Fwb/Ep6 — The One with Lee from Block (ex-Google): Inclusive Design, Why Benchmarks Aren’t Enough
What does it really look like when you build benefits with inclusion, equity, and integrity from someone who’s worked in both Big Tech and policy?In this episode of Friends With Benefits, we sit down with Lee from Block (formerly at Google) to dig into what “equity by design” actually means in a global company. Lee shares honest lessons about balancing equality vs equity, navigating local trade‑offs, and why the numbers you benchmark with might mislead more than help.00:00 — From Social Work to Global Benefits14:00 — Beyond Tick-Box DEI28:00 — Building Global Minimums That Scale35:00 — Communication as an Equity Issue39:00 — Can AI Help?46:00 — Practical Steps for Inclusive BenefitsBe the first to know when new episodes drop! Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thanksben/
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FwB/Ep 5 — The One with Benefits Leader Mark: Global Rollouts, AI Caution, Engagement
In this episode of Friends with Benefits, David sits down with global benefits leader Mark to break down the hard-earned lessons from rolling out benefits tech across 50+ countries.From why engagement isn’t just a comms problem to how AI could derail more than it helps, this episode gets into the operational realities most people don’t talk about.They unpack:— Why most global rollouts miss the mark on engagement— How to design for personalisation at scale— The role of consistency vs. autonomy across regions— Where AI fits in and where it really doesn’t— What benefits teams can learn from product teamsIf you’re navigating complexity, scaling strategy, or just trying to get your benefits platform actually used this one’s for you.Timestamps: 00:00 – Getting into Benefits03:50 – Health Benefits Are Underused08:15 – Benefits Are Designed, Not Just Delivered10:45 – The Local vs. Global Trap17:20 – Post-Launch is the Real Work21:50 – Measuring Impact24:40 – The Personalisation Gap36:00 – The Marketing Mindset43:50 – AI, Structure & Scale47:10 – Benefits ConfessionThanks for watching! Subscribe to our channel.
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FwB/Ep4 — The One with Steve from Autodoc: Radical Transparency, Reimagining Benefits from Scratch
In this episode of Friends with Benefits, Carl and David are joined by Steve Bianchi ex-Unilever, now Chief People Officer at Autodoc. Steve brings his systems mindset, startup grit, and global experience to the table as they unpack everything from UK healthcare policy to why payroll is the most underused channel in benefits comms.They discuss the limits of fairness, the value of radical transparency, the true cost of “workations,” and why benefit strategies need to move from one-size-fits-all to hyper-personalised at scale. No fluff just sharp, structured thinking from someone who’s built benefits from the ground up.00:00 – Should companies fill NHS gaps?08:00 – The real shift post-pandemic10:00 – Why prevention gets ignored14:00 – Reimagining the value of healthcare15:00 – How to build a benefits strategy from scratch19:00 – Recognition as a benefit25:00 – Career frameworks as proprietary benefits27:00 – Trust and transparency over fairness30:00 – The problem with intangible rewards35:00 – What matters changes with life stage38:00 – Why we’re failing on comms40:00 – Hyper-personalisation is already here44:00 – Should performance-based benefits exist?49:00 – What great rewards leaders do now52:00 – Steve’s Benefit ConfessionFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thanksben/
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Friends with Benefits: Episode 3 – The One with Joana from Eventbrite: Mental Health, Global Equity & Marketing Your Benefits
In this episode of Friends with Benefits, Carl and David sit down with Jo Viana, Director of Global Benefits at Eventbrite, to get real about what it takes to build benefits that actually matter especially when you’re supporting people across 9+ countries. They dive into the messy realities of global equity, the limits of utilisation metrics, why mental health needs more than a tick-box, and how communication can make or break your benefits strategy. It’s honest, sharp, and full of lessons from someone who's doing the work.Timestamps:00:00 – Meet Joana & the Eventbrite landscape04:30 – The equity balancing act08:00 – Mental health: usage ≠ impact15:00 – Breaking stigma through storytelling22:00 – Making benefits visible26:00 – AI, access, and cautious optimism37:00 – When redundancy matters41:00 – Benefits ConfessionBe the first to know when new episodes drop! Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thanksben/
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Friends with Benefits: Episode 2 – The One with John from Workday: Decluttering Benefits, Proving ROI, and the Truth About Data
Benefits are bloated. Data is broken. ROI is murky. But people still need support that works.In this episode of Friends with Benefits, we're joined by John Whitaker, Senior Director of International Benefits at Workday. From decluttering bloated benefit portfolios to the real reasons wellbeing ROI is so hard to prove, John brings a refreshingly honest view of what actually matters in the benefits space. We cover global cost pressures, benefit duplication, the data gaps still holding us back, and why sometimes the best employee experience is just making things work.Tune in for practical insights, hard truths, and a few benefit confessions you won't forget.Timestamps:00:00 – Welcome & intro to John from Workday03:00 – Why having more benefits isn’t better 07:40 – Wellbeing fatigue & lack of results 12:00 – Budget ≠ impact 14:00 – Personalisation over standardisation 19:00 – Data gaps still hurt decision-making 23:00 – Admin vs. strategy 30:00 – The problem with proving ROI 33:00 – Living your values through benefits38:00 – Cutting costs without cutting care 40:00 – The value of simplification 42:00 – Benefit confession Be the first to know when new episodes drop! Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thanksben/
‘Friends with Benefits’ is the essential podcast for rewards and benefits leaders.
Hosted by Carl Chapman and David Duckworth from Ben, each episode brings together top minds in benefits and HR to unpack the latest trends shaping the world of benefits. Think AI, employee engagement, ROI, and more. Expect real talk with industry innovators and bold ideas you’ll want to steal.
If you’re building better benefits, this is the podcast your CPO wishes you’d listen to.
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