{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Build Your Benefits","title":"What If Your Benefits Strategy Could Save a Life?","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1693,"description":"A great benefits program is only as strong as its ability to prove impact to a skeptical CFO or CEO. While many HR leaders rely on engagement surveys and anecdotal evidence, the path to sustainable investment lies in a rigorous, data-first approach that connects clinical outcomes to the bottom line. \nIn this conversation, Tom Ellis, VP of Total Rewards at Emplify Health, breaks down how he architected a bespoke behavioral health solution that moved beyond traditional EAPs. He shares the specific \"three-legged stool\" strategy he used to address chronic and episodic mental health needs, including the pivotal moment his CEO challenged the long-term validity of indefinite talk therapy without measurable results. From managing high-risk suicidal ideations to the nuances of multi-state benefit parity, Tom reveals the technical and persuasive skills required to lead a Total Rewards COE at the enterprise level.\nWhat You'll Learn:\n- Why traditional EAPs often fail at the point of chronic clinical referral.\n- The specific three-part tech stack needed for a functional benefits data lake.\n- How to structure a direct-to-employer relationship with local health systems.\n- Moving beyond surveys to identify presenteism and non-productive time through data.\n- The \"three-legged stool\" of behavioral health: on-site, self-help tech, and navigators.\n- How to present high-stakes behavioral health outcomes to a senior leadership team.\n- The importance of \"off-label\" use cases for HR business partners in benefit adoption.\n- Why first-principles thinking on a whiteboard beats following consultant trends.\nKey Quotes:\n— \"Anybody without data is just another person with an opinion.\"\n— \"If this is going to be nine months of talk therapy and there aren't a lot of results to show for it, a year from now we're going to be having a very different discussion.\"\n— \"Take the data and turn it into people. We identified eight suicidal ideations and were able to avoid those and get people the help they...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/uvnUID2Z7VmGyaG4MqwzVMXmfYRa-Q5MmuVcUoRn0bs/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9kNGU4/MzAxZWRiNGVlZjNi/NGM0NDVmMDI0MDMw/Y2MyOS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}