Tag: 3BL

Originally published by InHerSight

Northwestern Mutual has been helping people and businesses achieve financial security for 165 years. Rated most highly for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, Maternity and Adoptive Leave, and Flexible Work Hours, they receive top-notch reviews like this one from a very satisfied rater: “Northwestern Mutual offers fantastic growth opportunities and leadership really listens to its employees. They are transparent in their communication and offer a very inclusive and welcoming environment.” Click to explore Northwestern Mutual’s ratings, benefits, and open roles now!

A word from InHerSight’s partner Northwestern Mutual

Creating a culture of belonging where women can join, stay, and grow is essential to Northwestern Mutual’s success. We understand the importance of fostering inclusive spaces that empower women to have a seat at the table. We believe that collaboration and mentorship among women and allies benefits women and leads to stronger, more dynamic teams. The mutual exchange of ideas and support helps everyone grow and succeed together.

Northwestern Mutual’s Women’s Employee Resource Group (WERG)

The vision of the Women’s Employee Resource Group (WERG) is to make Northwestern Mutual the destination for top talent where women thrive in our workplace and communities. Our mission is to foster a workplace that values and encourages women to be their genuine selves while supporting their development and contribution to the company’s success at all levels. As part of the Women’s Initiative Strategic Ecosystem (WISE), the WERG’s impact extends beyond the ERG, encompassing mentoring, programming, networking, and other intentional actions. This collective effort ensures that our initiatives not only support women within Northwestern Mutual but also contribute to a broader, more inclusive culture.

Antoinette Thomas, WERG chair and Assistant Director of digital adoption at Northwestern Mutual, said: “The collaboration among the Employee Resource Groups, WISE partners and functional Diversity & Inclusion councils continues to create a space where all women feel seen, supported and encouraged to be themselves and flourish, which continues the progress towards making NM the place where top women talent join, stay and grow.”

An article by Forbes underscores the importance of such impacts. Out of a survey of over 400 men, “…the majority of respondents (88 percent) say they want to help women advance in the workplace, but they don’t know the best actions to take.”  This highlights a significant gap in knowledge and action, which WISE aims to address. 

Created in 2019, WISE brings together the collective power of women and ally groups, fostering deeper connections and meaningful engagements. One shining example of this is initiative is the collaboration between our Male Allies group and VIBE (Visible Intentional Black Excellence). VIBE’s mission is to build community and connections that strengthen inclusion and career success for Black women at Northwestern Mutual. Together, these groups have created a dynamic space for knowledge-sharing programs, such as reverse mentoring. This innovative approach pairs women with male allies, promoting a two-way exchange of insights and experiences. Through these interactions, members of the Male Allies group gain a profound understanding of the experiences women face in both the workplace and our broader communities.

Male leadership on being an ally

By participating in reverse mentoring, male leaders across the company can gain valuable insights into the challenges encountered by their female colleagues and learn how to be more effective allies.

“There is an importance in leaning in and understanding differences,” said Art Mees, VP of Regional Distribution Performance. “Sometimes someone will only be looking for commonality between each other, when you should build confidence in the ability to get more comfortable saying tell me about that difference here… and in doing so, you are more likely able to be in tune with the whole view and your whole experience and create more connection and more ability to be good partners.”  

Our commitment to supporting women in our workplace is reinforced by our leadership’s dedication to these programs.

“Having grown my career in the technology field, it was impossible to not notice that few women were represented. As a result, voices were left out of conversations and a diversity of thought was missing,” said Northwestern Mutual’s EVP and Chief Strategy Officer, and Women’s Employee Resource Group (ERG) executive sponsor, Jeff Sippel. “We have an obligation to help our peers advance in their careers. In traditionally male dominated fields, like tech, there aren’t always accessible opportunities for women. With men leaning in intentionally, we can invite women into those spaces and create opportunities for career advancement.”

The reverse mentorship program

The mentorship program consists of a four-month commitment where pairings meet monthly to build relationships, discuss life experiences and create connections across the organization.   

Members are encouraged to lean into this opportunity to fully embrace the experience. Through the program, male allies gain a better understanding of the issues and challenges and women receive valuable one-on-one face time with male allies and learn about their experiences.  

In its inaugural year, the program, open to anyone to participate, saw 19 mentor pairings. In 2024, we saw nearly a 75 percent increase in pairs of participants.  For leaders within the Male Allies group, the opportunity to connect with VIBE members has aided their allyship journey and served as a leadership tool to broaden perspective. 

Florie Greenhill, lead program manager at Northwestern Mutual, said being part of the reverse mentoring program, “provided me with an opportunity to connect with a senior leader I would never have had a reason to engage with otherwise…He was able to hear tangible examples of experiences I have had as a Black woman in corporate America and draw the connections to where his piece fits into that puzzle for me and other Black women at Northwestern Mutual. It was a safe space to discuss the impact of actions and words and over the course of the mentoring, my mentee would come to our meetings prepared with examples of how my mentorship helped him navigate different situations both professionally and personally.”

These personal connections and dialogues are crucial in fostering an inclusive workplace. 

“Reverse mentoring raises visibility and builds a bridge toward enhanced understanding of the experiences of others—outside and within the organization,” said Noleta Franz, VIBE chair and Assistant Director of Legal Process. “It has opened doors to have conversations about important issues that matter to Black women.”

Northwestern Mutual believes that learning about experiences outside your own is a critical component in how we relate, collaborate, enhance leadership, and are catalysts for change in workplace culture. 

To learn more about our initiatives and how we’re supporting women, visit our Culture page.

Originally published by InHerSight

Northwestern Mutual has been helping people and businesses achieve financial security for 165 years. Rated most highly for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, Maternity and Adoptive Leave, and Flexible Work Hours, they receive top-notch reviews like this one from a very satisfied rater: “Northwestern Mutual offers fantastic growth opportunities and leadership really listens to its employees. They are transparent in their communication and offer a very inclusive and welcoming environment.” Click to explore Northwestern Mutual’s ratings, benefits, and open roles now!

A word from InHerSight’s partner Northwestern Mutual

Creating a culture of belonging where women can join, stay, and grow is essential to Northwestern Mutual’s success. We understand the importance of fostering inclusive spaces that empower women to have a seat at the table. We believe that collaboration and mentorship among women and allies benefits women and leads to stronger, more dynamic teams. The mutual exchange of ideas and support helps everyone grow and succeed together.

Northwestern Mutual’s Women’s Employee Resource Group (WERG)

The vision of the Women’s Employee Resource Group (WERG) is to make Northwestern Mutual the destination for top talent where women thrive in our workplace and communities. Our mission is to foster a workplace that values and encourages women to be their genuine selves while supporting their development and contribution to the company’s success at all levels. As part of the Women’s Initiative Strategic Ecosystem (WISE), the WERG’s impact extends beyond the ERG, encompassing mentoring, programming, networking, and other intentional actions. This collective effort ensures that our initiatives not only support women within Northwestern Mutual but also contribute to a broader, more inclusive culture.

Antoinette Thomas, WERG chair and Assistant Director of digital adoption at Northwestern Mutual, said: “The collaboration among the Employee Resource Groups, WISE partners and functional Diversity & Inclusion councils continues to create a space where all women feel seen, supported and encouraged to be themselves and flourish, which continues the progress towards making NM the place where top women talent join, stay and grow.”

An article by Forbes underscores the importance of such impacts. Out of a survey of over 400 men, “…the majority of respondents (88 percent) say they want to help women advance in the workplace, but they don’t know the best actions to take.”  This highlights a significant gap in knowledge and action, which WISE aims to address. 

Created in 2019, WISE brings together the collective power of women and ally groups, fostering deeper connections and meaningful engagements. One shining example of this is initiative is the collaboration between our Male Allies group and VIBE (Visible Intentional Black Excellence). VIBE’s mission is to build community and connections that strengthen inclusion and career success for Black women at Northwestern Mutual. Together, these groups have created a dynamic space for knowledge-sharing programs, such as reverse mentoring. This innovative approach pairs women with male allies, promoting a two-way exchange of insights and experiences. Through these interactions, members of the Male Allies group gain a profound understanding of the experiences women face in both the workplace and our broader communities.

Male leadership on being an ally

By participating in reverse mentoring, male leaders across the company can gain valuable insights into the challenges encountered by their female colleagues and learn how to be more effective allies.

“There is an importance in leaning in and understanding differences,” said Art Mees, VP of Regional Distribution Performance. “Sometimes someone will only be looking for commonality between each other, when you should build confidence in the ability to get more comfortable saying tell me about that difference here… and in doing so, you are more likely able to be in tune with the whole view and your whole experience and create more connection and more ability to be good partners.”  

Our commitment to supporting women in our workplace is reinforced by our leadership’s dedication to these programs.

“Having grown my career in the technology field, it was impossible to not notice that few women were represented. As a result, voices were left out of conversations and a diversity of thought was missing,” said Northwestern Mutual’s EVP and Chief Strategy Officer, and Women’s Employee Resource Group (ERG) executive sponsor, Jeff Sippel. “We have an obligation to help our peers advance in their careers. In traditionally male dominated fields, like tech, there aren’t always accessible opportunities for women. With men leaning in intentionally, we can invite women into those spaces and create opportunities for career advancement.”

The reverse mentorship program

The mentorship program consists of a four-month commitment where pairings meet monthly to build relationships, discuss life experiences and create connections across the organization.   

Members are encouraged to lean into this opportunity to fully embrace the experience. Through the program, male allies gain a better understanding of the issues and challenges and women receive valuable one-on-one face time with male allies and learn about their experiences.  

In its inaugural year, the program, open to anyone to participate, saw 19 mentor pairings. In 2024, we saw nearly a 75 percent increase in pairs of participants.  For leaders within the Male Allies group, the opportunity to connect with VIBE members has aided their allyship journey and served as a leadership tool to broaden perspective. 

Florie Greenhill, lead program manager at Northwestern Mutual, said being part of the reverse mentoring program, “provided me with an opportunity to connect with a senior leader I would never have had a reason to engage with otherwise…He was able to hear tangible examples of experiences I have had as a Black woman in corporate America and draw the connections to where his piece fits into that puzzle for me and other Black women at Northwestern Mutual. It was a safe space to discuss the impact of actions and words and over the course of the mentoring, my mentee would come to our meetings prepared with examples of how my mentorship helped him navigate different situations both professionally and personally.”

These personal connections and dialogues are crucial in fostering an inclusive workplace. 

“Reverse mentoring raises visibility and builds a bridge toward enhanced understanding of the experiences of others—outside and within the organization,” said Noleta Franz, VIBE chair and Assistant Director of Legal Process. “It has opened doors to have conversations about important issues that matter to Black women.”

Northwestern Mutual believes that learning about experiences outside your own is a critical component in how we relate, collaborate, enhance leadership, and are catalysts for change in workplace culture. 

To learn more about our initiatives and how we’re supporting women, visit our Culture page.

We are known by many for our expertly crafted fragrances and our best-in-class retail store presence, but a full understanding of our business begins with a closer look at our unique supply chain.

Powered by agility and innovation, our predominantly U.S.-based, vertically integrated supply chain enables us to deliver high-quality, on trend luxuries at affordable prices. Our extended value chain includes inputs, like our ingredient and raw materials sourcing; suppliers, like those for our components, contract fillers and packaging manufacturing; inbound and outbound logistics; marketing and sales; and the use and end-of-life of our products.

One of the unique aspects of our supply chain model is Beauty Park, a consolidated group of suppliers in New Albany, Ohio that primarily, but not exclusively, supports several of our value chain activities like research and development, product manufacturing and formulation and packaging manufacturing. Having Beauty Park close to our headquarters is a key competitive advantage for our business that allows us to be more agile in responding to shifting consumer demands. As we continue on our sustainability journey, we are proud that Beauty Park supports our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint as its geographic efficiencies reduce our freight emissions across our vertical supply chain.

Additionally, our company-operated distribution and fulfillment centers and shipping facilities, located in central Ohio, are core to our operations. We also use third-party-operated direct channel fulfillment centers and regional distribution centers located throughout North America to position inventory geographically closer to our customers.

In our most recent ESG report we shared that as of 2023, Bath & Body Works reported:

38% proportion of total spend with Ohio-based suppliers (23 vendors; 32 factories)238 third-party manufacturing facilities (as of Feb. 3, 2024) *Figure accounts for factories paid in fiscal 20236 company-operated distribution and fulfillment centers (as of Feb. 3, 2024)

In 2023, we also continued our efforts to incrementally move production to North America. These geographical production shifts support supply reliability and enhance the speed and agility of our business, along with reducing the distance finished components need to travel. Examples of production moves to North America include:

Key lip tube manufacturing moving to the U.S. from China and MexicoFoaming hand soap pump moving from China to the U.S

We understand that in order to meet our ESG commitments, we have to work collaboratively with our supply chain partners, at all levels of the supply chain, to maximize the impact we can make in the future.

Learn more about our sustainable sourcing updates and other initiatives in our 2023 ESG report at bbwinc.com.

We are known by many for our expertly crafted fragrances and our best-in-class retail store presence, but a full understanding of our business begins with a closer look at our unique supply chain.

Powered by agility and innovation, our predominantly U.S.-based, vertically integrated supply chain enables us to deliver high-quality, on trend luxuries at affordable prices. Our extended value chain includes inputs, like our ingredient and raw materials sourcing; suppliers, like those for our components, contract fillers and packaging manufacturing; inbound and outbound logistics; marketing and sales; and the use and end-of-life of our products.

One of the unique aspects of our supply chain model is Beauty Park, a consolidated group of suppliers in New Albany, Ohio that primarily, but not exclusively, supports several of our value chain activities like research and development, product manufacturing and formulation and packaging manufacturing. Having Beauty Park close to our headquarters is a key competitive advantage for our business that allows us to be more agile in responding to shifting consumer demands. As we continue on our sustainability journey, we are proud that Beauty Park supports our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint as its geographic efficiencies reduce our freight emissions across our vertical supply chain.

Additionally, our company-operated distribution and fulfillment centers and shipping facilities, located in central Ohio, are core to our operations. We also use third-party-operated direct channel fulfillment centers and regional distribution centers located throughout North America to position inventory geographically closer to our customers.

In our most recent ESG report we shared that as of 2023, Bath & Body Works reported:

38% proportion of total spend with Ohio-based suppliers (23 vendors; 32 factories)238 third-party manufacturing facilities (as of Feb. 3, 2024) *Figure accounts for factories paid in fiscal 20236 company-operated distribution and fulfillment centers (as of Feb. 3, 2024)

In 2023, we also continued our efforts to incrementally move production to North America. These geographical production shifts support supply reliability and enhance the speed and agility of our business, along with reducing the distance finished components need to travel. Examples of production moves to North America include:

Key lip tube manufacturing moving to the U.S. from China and MexicoFoaming hand soap pump moving from China to the U.S

We understand that in order to meet our ESG commitments, we have to work collaboratively with our supply chain partners, at all levels of the supply chain, to maximize the impact we can make in the future.

Learn more about our sustainable sourcing updates and other initiatives in our 2023 ESG report at bbwinc.com.

Bridgewater, N.J., November 20, 2024 /3BL/ Henkel Corporation, a global leader for adhesives, sealants and functional coatings, and Celanese Corporation, a global chemical and specialty materials company, have announced a partnership to enhance circularity in emulsion production by utilizing carbon capture-based materials.

Earlier this year, Celanese launched a carbon capture and utilization (CCU) project at its Clear Lake, Texas site as part of its Fairway Methanol joint venture with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. The CCU technology captures industrial CO2 emissions and, using hydrogen, converts them into methanol, which forms 35% of vinyl acetate monomer – a crucial element to produce polymers often used in adhesive formulations.

Through this collaboration, Henkel will now produce water-based adhesives made from captured CO2 emissions, creating new opportunities for customers in the packaging and consumer goods sector to increase the renewable content of their products by keeping CO2 emissions in the production loop. As consumers and the market continue to demand products with lower environmental impact, these CCU-based adhesives will play a crucial role in driving sustainability across a wide range of applications. The Paper & Board, Envelopes & Graphic Arts, E-commerce, Labeling and Tissue & Towel industries can particularly benefit from CCU adhesives and the Henkel and Celanese partnership.

“Our purpose is to pioneer packaging solutions for the benefit of people and planet, which means taking a holistic look at sustainability and making bold moves toward forward-looking technologies that offer our customers cost-effective options for improving sustainability,” said Pernille Lind Olsen, Global Head of the Packaging and Consumer Goods Adhesives division at Henkel. “This initiative will provide new options for our customers to meet overall sustainability goals in the packaging industry.”

By investing in products made from innovative technologies like CCU, Henkel and Celanese are not only meeting consumer demand for more renewable content in packaging but also making these solutions more attainable for consumer goods manufacturers.

“We are pleased to partner with Henkel to demonstrate another way in which Celanese ECO-CC products can support the transition to a more circular economy,” said Kevin Norfleet, Global Sustainability Leader at Celanese. “Our CCU platform offers a compelling and scalable path to delivering sustainability into the adhesives market and we are continuing to work to develop solutions for a broad range of applications.”

For more information, please visit next.henkel-adhesives.com/us/en/articles/sustainable-packaging-and-consumer-goods-adhesives.html

About Celanese 
Celanese is a global leader in chemistry, producing specialty material solutions used across most major industries and consumer applications. Our businesses use our chemistry, technology and commercial expertise to create value for our customers, employees and shareholders. We are committed to sustainability by responsibly managing the materials we create for their entire lifecycle and are growing our portfolio of sustainable products to meet increasing customer and societal demand. We strive to make a positive impact in our communities and to foster inclusivity across our teams. Celanese is a Fortune 500 company that employs approximately 12,400 employees worldwide with 2023 net sales of $10.9 billion.

Bridgewater, N.J., November 20, 2024 /3BL/ Henkel Corporation, a global leader for adhesives, sealants and functional coatings, and Celanese Corporation, a global chemical and specialty materials company, have announced a partnership to enhance circularity in emulsion production by utilizing carbon capture-based materials.

Earlier this year, Celanese launched a carbon capture and utilization (CCU) project at its Clear Lake, Texas site as part of its Fairway Methanol joint venture with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. The CCU technology captures industrial CO2 emissions and, using hydrogen, converts them into methanol, which forms 35% of vinyl acetate monomer – a crucial element to produce polymers often used in adhesive formulations.

Through this collaboration, Henkel will now produce water-based adhesives made from captured CO2 emissions, creating new opportunities for customers in the packaging and consumer goods sector to increase the renewable content of their products by keeping CO2 emissions in the production loop. As consumers and the market continue to demand products with lower environmental impact, these CCU-based adhesives will play a crucial role in driving sustainability across a wide range of applications. The Paper & Board, Envelopes & Graphic Arts, E-commerce, Labeling and Tissue & Towel industries can particularly benefit from CCU adhesives and the Henkel and Celanese partnership.

“Our purpose is to pioneer packaging solutions for the benefit of people and planet, which means taking a holistic look at sustainability and making bold moves toward forward-looking technologies that offer our customers cost-effective options for improving sustainability,” said Pernille Lind Olsen, Global Head of the Packaging and Consumer Goods Adhesives division at Henkel. “This initiative will provide new options for our customers to meet overall sustainability goals in the packaging industry.”

By investing in products made from innovative technologies like CCU, Henkel and Celanese are not only meeting consumer demand for more renewable content in packaging but also making these solutions more attainable for consumer goods manufacturers.

“We are pleased to partner with Henkel to demonstrate another way in which Celanese ECO-CC products can support the transition to a more circular economy,” said Kevin Norfleet, Global Sustainability Leader at Celanese. “Our CCU platform offers a compelling and scalable path to delivering sustainability into the adhesives market and we are continuing to work to develop solutions for a broad range of applications.”

For more information, please visit next.henkel-adhesives.com/us/en/articles/sustainable-packaging-and-consumer-goods-adhesives.html

About Celanese 
Celanese is a global leader in chemistry, producing specialty material solutions used across most major industries and consumer applications. Our businesses use our chemistry, technology and commercial expertise to create value for our customers, employees and shareholders. We are committed to sustainability by responsibly managing the materials we create for their entire lifecycle and are growing our portfolio of sustainable products to meet increasing customer and societal demand. We strive to make a positive impact in our communities and to foster inclusivity across our teams. Celanese is a Fortune 500 company that employs approximately 12,400 employees worldwide with 2023 net sales of $10.9 billion.

RAHWAY, N.J., November 20, 2024 /3BL/ – The Merck Foundation (Foundation) has announced a new initiative to help advance equitable access to high-quality, culturally responsive care for people with heart conditions in underserved U.S. communities—the Collaborative for Equity in Cardiac Care (Collaborative).

The Foundation is committing $17 million over five years (2025-2030) to support the Collaborative, which aims to:

Transform the delivery of primary care by promoting person-centered approaches to meet the medical and social needs of people living with heart conditions;Build sustainable community partnerships to address barriers to cardiac care;Improve health outcomes and quality of life for people living with heart conditions;Disseminate findings and lessons learned to improve the delivery of cardiac care.

In underserved communities across the U.S., people with heart conditions encounter more barriers to timely diagnoses, receive a lower quality of care and experience poorer health outcomes than those living in other parts of the country. These disparities are often fueled by social drivers of health, such as a lack of access to stable housing, transportation, education, nutritious foods and employment opportunities.

To apply to join the Collaborative and help address inequities in cardiac care, an organization must be designated as a qualified 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and submit a letter of intent to cardiaccareequity@rabinmartin.com by Jan.10, 2025. For more information, please click here to view the Collaborative’s call for proposals. 

About the Merck Foundation
The Merck Foundation (Foundation) is a U.S.-based, private charitable organization. Established in 1957 by Merck, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, the Foundation is funded entirely by the company and is Merck’s chief source of funding support to qualified non-profit charitable organizations. Since its inception, the Foundation has contributed more than $1 billion to support important initiatives that address critical global health and societal needs that are consistent with Merck’s purpose: to save and improve lives around the world. For more information, visit merck.com/company-overview/sustainability/philanthropy/merck-foundation.

Albertsons Companies celebrated the 102 associates who were named Top Women in Grocery (TWIG) and four associates named as GenNext Award Winners at the Progressive Grocer’s Grocery Impact 2024 event.

The TWIG Awards honor women in the grocery industry who demonstrate absolute dedication to their business and determination to make it even better. The GenNext Awards recognize associates under 40 working in the grocery industry who are already having a significant impact on their colleagues, companies and communities.

Albertsons Companies’ amazing associates excel in their roles, inspire their colleagues and serve their communities with passion and dedication and this year had a record number of honorees from the company.

Learn more about TWIG here and more about GenNext here. Read more about Albertsons Companies and our Recipe for Change on our website.

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

COLUMBUS, Ga., November 20, 2024 /3BL/ — American employers and employees are facing a conundrum: heightened levels of workplace stress and burnout. This concern is exacerbated by ongoing rising costs of health care, financial vulnerability and looming worry about the future of their families, according to the 14th annual Aflac WorkForces Report1 released by Aflac Incorporated, a leading provider of supplemental health insurance and products in the U.S. The report has been tracking for more than a decade the state of the American workplace among employees and employers — capturing trends, attitudes, needs and experiences in health care and benefits administration.

Workplace stress and burnout intensify

The Aflac WorkForces Report uncovers that burnout is affecting nearly 3 in 5 American workers — with a notable generational gap. Far more millennials, ages 28-43 (66%) are facing moderate to high burnout, compared to Gen X, ages 44-59 (55%) and baby boomers, ages 60-78 (39%). The study also finds that employees experiencing high levels of stress is now up to 38% in 2024 — from 33% in 2023. U.S. Hispanic workers reported a greater degree of workplace stress: 46% high/very high, compared to 37% in 2023. Feelings of very high levels of burnout among U.S. Hispanic employees are nearly twice as likely as non-Hispanics.

Heavy workloads (32%) followed by long work hours (27%) are top contributors to workplace stress. More severe implications of stress have slightly increased, including post-traumatic stress (12%, compared to 7% in 2023) and eating disorders (9%, compared to 6% in 2023).

“In an ever-changing ecosystem, the results of the Aflac WorkForces Report reinforce the importance of employers doubling down on their understanding of what drives stress and potential signs of burnout among their employees. With a keen grasp of the pain points, employers can proactively develop programs and put measures in place to ensure employees feel supported both on and off the clock,” said Jeri Hawthorne, senior vice president and Chief Human Resources Officer, Aflac Incorporated.

Counterproductive behavior poses new challenges for employers

According to the report, among all employees across all workplace models, 50% admitted to at least one counterproductive behavior that represents a “quiet quitting” approach to work. These actions include:

Not doing everything required in job descriptions: 14% remote; 15% hybrid; 8% on-site.Taking on secondary work without permission from employers: 22% remote; 14% hybrid; 11% on-site.

“Understanding performance dynamics of all workplace models is crucial for employers as they try to create work environments that will satisfy their employees and keep productivity at peak levels,” said Hawthorne. “At the same time, employees may need to understand that decreases in productivity will signal to employers that their current model, whether on-site, remote or hybrid, is not working and they will likely consider changes.”

Financial vulnerability fueled by anxiety, looming worry

American workers who have experienced some anxiety when thinking about the impact of an unexpected serious medical condition is on the rise: 70% this year compared to 60% in 2023. This heightened anxiety is fueled by family history, worrying about the future of their families and ongoing feelings of financial instability and vulnerability. For instance, the report uncovered more than half (51%) of all employees cannot afford $1,000 of unexpected medical expenses. In comparison, U.S. Hispanic (58%) and African American (59%) employees reported experiencing more financial instability if faced with an unexpected medical bill of $1,000. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of employees said they cannot go more than one month without a paycheck.

The report also revealed that most employees do not understand the costs associated with a serious medical diagnosis such as cancer. More than three-quarters (76%) of employees think out-of-pocket costs in the 12 months following a cancer diagnosis would be less than $2,000, when, in reality, the National Cancer Institute2 estimates the total cost to be an eye-opening $40,000 or more.

The youngest generation of workers, Gen Z, ages 18 to 27, continues to be the most financially vulnerable, with 61% unable to afford a $1,000 medical bill — although the report shows improvement year over year (72% in 2023).

Looking for a lifeline

With ongoing feelings of financial fragility — and stress and worry about the rising costs of health care — both employers and employees are eager for solutions, noting supplemental insurance as a viable step to help toward financial stability and added peace of mind. Benefits continue to be critical to employee retention, in part because employees consider benefits packages to be important to their physical, financial and mental well-being. In fact, in 2024, the importance of benefits to overall loyalty, workplace engagement and willingness to refer a friend to their organization reached an all-time high.

The study found a growing number of employees would consider leaving their jobs for better benefits, even if it meant taking a pay cut (62%, compared to 53% in 2023). Additionally, supplemental benefits stand out as an important part of a comprehensive benefits package, with most employees seeing an increasing need for supplemental insurance: 93%, compared to 89% in 2023 — the highest number in 14 years of Aflac WorkForces Report survey data.

“When 93% of all American employees agree that supplemental insurance helps provide them with financial security, an all-time high, benefits providers should take note. Supplemental insurance can help anchor financial stability and provide added peace of mind. It can be an essential tool to help mitigate fear of unexpected medical events,” said Hawthorne. “When employees’ stress and worries ease, employers may see a boost in retention, productivity and overall satisfaction.”

U.S. Hispanic employees eager for benefits that address family illnesses and family history

In the survey, U.S. Hispanic employees expressed a strong interest in supplemental insurance that addresses illnesses that run in their families (73%, compared to 58% non-Hispanics) and are more likely to say their family history plays a key role in their health insurance decisions (65%, compared to 48% non-Hispanics).

U.S. Hispanic employees’ overall work experience and satisfaction are influenced by benefits options more often than non-Hispanic employees: productivity (75% vs. 61%); workplace engagement (70% vs. 57%); mental and emotional health (80% vs. 70%); job satisfaction (74% vs. 69%); loyalty (71% vs. 61%); decision to leave employer (63% vs. 50%); willingness to refer a friend (68% vs. 54%).

A sense of purpose drives well-being

The study shows employees benefit significantly from participating in employers’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, with 91% reporting it has a positive impact on their well-being — yet 1 in 4 employees say they don’t know about their employers’ CSR initiatives. Hispanic workers expressed a higher level of interest in an organization’s CSR policy: 65% vs. 47% of non-Hispanics feel it is important/critical. Employers can help improve employee well-being and create more engagement and participation by increasing internal communication and external storytelling efforts.

CSR efforts also can boost employee recruitment and retention, as 77% of employees said employers’ CSR initiatives matter when making an employment decision — and 71% of employees indicated they currently participate in or are interested in participating in CSR initiatives.

The 2024-2025 Aflac WorkForces Report highlights the vital role of comprehensive benefits in employees’ well-being, satisfaction, resilience and retention. Additional survey findings, an infographic, trends and more can be found in the 2024-2025 Aflac WorkForces Report at Aflac.com/AWR.

ABOUT THE 2024-2025 AFLAC WORKFORCES REPORT 
The 2024-2025 Aflac WorkForces Report, conducted by Kantar on behalf of Aflac, is the 14th annual study examining benefits trends, attitudes and use of employee benefits in the U.S. workforce in various industries and business sizes. The employee survey took place online June 6-July 10, 2024, and the employer survey took place online June 6-21, 2024. Throughout this report, some percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding of some responses. The surveys captured responses from 1,003 employers and 2,000 employees across the United States. For more information, visit Aflac.com/AWR.

ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED 
Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for nearly seven decades to millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan. In the U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products.3 In Japan, Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance in terms of policies in force. The company takes pride in being there for its policyholders when they need us most, as well as being included in the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for 18 consecutive years (2024), Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies for 23 years (2024) and Bloomberg’s Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year (2023). In addition, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2021 and has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (2023) for 10 years. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn’t cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol. Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under “Sustainability.”

Media contact: Jon Sullivan, 706.573.7610 or jsullivan@aflac.com

Analyst and investor contact: David A. Young, 706.596.3264 or dyoung@aflac.com

1 Aflac.com/AWR 
2 National Cancer Institute’s Financial Burden of Cancer Care/Cancer Trends Progress Report 
3 LIMRA 2023 US Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report.

SOURCE Aflac

Southern Company

Southern Company announced that it has earned the 2025 Military Friendly® Employer designation. According to Military Friendly®, Southern Company is one of 12 organizations to rate as a Military Friendly® Employer in at least 18 of the 22 years of its existence.

Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by VIQTORY with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining an organization’s survey score with an assessment of the organization’s ability to meet thresholds for recruitment, new hire retention, employee turnover, and promotion and advancement of veterans and military employees.

“Organizations earning the Military Friendly® Employers designation the have wholeheartedly invested in comprehensive and impactful initiatives that bring about positive, life-changing results for our valued service members, dedicated military spouses, and esteemed veterans within their ranks, We salute these exemplary employers who raise the bar and understand that hiring military personnel is not merely an act of goodwill but a testament to a standard that truly embodies sound business wisdom. Their commitment to integrating military personnel into their workforce not only reflects their compassion but also underscores their business acumen,”- Kayla Lopez, Sr Director of Partnerships at Military Friendly®.

Southern Company will be showcased in the 2025 Military Friendly ®Employers in the winter issue of G.I. Jobs® magazine and on MilitaryFriendly.com.