At the From Day One Benefits Conference in Boston on April 2nd, leaders from top organizations gathered at the JFK Presidential Library and Museum to tackle one of today’s most urgent workplace challenges: how to empower managers to support employee mental health and financial wellbeing.
During the panel, “Employee Mental Health and Wellness: How Managers Can Be Empowered,” moderator Katie Johnston of The Boston Globe led a dynamic conversation with experts from Assurant, Waters Corporation, Crane NXT, Talkspace, and LearnLux. The session offered a candid and solution-driven dialogue that highlighted both the urgency of the mental health and financial stress crisis, and the real steps employers can take to make a difference.
A Cost of Living Crisis. A Call for Action.
Rebecca Liebman, CEO and Co-Founder of LearnLux, set the stage with a stark but necessary reality check: “There’s $1.2 trillion in consumer credit card debt right now—the highest it’s ever been. People can’t afford to live day to day.” She described a growing affordability crisis where workers are forced to borrow from their future just to survive the present. “People are skipping doctor visits because they fear the bills. Financial stress is becoming a health crisis.”
Liebman emphasized that this isn’t just an issue for low-wage workers. It spans every income level, job title, and background. “Sometimes it's the PhDs, the executives, the ones you'd least expect who feel the most ashamed to admit they need help.” That’s why normalizing conversations around financial wellness is key, and managers can play a critical role.
Managers Are the First Line of Support, but They Need Help Too
Anne Marie La Bue of Assurant spoke about the dual challenge managers face: navigating their own mental and financial pressures while being expected to support their teams. To address this, Assurant is working on programs to educate top leaders on recognizing the signs of distress while staying within legal and ethical limits.
Holly Duvernay from Crane NXT echoed that sentiment, noting that many managers hesitate to engage because they’re not clinicians. Leaders need help feeling confident initiating the conversation, without feeling like they have to solve it all.
Building the Right Tools and Culture
Robert DiFabio from Waters Corporation shared how their company has created infrastructure to support people leaders. The goal? Make it easy for leaders to find and share the right resources when someone on their team needs help.
Ryan Kellogg of Talkspace focused on the importance of culture. In his company, creating a culture of wellness requires accountability, visibility, and sustained engagement. He emphasized that if mental health support is out of sight, it’s out of mind. That’s why ongoing communication and utilization strategies are so critical.
A Holistic View of Health
One of the most resonant themes throughout the conversation was the interconnectedness of mental, financial, and physical health. As Liebman put it, “Every decision is a financial decision. And financial wellbeing is holistic wellbeing.” Panelists discussed how workplace support needs to span life stages, address unique stressors, and avoid one-size-fits-all assumptions.
The conversation closed with a powerful speed round: each panelist offering one piece of advice that attendees could implement the very next day. From “normalize the hard conversations” to “equip managers with real-time resources,” the takeaway was clear. Empowering managers isn’t a one-time initiative. It’s an ongoing commitment that can transform employee lives.