. are employee benefits. These “benefits” are a standard cost of doing business. Organizations that will thrive through the looming turnover tsunami are those that prioritize employee well-being and seek to address the needs of their unique population.
Join Calli as she discusses the value, ROI, and often low cost of getting creative to offer employee-centric benefits that improve lives.


Learning Objective:
- Our standard benefits package (Medical, Dental, 401k, STD, LTD, etc.) is not a benefit - it's a requirement.
- Your employee population is unique, get to know what's under the hood to find new ways to support them as humans
- We have a nasty habit of thinking "benefits" are expensive. There's a lot we can do with minimal or no added cost
- Benefits must be specific and address a real population need
- Capitalize on social capital in the workplace