The Stretch: Workforce health and benefits – expanded

Burnout in the benefits world is real – and it's getting harder to ignore. In this episode of The Stretch, host Kevin Fyock sits down with Jennifer Weinstein, Vice President of Benefits at Albertsons Companies and author of Benefits Burnout: How to fall (back) in love with your employee benefits career, to unpack why so many benefits professionals feel like they're facing "death by benefits."

Together they explore the perfect storm driving today's burnout: relentless healthcare cost trends, thousands of point solutions vying for attention, emotionally heavy employee situations, and the pressure of being the "fixer" for everyone else. Jennifer shares personal stories from her 25‑year career, why her LinkedIn articles on "Death by Benefits" and "Benefits Burnout" struck such a nerve, and what she's learned from the overwhelming response from peers across the industry.

They also dive into practical ways to cope and reset—from building a life and identity outside of work, to knowing when it's time to change roles (or even leave benefits), to how AI‑driven communications could finally help employees get the right benefits support at the right time. This episode is a candid, validating listen for HR and benefits leaders who are feeling stretched thin and want realistic, human ways to protect their well‑being while still making an impact.

To learn more or to buy Jennifer's book, Benefits Burnout: How to fall (back) in love with your employee benefits career, visit her listing on Amazon: https://a.co/d/01Thngwh.

In this episode of The Stretch, host Kevin Fyock sits down with Brandon Werber, CEO and founder of Airvet, to explore a fundamental question for today's workforce: when employees see pets as family, what does that mean for employee benefits?

With 70% of U.S. households now including pets—and that number expected to climb—traditional benefit designs are falling behind how people actually live. Kevin and Brandon unpack the financial and emotional strain of unexpected veterinary emergencies, from thousand‑dollar ER bills to the lost productivity that comes when 90% of vet visits occur during core work hours.

Brandon shares how 24/7 virtual veterinary care can remove cost and access barriers, making it easier for employees to get real‑time support without leaving work or going into debt. They compare legacy pet perks that struggle to get even 1% enrollment with comprehensive virtual care models that deliver double‑digit utilization and engagement that rivals core health benefits. Along the way, Kevin and Brandon dig into the realities of modern pet parenthood—covering everything from a live goat birth on Airvet, to the howl of a Beagle, to why legally recognized pet trusts are reshaping how we think about family.

This episode is a candid, practical listen for HR and benefits leaders who want to build inclusive, high‑impact benefits that reflect the modern household, support whole‑person well‑being, and meet employees where they are—pets and all.

In this episode, Kevin is joined by Elizabeth McSavaney, the Chief People Officer at Zurich Canada live on the floor of the Transform Conference in Las Vegas. With years of experience across multiple sectors, Liz shares why the commercial insurance industry ripe for transformation.

Together, they frame a conversation about artificial intelligence around insights from Lance Armstrong's keynote at the event. Liz breaks down the distinction between AI and "Augmented Intelligence"—pointing out that AI shouldn't be treated as a burdensome bolt-on, but rather as an integrated tool that relies on keeping the "human in the loop." The conversation centers on why human complexity, empathy, and judgment remain irreplaceable, even as AI scales across organizations .

They also discuss why traditional standalone Learning & Development models are failing, how Zurich Canada re-engineered its early career and apprenticeship programs into a comprehensive two-year onboarding experience tied directly to business KPIs, and how predictive analytics is shifting HR from reactive data-gathering to proactive strategic forecasting .

What does it look like when learning at work feels less like a requirement and more like a choice?

Live from Transform 2026 in Las Vegas, The Stretch host Kevin Fyock sits down with Jason Lavenduar—founder and CEO of Electives—to explore that question. Kevin and Jason started their careers together in benefits, now their paths cross again—this time on the conference floor talking about modern Learning & Development, manager support, and the role of AI.

Kevin and Jason dig into what happens when L&D moves beyond pre‑recorded modules and "click to continue" training. They explore how to design training experiences that actually excite workforces and inspire a desire to take learning to the next level. They also discuss why so many new managers feel unprepared and how more employees are quietly turning to AI instead of their managers for everyday support.

If you're rethinking how learning fits into your broader people and wellbeing strategy—and how to keep real connection at the center in an AI‑enabled workplace—this episode of The Stretch is a thoughtful, optimistic listen.

On this episode of The Stretch, host Kevin Fyock sits down with Jason Desentz, Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at Toshiba, to explore what it really takes for HR to lead in the age of artificial intelligence. Toshiba is a household name with a 150 year legacy of world-first innovations – including the very first laptop – and Jason shares how the company is now applying that mindset of groundbreaking innovation across everything from electronics to power and industrial systems.

Together, Kevin and Jason unpack the spectrum of curious versus cautious when it comes to AI, and why HR leaders should be the primary champions and stewards of enterprise AI rather than treating it as a pure IT project. They tackle FOBO (fear of being obsolete), drawing parallels from the Model T assembly line to modern automation and how new technology consistently creates new categories of human work.

They also highlight a major modern disconnect: while a large majority of employees are already using language models every day, most companies are still "driving a six speed Ferrari like an automatic at 20 miles per hour." Jason shares how his team is building AI readiness, reimagining HR processes and using AI agents to free HR to act as advisors rather than administrators.

Recorded live from the floor of the Transform conference in Las Vegas, this fastpaced conversation connects enterprise AI, workforce transformation, Peter Drucker's concept of "planned abandonment," and even a shared love for the classic Dodge Viper.

If you're an HR or benefits leader looking to turn AI anxiety into a practical roadmap for your people and your organization, this episode is for you.

In this episode of The Stretch, host Kevin Fyock sits down with one of the sharpest voices in modern HR: Hebba Youssef, Chief People Officer at Workweek and the creator of the newsletter and podcast I Hate It Here.

Recorded live on the floor of the Transform conference in Las Vegas, Kevin and Hebba get straight to what HR leaders need to know to keep people engaged and keep the business moving forward. They compare what HR really looks like in large enterprises versus small firms and startups, unpack the role of vulnerability in leadership, and explore how agentic AI can take on the repetitive work so teams can focus on the people and decisions that matter most.

Along the way, they dive into benefits that truly change lives, the story behind the name I Hate It Here, and even a few callbacks to 90s teen TV dramas.

This is a strong starting point for HR professionals who want clear, practical insight on where work is headed—and how to keep it human—even as AI, technology and new expectations reshape the workplace. Just don't call it "the future of work."

Season three of The Stretch kicks off live from the floor of the Transform conference in Las Vegas. Transform brought together thought leaders from across the HR universe and Kevin Fyock, the host of The Stretch, used the moment to tap into some of those innovative minds. This episode previews the conversations Kevin will be having in season three, bound by a common exploration of the best way to walk the line on innovation and AI, while elevating a sense of humanity.