Friends with Employee Benefits

Why 17% of the Workday Is Lost—and How Employers Can Get It Back with Jon Cooper, CEO of Overalls

In this episode, host Jeff Cross sits down with Jon Cooper, Founder and CEO of Overalls, to explore how employees lose 17% of their workday to personal life distractions,

Transforming Benefits with AI: From Confusion to Clarity with Rohan D’Souza, Co-Founder & CEO of Avante

Employers are spending more than ever on healthcare, yet many benefits go underused and employees remain unsure how to navigate them. The problem isn’t the benefits thems

Captive Success Story: Horst Engineering's Path to Cost Control & Employee Wellbeing with Anthony Luis, Director of HR & Administration

Tired of watching your employee benefits costs climb year after year? In this episode of Friends with Employee Benefits, we explore how one company broke free from the c

ICHRA Success Stories: How Loureiro Engineering Reimagined Health Coverage & Cut Costs with Brian Cutler, CEO

In this episode, host Jeff Cross speaks with Brian Cutler, CEO of Loureiro Engineering, an employee-owned global engineering company based in Plainville, Connecticut. Bri

The Invisible Crisis: How Caregiving is Quietly Draining Your Workforce ft. Homethrive

Did you know that caregiving is the second leading reason employees leave the workforce, right after retirement?*  In this insightful episode, host Jeff Cross sits down

Fractional Work and People-First Leadership with Darrin Tulley, Fractional Operating & People Officer at Koster Keunen

In this episode, we sit down with Darrin Tulley, Fractional Operating and People Officer at Koster Keunen, a global manufacturer of waxes. During this conversation, we di

Breaking the Stigma: Rethinking Mental Health Care with Daniel Lawhon, Founder & CEO of First Tracks Health

We recently sat down with Daniel Lawhon, the driving force behind First Tracks Health. Daniel shares his unique journey and sheds light on the current mental health lands

Crafting a Well-Designed Workplace Mental Health Strategy to Help Your People Thrive with John Lufburrow, Chief Revenue Officer at ReviveHealth

John Lufburrow, Chief Revenue Officer at ReviveHealth, joins Jeff Cross on the podcast to discuss how employers can move past the traditional EAP programs to drive greate

GLP-1s, The Rebate Game & Tariffs - Oh My! A Conversation with Richard Lo, Director of Clinical Services, OneDigital Pharmacy Consulting

According to the 2025 Employer Health Care Strategy Survey by Business Group on Health, 27% of an employer's healthcare spending was due to pharmacy costs in 2023, up fro

Beyond Symptoms: A Doctor's Perspective on Healthcare in America

We sat down with Dr. Brian Williams, a family medicine physician in Mystic, Connecticut, to get his perspective on the current healthcare system in America and how we, as

Introducing Season 4: Rethinking Healthcare, Together

Friends with Employee Benefits is back with another season and this time, we're focused on one underlying theme: help employers contain their healthcare cost by, among ot

Navigating the Skilled Labor Market: Insights from Jim Bologa, President and CEO at Porter & Chester Institute

In today’s competitive job market, finding skilled workers has become a pressing challenge for employers across various industries. Jim Bologa, President and CEO at Porte

Building a Culture Around Purpose & Trust with Jessica Rich, co-CEO of The Walker Group

100% retention in 24 months in this labor market? Sounds impossible - but that's been the reality for The Walker Group and co-CEO, Jessica Rich, who over the past year he

A Deep Dive into AI in the Workplace with Vinay Gidwaney, Chief Product Officer at OneDigital

Generative AI is, and will continue, to transform the American Workplace. How can HR and business leaders prepare for this change? Vinay Gidwaney, Chief Product Officer

A Conversation Around Employee Engagement, Mental Health & Wellbeing with Lisa Harris & Jody Breault at VEIC

Mental health awareness is more than just one month out of the year. It's a year-round opportunity to continue to show up for your employees so they can do their best w

Lifestyle Spending Accounts: What Are They & How Are They Keeping Employees Engaged with Lisa Jacobi, CHRO at COCC, Ryan Burns + Megan Burns from Forma

With the workforce becoming increasingly diverse year over year, employers are struggling with finding the right type of benefits that fit all their employees' needs. But

SECURE 2.0 in 20 Minutes: What This Legislation Means For Your Organization with Sean Patton, SVP, Retirement Services at OneDigital

In this quick hit episode, we'll cover why SECURE 2.0 was created, what the impact will mean for your organization + your people, what deadlines are approaching, and what

Retaining Your People is Not the Answer to Your Workforce Strategy with Travis Dommert, SVP of Talent at OneDigital

In this episode, Host Jeff Cross is joined by Travis Dommert, SVP of Talent at OneDigital, for a candid conversation around why retaining your employees is not the answer

A Conversation with Paul LaVoie, Chief Manufacturing Officer for the State of Connecticut

Paul LaVoie, Chief Manufacturing Officer for the State of Connecticut, joins Host Jeff Cross for a conversation about the state of manufacturing in CT and the impact the

Starting the Year off with Conscious Accountability (Part 2) with David Tate, Co-Author, Executive Coach & Professor at Yale

Before you press play, make sure you go back to Part 1 released on January 10th to hear the first part of this conversation between Host Jeff Cross and David Tate. Being