Benefits decisions shape behavior earlier than most organizations recognize. Data exists, reports are reviewed, and costs continue to rise. In Episode 18 of HR Wine Bar, host Amy Luckenbill, President of the Human Resource Association of the Midlands, welcomes Kevin Handzlik, VP of Employee Benefits at Ellerbrock-Norris Insurance, for a focused conversation on self-funding, transparency, and what it actually means to use data in benefits strategy.
Titled What Are We Funding: Benefits, Behavior, and Brunello, this episode examines how organizations move from managing plans to operating a system. The discussion explores how access to claims data and cost drivers increases visibility, but does not create change on its own. Through real-world scenarios and practical application, the conversation clarifies how benefits design influences employee behavior, how cost drivers become visible, and how HR can translate data into decisions that impact both spend and experience.
If you support benefits, total rewards, or financial planning, this episode sharpens your understanding of how benefits function as a system and where your influence begins. It positions HR as the connector between data, design, and decision-making, ensuring that one of the organization’s largest investments produces measurable outcomes.
Cheers to HR!
Podcast produced by Todd Studer (Loess Hills Media)
Jingle recorded by Mad Honey
Jingle produced by Kyle Knapp (Dry Creek Studio)
What is HR Wine Bar?
HR Wine Bar is a candid and practical podcast for HR professionals who want real conversation, real community, and real insight. Hosts Amy Luckenbill and Jamie Mohrman share honest stories from their careers, explore the challenges and opportunities facing HR today, and offer clear and relatable guidance on everything from compliance to culture. Created in partnership with HRAM and connected to the larger SHRM network, the show helps listeners stay informed, supported, and connected. Each episode blends meaningful HR content with a lighthearted style that feels like talking with trusted peers. Tune in, learn, and find your HR community with HR Wine Bar.