The Benefits Engagement Gap: Why Employees Disengage and What Actually Works
April 16, 2026 | 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Organizations are investing more in employee benefits than ever before and getting less engagement in return. The problem isn't the benefits. It's that traditional programs are built around information delivery, not behavior change. In this session, Kelsey Willock, Founder and CEO of Aura Finance, breaks down why employees disengage from benefits, what the research says about what actually drives lasting behavior change, and how HR leaders can close the engagement gap without adding complexity or blowing up their budget. You'll leave with a clear framework for evaluating what's working in your benefits stack and a practical approach to turning underutilized programs into tools employees actually use.
Sponsored by:
Location
Virtual - Zoom
Program Cost
SHRM Member: Free
SHRM Non-Member: Free
Program Speakers
Kelsey Willock
Kelsey Willock is the Founder and CEO of Aura Finance, a financial wellness platform built to reduce employee financial stress and drive measurable workforce impact. Kelsey started her career at Goldman Sachs, where she discovered firsthand that access to financial information alone doesn't create financial confidence, the missing ingredient is behavior change. That insight led her to found Aura, which today partners with SMBs all the way to Fortune 100 companies to deliver financial wellness programs that employees actually engage with.
Kelsey is also the host of Beyond the Paycheck, a podcast featuring candid conversations with CHROs and top people leaders who are rethinking how compensation and benefits impact more than just employee bank accounts. From the first paycheck to financial wellness programs, the show explores how money shapes identity, equity, purpose, and power at work and how forward-thinking companies are using pay and perks to transform lives, not just attract talent.