Employers have
Whether offering greater access to benefits like fertility care, or helping working parents manage their overloaded schedules with the help of virtual assistants, today's top employers are finding new ways to incorporate technology into their benefit packages and daily workflow. At AT&T, an expanded partnership with family benefits provider Maven will now provide their workforce with virtual care support for fertility needs like IVF, egg freezing, adoption and surrogacy. Additionally, AT&T's 125,000 employees will continue to have access to virtual maternity and postpartum care through the platform.
"Very high-quality virtual care goes a long way in filling some of the gaps," says Matt Phillips, AT&T's AVP of benefits. "When it comes to employee well-being, we try to put the employee experience at the center."
Read more about the expanded partnership and how technology is making care available to more employees:
Tech can ease mental health challenges, too — for working parents in particular, who struggle with high rates of burnout and stress, a virtual personal assistant platform is helping them find a few more hours in their day to focus on themselves. Yohana provides employees with an online assistant that can take on up to three tasks at a time, from finding a tutor or landscaper to meal-planning and researching flights.
"We want to help our members offload the things that create clutter in their minds and lead to burnout and stress," says Sean Paterson, head of commercial at Yohana. "Employers try to address burnout with spot solutions like gym memberships or mental health apps, which are all good, but it doesn't really get to the root of the problem: How do we give employees time back to focus on what matters most to them?"
Read more about the platform and how it's saving parents hours each week:
Finding ways to cut down on time-sucking tasks can benefit employees who are also managing disabilities. Natalie Suppes, founder and CEO of S&S Creative, has been managing her Crohn's disease since 2007, which has often cut into her work time and left her exhausted and burned out. She's started incorporating AI tools and platforms like Jasper and ChatGPT into her workflow to help reduce the time it takes to get her work done, giving her more time to energize and focus on her health. It's a benefit all employers should consider, especially when looking at DEI strategies, she says.
"Tech is that light at the end of the tunnel for employees with disabilities or invisible illnesses — every single thing that comes out gives us more freedom," Suppes says. "So when workplaces think of DEI, consider how small changes in tech could actually be what improves accessibility and makes disabled folks feel less alone."
Read more about the role of AI in disability support:
If you want to help your workforce polish their tech skills, or learn new ones, it's important to understand which ones are the most desirable — and profitable. Job search platform Indeed recently released its ranking of most in-demand AI skills: Understanding generative AI topped the list as the most desired and lucrative skill. Employers should be playing a role in
"For those already working full-time, some effective methods for learning these tech skills include enrolling in online courses, attending boot camps, or participating in other training programs tailored to AI development," said Donal McMahon, VP of data science at Indeed. "Continuous learning and staying abreast of the latest advancements in AI are essential for success in this rapidly evolving field."
Read more about the skills employees need to succeed as AI becomes more essential:
