Kindbody’s Founder and CEO, Gina Bartasi, was joined by Milt Ezzard, Activision Blizzard’s VP of Global Benefits, for an enlightening conversation on diversity, equity, and inclusion as they relate to employee benefits at The Conference Board’s Annual Employee Healthcare Conference in San Diego. We’ve pulled together the key highlights from the discussion for your perusal below.
Companies who want to employ top talent must remain competitive in the benefits space
Activision Blizzard prides itself on the artists, creatives, and technology experts that it employs. This caliber of talent is difficult to find and, by nature, essential to keep. Ezzard says that this is precisely why they prioritize building programs and benefits that do more than just “check the box.” Their strategy is to partner with companies like Kindbody that are intentional, proactive, and representative of their employee base. These “program partners” are generally early to market, nimble, and offer innovative solutions that help their employees feel valued.
Parity and equality in benefits prevent animosity among employees
While parental leave is rapidly becoming a non-negotiable benefit among employers, employees who already have children or do not want children are often overlooked. For this reason, Activision Blizzard has prioritized creating “compassionate leave” programs. These programs allow for flexibility in what constitutes a legitimate reason for leave. Bonding with an elderly parent, caring for a sick child, or grieving a loved one are among these reasons. Unfortunately, Milt laments, the list did not include pets.
Employee sponsors can bring down costs of care by direct contracting with “payviders”
Activision Blizzard’s top 1% of users drive 40% of the cost. Partnering with a company like Kindbody and offering a fertility benefit can help improve this disparity. Employees are given the option to visit clinics with a higher caliber of care where there will be genetic testing performed on the embryos and only single embryo transfers performed. This will improve success rates and, ultimately, bring costs down by preventing multiples and the implantation of abnormal embryos. Kindbody also brings costs down by being in the provision of care and utilizing technology where a human touch is unnecessary. “Being in the provision of care, we can do right by the employer and do right by the member,” says Bartasi.
Ultimately, employers are seeking better solutions. They want improved member experience, increased positive outcomes, and reduced cost. Kindbody is providing Activision Blizzard with exactly what they were looking for, a premium member experience without a premium price tag.
