Get the party started: Platform administers workplace events

Employers can automate, organize, promote and scale workplace programs or events thanks to a new platform by Espresa. The program amasses an employers’ information on employee attendance and experiences to lay the groundwork for strategic consultations with brokers and advisers.

In a nutshell, the platform allows administrators to monitor various levels of participant engagement, measure program return on investment and ensure that third-party vendors meet an organization’s compliance needs.

Several employers, including Flex, Box, Pandora, Workday, Okta, and Genomic Health, are already using the tool to boost employee satisfaction and retention in an increasingly competitive labor environment. In the process, they’re also able to improve the quality of workplace programming by identifying pain points and successes alike.

Early results have shown nearly 100% employee participation in workplace wellness programs, which Espresa claims is three times more than fitness subsidies and 10 times higher than no subsidies at all. The platform, which is available across the U.S., Europe and Australia, soon will be rolled out to India and South Africa.

The platform enables employees to track happenings at the worksite, sign up for events and provide feedback. They may include anything from a range of health and wellness offerings such as yoga, meditation and massages, to flu shots and biometric screenings.

Casual Office Party
Group of happy business people toasting each other and smiling while standing in the board room

But there are other potential uses. For example, it also can accommodate employee-run clubs and resource groups, as well as company events, training courses, seminars, picnics and holiday parties. Other areas may include reimbursement and allowance management, as well as employee recognition and reward programs with custom experiences.

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Industry advisers and early adopters, who began using the platform in the middle of 2016, have taken notice.

Tien Phan, associate director at Willis Towers Watson, says the platform is easy to use across multiple locations. “Our clients have the reporting metrics they need to show the value of their worksite programs,” he adds, citing the ability to establish a lasting game plan using monetary and non-monetary workplace benefits that are scalable.

“As the costs of other benefits rise, it is gratifying to provide significant value to employees with minimal cost,” according to David Nagler, SVP of HR and corporate affairs at gene therapy firm Audentes Therapeutics, who says the platform is used to help differentiate his firm from other biotech companies.

In building its platform, Espresa sought to expand the reach of employees who typically sign up for workplace programs or events, as well as gauge their satisfaction by having them rate and review their experiences.

Alex Shubat, CEO of Espresa, says it’s as much about building a great place to work as anything, noting that it requires a multitude of initiatives that include a caring culture, work-life balance and great leadership. By nurturing employee loyalty, he says employers can not only reduce turnover, but also attract talent and drive growth.

“What we’re seeing today is that companies will reach out to their brokers or advisers with a plan question,” Shubat says. In some cases, they need help finding the right fitness instructors, chiropractors, rewards and recognition vendors or other service providers.

Espresa is able to integrate all of this information into a single platform, streamlining the administration of all workplace programs or events. If a nutrition seminar or 401(k) plan training session is held, Shubat says an employer can determine how many employees showed up and what they thought about the experience.

“It’s easier for employees to discover these services,” he explains, “and employers will also get employee feedback and utilization rates.”

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