In this episode of Transform Your Workplace, Melanie Langsett, Rewards and Well-Being Leader at Deloitte, explores the company’s inventive approach to employee well-being. Deloitte sets itself apart by offering flexible benefits options that cater to each individual’s unique needs. Learn from Deloitte how to ditch those one-size-fits-all benefits packages, get creative, and meet your people where they are when it comes to mental, physical, and financial well-being.
GUEST AT A GLANCE
Melanie Langsett, Rewards and Well-Being Leader at Deloitte, brings over three decades of expertise in employee benefits administration and human capital consulting. She has a diverse portfolio, having served Fortune 500 companies, nonprofit organizations, and public sector clients.
A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST
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🎙️ Host: Brandon Laws
📋 In his own words: “The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders.”
GETTING CREATIVE WITH WELL-BEING
According to Melanie Langsett, Deloitte is placing a high priority on well-being by offering flexible benefits to their people. Unlike traditional cafeteria plans, Deloitte’s benefits are designed to empower employees with real choices that genuinely cater to their individual needs. For instance, they offer a well-being subsidy of $1,000 annually, allowing employees to invest in equipment, subscriptions, or other items that enhance their overall health. From mattresses to boxing gloves to gardening supplies, Deloitte gives employees the flexibility to choose what “works best for them,” recognizing that well-being is a deeply personal journey.
PODCAST EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
Meeting a Variety of Needs
“When you have large numbers of employees with a large variety of needs and you’re trying to meet people where they are, it’s impossible to have a one-size-fits-one, but you can’t have a one-size-fits-all approach either. And so the parental leave that you referenced is one that is commonly available to employees from a lot of their employers. And when Deloitte looked at that, we said that caring for children is not the only caregiving need that our workforce has. We have those who are in [the] starting and raising their family part of their life. And we have those who are caring for partners or spouses or those who are caring for their parents. And so we designed a family leave program that allows a professional to take time off, paid time off, in addition to their PTO, to care for or bond with a new child, whether it’s through surrogacy or adoption or natural birth, or to care for the health of their spouse, partner, or their parents.”
It Starts From Within
“We very intentionally talk about supporting our employees’ ability to thrive mentally, physically, and financially — in that order. Because if you’re stressed, if you’re concerned about your well-being or the well-being of your family, you’re distracted. So you may be at work, but you might not be fully present. You’re not able to bring your best self and therefore do your best work. So a lot of the things that we do may feel like they are focused on your financial well-being or your physical well-being when, in fact, it really starts with mental well-being.”
“The Collective Disconnect”
“I have to give credit to the manufacturing industry that, for a long time, would have year-end shutdowns where they would shut down the plant, and everyone got time off together. So pulling that into an organization like ours, we started many years ago with an end-of-the-calendar-year that we called ‘Collective Disconnect.’ […] What we heard from our employees was that it was the most recuperative time that they had ever had. It was almost like changing jobs, but without having to change a job. […] And we’ve found that our productivity individually and collectively is so much higher after a Collective Disconnect because we all have had that time to really be away and not feel like we’re slaves to our devices.”
Ask and Listen
“The key is listening and it’s not leading the witness with a preset idea of what you want to do, but it’s actually creating the space for your workforce to provide you input that is without an agenda attached. [….] When given the opportunity and many times even without being prompted, your employees will tell you what they like, what they don’t like, what they need, what their wants are. And then using that insight, both through active listening and passive listening, is really important to how you continue to evolve your rewards programs and how you care for the well-being of your workforce.”
Your People and Your Business
“Every workforce is different. […] So looking at what everybody else is doing can be informative but should not be your guide to what you’re doing with and for your workforce. […] In the past, the standard was ‘What’s everybody else doing — Let’s do that.’ So my advice, regardless of size, is to understand your workforce and how you can meet their needs while helping to achieve the business objectives that your organization has set out.”
A Commitment to Safety
“If you’re focused on the well-being of your workforce, it’s making sure that your people leaders are committed to that because they’re the ones who are engaging day to day, moment to moment with your workforce and can create the culture and environment that is going to demonstrate your commitment. Because well-being starts with how work gets done, right? And it’s the way that we engage with one another. It’s the way we treat one another. It’s that psychological safety I spoke about that has to be there. Because without that as a foundation, all the plans and programs in the world are really not going to help you advance your objective.”
LEARN MORE
Connect with Melanie Langsett on LinkedIn or learn more about Deloitte here.