Hello, HR Pros! 👋 Have you noticed how TikTok has another trend every five minutes—yet some employee benefits barely get looked at? Let’s fix the “wait, we have that?” problem before another useful perk becomes workplace lore.
On today’s agenda:
🤖 Workers’ AI spend
🚀 Enboarder review
◉ CULTURE CUE
Clear 1 Weekly Friction Point 🧹 — Before you start the work day, ask your team: "What's one tiny process annoyance we can kill?" Fix a micro-pain point so this week starts fresh.
◉ THE HR SPOTLIGHT
The Benefits Nobody Uses and How HR Can Communicate Value
You may be paying for benefits employees barely use. But before HR reaches for the delete button, consider this: the problem may be visibility, not value.
LIMRA’s latest Benefits and Employee Attitude Tracker (BEAT) study found that 45％ of U.S. employees don’t hear about their benefits until open enrollment, while 73％ want benefits information several times a year. The message for HR? One annual email probably isn't doing enough heavy lifting.
The “Wait, We Have That?” List — HUB International's 2025 U.S. Workforce Vitality Gap Index reveals these benefits had the lowest reported employee utilization:
Discounted auto/home coverage — 5％
Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) — 11％
Tuition reimbursement — 12％
Legal advice plans — 13％
3 Ways to Communicate Value
1. Ditch the benefits-speak. “EAP” may mean little to an employee. “Free confidential counseling and support” means much more. Use plain language and real examples.
2. Kill the scavenger hunt. Every benefits message should answer three questions: What's this? Why should I care? How do I use it? Then put the link right there.
3. Show employees what they're getting. Showing the dollar value of employer-paid benefits can make the invisible feel a lot more real.
Don't assume an unused benefit is a useless benefit. First determine whether employees understand it, see its relevance, and can use it without an obstacle course.
◉ TOGETHER WITH - iSpring
Rapid Scrollable Course Creation with AI
Want to create courses faster without compromising quality? Join iSpring’s Rapid Course Creation Sprint to learn how to use AI throughout the course development process, build a modern scrollable course, and get hands-on guidance from experts.
◉ THE HR PULSE - What’s shaping the workplace
🤖 Workers’ Massive AI Spend — Reuters
What’s unfolding: UK workers are spending nearly £1B from their own pockets on AI tools for work, with some using them without their employer’s knowledge.
Why it matters: HR should provide approved AI tools, training, and clear guardrails before shadow AI becomes the norm.
🛒 Amazon’s Grocery Benefit — HRKatha
What’s unfolding: Amazon U.S. employees will get discounts on eligible online groceries and Whole Foods purchases starting October 1.
Why it matters: Benefits tied to everyday expenses can feel more tangible. HR can look for practical perks employees will actually use.
🧘 Workplace Wellness Market Booming — OpenPR
What’s unfolding: The U.S. workplace wellness market is projected to reach over $18B by 2031, reflecting continued employer investing in wellbeing.
Why it matters: More wellness spending doesn't guarantee necessarily mean outcomes. HR should prioritize programs that address real employee needs and track actual use.
◉ FLASH VOTE - The community weigh-in
What’s the biggest hurdle keeping employee benefits underused?
LAST WEEK’S POLL:
◉ COMPLIANCE CORNER - As HR laws evolve
🛂 More Scrutiny on H-1B Filings — NatLaw Review
What’s unfolding: An EO calls for agencies to consider employers’ layoffs when reviewing H-1B filings.
HR implications: Employers using H-1B talent should review workforce plans and coordinate HR, immigration, and legal teams.
📁 NY Expands Personnel File Accessibility — JD Supra
What’s unfolding: NY enacts a law expanding current and former employees’ access to personnel records, taking effect later this year.
HR implications: Employers should audit recordkeeping and prepare for the new five-business-day response requirement.
🏥 Pressure on Comp & Ben Spending — InsuranceBusiness
What’s unfolding: Stable employment is keeping benefits enrollment high as health expenses continue rising, with 2027 numbers projected to increase.
HR implications: HR should review plan design and expense-sharing ahead of renewals while protecting affordability and retention.
◉ HR TECH WATCH - Software you can shortlist
A Review of Enboarder: AI-Powered Employee Journeys, Beyond Onboarding
Why we selected it: Enboarder is an employee journey platform used by organizations including FedEx, Deloitte, Philips, and McDonald’s, combining AI, workflow automation and personalized employee experiences.
Key features:
AI Journey Builder — Creates personalized employee workflows from prompts or existing HR documents.
AI Assistants — Gives employees and managers contextual answers and guidance throughout their journey.
AI Agents — Automates plans, stakeholder coordination and journey optimization using engagement signals.
Multi-channel journeys — Reaches employees through SMS, WhatsApp, email, Slack, Teams and mobile web.
Pros:
Automation: Reduces manual coordination across HR, IT, and managers.
Personalization: Tailors journeys by role, location, and employee context.
AI: Supports journey creation, guidance, and optimization.
Accessibility: Mobile-first experiences work well for frontline and deskless employees.
Integration: Connects with existing HR, IT, and business systems.
Analytics: Provides visibility into workflow progress and employee engagement.
Cons:
Pricing: Its enterprise focus may not suit smaller organizations’ budgets.
Complexity: Extensive orchestration features can require more setup than basic onboarding tools.
Add-ons: Some AI capabilities may require additional licensing.
HRAddict rating: ★★★★☆ 4.7
Choose Enboarder if your employee journeys span multiple teams and systems and you want AI to coordinate the experience—not just automate paperwork.
This is an independent review using aggregated insights and publicly available data.
◉ BREAKROOM - Your virtual watercooler
STEAL REMINDER - Ends Sept 23 MN EST
50+ HR Policies Bundle
In case you missed it — practical starting points so you can update policies in a jiffy.
Only available for download to subscribers.
◉ SMART READS - Worth bookmarking
🔀 Signs You Need a Custom HR Workflow
🧲 Employer Branding Strategies for Attracting Top Talent
🗂️ 5 Ways to Eliminate Spreadsheet Chaos
—Created with care by Vivienne Ravana
P.S. Build modern courses with speed and quality at iSpring’s expert-led event.
