HR Trends Podcast

Brought to you by Unum

HR Trends features interviews with leading experts in the field of Human Resources. Hosted by Clare Morin, HR Trends draws from the deep bench of subject matter experts at Unum as well as industry partners and national HR thought leaders.

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Featured podcast

Episode 36: Updates on the federal vaccine mandate

November 11, 2021

As a follow-up to Episode 34 on the federal vaccine mandate, Unum employment law and compliance expert Ellen McCann joins guest host Nate Smith with updates for employers on OSHA’s most recent guidance, outlining what employers need to know, what clarifications occurred with OSHA’s guidance and important timelines to consider.* Read more.

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Recent episodes

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Episode 35: Strategies to increase engagement this enrollment season

In this episode, two HR technology and enrollment experts share their top recommendations to help organizations have a successful enrollment season.
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Episode 34: The President’s vaccine mandate

Unum employment law and compliance expert Ellen McCann joins guest host Nate Smith to explore what we know about the President’s vaccine mandate so far.
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Episode 33: Best practices for behavioral health at work

As the pandemic continues to disrupt daily lives, the rate of stress-related disorders is rising amid the ongoing unpredictability. In this episode, two behavioral health experts share ways employers can support employees.
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Episode 32: How to modernize your leave program

Tech is transforming every aspect of today’s business world, and this now includes leave and absence management. In this episode, two of Unum’s top leave experts discuss how innovations have and will continue to fundamentally transform the employee and employer experience.

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Episode 31: Benefits education with year-round communication

In this podcast episode, Chris Bernadine Sr., Chief Enrollment Officer at Meridio, and Rob Quell, a Vice President at Colonial Life, discuss the importance of year-round benefits education and provide tactical tips for employers to maintain benefits communications throughout the year.

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Episode 30: Leave, the ADA and return to work

Unum employment law experts Daris Freeman and Tamika Newson join Clare Morin in the HR Trends studio to update employers on legal considerations for leave, the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and other issues as employees begin returning to offices and worksites after the pandemic.
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Episode 29: How employers can respond to the mental health crisis

Dr. Philip Levendusky from McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School and Unum’s Swapnil Prabha discuss the U.S. mental health crisis and how employer-based programs can help remove barriers to care.

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Episode 28: Josh Bersin on 2021 benefits tech trends

Renowned HR thought leader Josh Bersin joins Mike Simonds, COO of Unum Group, and Swapnil Prabha, VP of Digital Offerings at Unum, to discuss HR tech trends in 2021 – and the factors shaping the future of work.

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Episode 27: Employers' critical role with COVID-19 vaccinations

The ongoing pandemic has put a spotlight on people’s physical and mental health – and on the critical role employers have in safeguarding their employees’ overall well-being.
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Episode 26: The state of public sector employee benefits 

We talk to two benefits experts with vast experience in the public sector: Donna Nixon, Vice President of Pierce Group Benefits, and Steven Vermette, Vice President at Colonial Life, about the trends and best practices they’re seeing in public sector employee benefits.
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Episode 25: How the small business benefits landscape is changing

We talk to two HR podcast leaders – Lars Schmidt and Joey Price – about how businesses are adapting their wellness and benefits packages in 2021. We focus on employers with 250 employees and less from a new report and practical advice on everything from benefits communication to the state of digitization and how sole HR practitioners can lean on a wider community
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Episode 24: Entrepreneurs and benefits planning in 2021

We speak to Scott Omelianuk, Editor in Chief of Inc. magazine, and Jill Sasso, Vice President of Human Resources, Governance & Programs at the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) about how small businesses are shifting their 2021 employee benefits planning.

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Episode 23: Developing an employee-centric leave program

Today’s workforce is faced with extraordinary challenges in balancing work and family obligations. Women in particular are exiting the workforce in unprecedented numbers during the pandemic to care for children and elderly family members.
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Episode 22: Fundamentals of a leave and absence strategy

Yesterday’s leave and absence management programs aren’t working for today’s workforce – or the workforce of the future. Employers face significant challenges managing employee leave and HR compliance, from evolving complex regulations, to competition for highly skilled employees and an ongoing global health crisis. In this episode, leave and absence management experts Matthew Howes of Aon and Susan Stowell and Marci Cyr from Unum explore these challenges and share the fundamentals of building a modern strategy.
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Episode 21: Paid leave during a pandemic: The state response

HR compliance is more complex than ever, particularly with leave and absence management. In this podcast episode, you’ll get an overview of paid leave laws, both pre-pandemic and those being signed into law amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
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Episode 20: How employers can support employee mental health this fall

September 24, 2020

A new survey shows that with the ongoing pandemic and complexities caused by school closures this fall, employers are expecting a rise in mental health challenges for their employees.

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Episode 19: The uncertain future of FFCRA

August 18, 2020

Two national employment law experts, Jeff Nowak and Ellen McCann, discuss the NY federal court’s decision and its implications for the future of FFCRA leave – and employers.

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Episode 18: Virtual enrollment in a COVID-19 environment

In this episode, benefits experts Shawn Ferguson and Richard Shaffer provide insights for employers starting or expanding virtual-enrollment capabilities.

HR Trends podcast episode list

These resources are not intended to constitute legal advice and are for general educational purposes only. If you need legal advice on a particular situation, please contact your own attorney.