The Generous Benefits Podcast

Leaders Who Coach

On the Generous Benefits Podcast, Amanda Brummitt and Jessica Taylor explore coaching as a leadership skill. Jessica returns to the show to explain how leaders can coach their own teams, what coaching looks like in real conversations, when its the right tool, and why proactive coaching strengthens performance and trust.
Jessica walks through practical methods like the GROW framework, examples for team meetings, how HR leaders can use coaching daily, and safe, practical ways to use AI to role-play and design coaching questions.Catch Jessica's previous episode here: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-w4rsm-1a87377. 

Employment Agreements and Non-Competes: What HR Needs to Know

Host Amanda Brummitt speaks with attorney Amanda Hill about employment agreements, key contract terms, and how HR leaders should approach hiring, termination, and negotiation. They cover termination notice periods, the importance of clear compensation and bonus language, and strategies for amendments and standardizing contracts.
The episode dives into non-competes and non-solicits—what they protect, recent Texas changes for physicians, buyouts, and how to handle disputes—plus practical advice on picking your battles, using lawyers strategically, and the lasting importance of not burning bridges.

Five Minutes or Less: Improving Engagement, Trust, and Culture

Host Amanda Brummitt speaks with Samantha "Sami" Hickert about how everyday, five-minute interactions build trust, engagement, and a people-first culture. Samantha shares concrete habits leaders can use immediately, including the 10-5 hallway greeting, meeting prompts, quick "pick-me-up" photo shares, short feedback polls, rounding, recognition, and a personal user manual to understand team members.
The episode emphasizes consistency and visibility from leaders: schedule five minutes daily to connect, collect and act on feedback, and make small, stacked actions that shift culture and improve retention, performance, and wellbeing.Connect with Sami at https://www.connectionovereverything.com/. 

Narrow Networks and Community Owned Health Plans

In this episode Bret Brummitt breaks down tiered and narrow provider networks, reference-based pricing, and community-owned health plans, explaining how these models work and why employers are exploring them as cost-saving alternatives.
He covers member steerage strategies, concierge support, trade-offs around access and coverage, and practical guidance HR leaders can use to align benefits with organizational goals and local providers.

When is Executive Coaching the Answer?

Welcome to the Generous Benefits Podcast with host Amanda Brummitt. In this episode, coaches Jessica Taylor and Kenzi Judge explain what executive coaching is, how it differs from consulting, mentoring, therapy, and life coaching, and when organizations should invest in coaching for leaders. They discuss credentials like the Professional Certified Coach, internal vs. external coaches, using assessments and 360 feedback, measuring return on investment through performance and retention, and best practices for selecting and evaluating coaches.
The conversation emphasizes using coaching proactively—during promotions, transitions, and for high-potential leaders—and highlights when coaching may not be appropriate, such as for remediation. Listeners will learn practical guidance for HR and employers on building a coaching program, making the business case, and choosing the right fit for their organization.

Creating a Resilient Workplace

Host Amanda Brummitt talks with Joyce Odidison about reframing resilience as a systems issue, not just an individual trait. Joyce explains her nine-dimensional well-being model and how leaders, benefits, and culture can prevent burnout by addressing strain early.
The episode offers practical steps for employers and employees—measuring resilience, encouraging constructive conflict, and creating psychological safety—so organizations can retain people, reduce absenteeism, and support sustainable performance.

Stop-Loss Demystified

Host Amanda Brummitt speaks with Tom Walaszek about the roles of brokers, MGUs, TPAs, medical carriers, and stop-loss carriers. Tom explains what stop-loss is, how level-funded and self-funded options differ, and why plan mirroring, runouts, and contract wording matter for employers.
The episode also covers practical advice for employers evaluating funding strategies including what questions to ask, the importance of data and clinical support, and how a hardening insurance market may reduce options and raise costs. Tom recommends a multi-year approach when moving from fully insured to self-funded to manage risk and capture long-term savings.

Why Payroll Matters

On the Generous Benefits Podcast, host Amanda Brummitt interviews Connor Vining from ProLiant about why payroll is far more than a back-office task. They discuss payroll as the hub of employee data, the compliance and legal risks of mistakes, and how payroll affects employee trust and benefits integration.
Connor explains when outsourcing or using a professional employment organization makes sense, what to expect on pricing and service models, how to evaluate technology and implementations, warning signs to watch for, and the key takeaway: don’t skimp on payroll—find the right vendor for your needs.

Containing Costs on Infusible Drugs Starts with Vendor Alignment

Host Amanda Brummitt interviews Ali Goodwin of TrueScripts on the complexities and costs of infusible and injectable drugs in employer health plans.
Ali explains the difference between infusion and injection drugs, why site of care matters, what J‑code conversion is, and how pharmacy benefit managers, third party administrators, providers, and brokers must coordinate to steer care, capture savings, and improve patient access.
The episode also defines white/brown/clear bagging, and concludes with a practical recommendation for employers: align incentives by carving out pharmacy to an independent, transparent pharmacy benefit manager to enable better cost control and access.

When Does it Make Sense to Use a PEO?

Host Amanda Brummitt talks with Bret Brummitt of Generous Benefits about Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs): what they are, how they work, and when they make sense for an employer. They cover PEO pitches like purchasing power and unemployment tax savings, variations in PEO services, master plan limitations, co‑employment liability, invoicing transparency, and common pitfalls.
Bret offers practical guidance for evaluating PEOs — ask about scope of services, master plan eligibility, certified PEO status, fees and commissions, and whether the PEO’s structure actually delivers the promised savings for your specific business.