May 1, 2025
Hello, and Happy May Day🌸
I hope this message finds you well, and after a long winter, energized for the season ahead. The team at KMA is experiencing a bit of spring fever, inspired by the vibrant light, green shoots, and sense of possibility this time of year promises.
A pivotal time for employee wellness.
In this spirit of renewal, I’ve been thinking about a creative wellness benefit some of our clients offer: “well” or “happy” days – an extra day each year when employees can call in happy instead of calling in sick. It’s a simple yet meaningful way to show your investment in employee well-being, and to foster a workplace culture where people feel cared for and empowered to thrive. The ROI is persuasive!
Life Guides
Building on the idea of fostering a supportive and thriving workplace culture, at KMA we’ve introduced a benefit called Life Guides. This resource connects employees to a network of trained mentors who can provide personalized support around well-being, career, and other challenges – from major life changes, to conflict management, to remote work and productivity, to career advice, to family planning, and so much more. With the tagline “More casual than therapy, more qualified than a friend,” Life Guides is a benefit that not only enhances employee satisfaction and retention, but also helps lighten the load for HR and managers in supporting their team members. Learn more about Life Guides here, and feel free to reach out with any questions you might have on how it’s working for us.
Preparing for the future of AI.
Technology is also very much top of mind at KMA these days, especially generative AI, which is generating anxiety and apprehension for businesses and workers alike – yet we think a healthy dose of optimism is warranted, as well. As we hear every day, the rapid advancements in AI are poised to restructure work, leaving many leaders unsure how to adapt and prepare. At KMA, we are exploring how AI can be integrated into our processes in a way that enhances our capabilities, while maintaining our core values – with responsibility, integrity, and security as our top priorities.
We’re anticipating a fascinating fusion of technology and human experience to reshape HR departments, actively transforming everything from written communication and recruitment, to skill development, to employee productivity and engagement. AI tools are already streamlining candidate screening, enhancing employee engagement, and driving performance management. As these technologies continue to evolve, embracing them – and developing in-house AI power users – will be essential for staying ahead. The human element will always be critical to ensure employees feel seen, valued, and supported, but preparing for the future means learning to partner with AI rather than ignoring or rejecting it.
KMA’s approach involves thorough research and careful consideration of how AI can be leveraged to support our team and clients. We believe that while technology can enhance processes, nothing replaces the depth of human experience, connection and nuanced expertise, and we will always remain true to our human-first approach to everything we do.
These are interesting times, to be sure! How are you thinking about wellness initiatives, and/or AI in your world?
Kim Anania
President and CEO
KMA Human Resources Consulting