Employee benefits shouldn’t feel like a burden - for HR teams to design or for employees to use. Yet, unread open enrollment emails and overlooked preventive care show a disconnect in how we communicate. In this episode, McGohan Brabender’s Chief Marketing Officer, Dave Homan, explores how applying behavioral science and Robert Cialdini’s 7 Principles of Persuasion can help HR and benefits professionals ethically capture attention, build trust and inspire action.

Discover how reimagining communication through the lens of human behavior can turn benefits engagement from obligation to connection - motivating, empowering, and energizing your workforce.

Side Affects Episode 153 | The Science of Employee Persuasion | Part I

If you haven’t caught Part I, start there — MB Chief Marketing Officer, Dave and Producer, Kenzie unpacked the first rule of persuasion: reciprocity. In this episode, they continue exploring how behavioral science can transform employee engagement, diving into three new principles of persuasion: scarcity, authority and commitment.

From creating urgency without fear, to leveraging expertise authentically, to building lasting commitment through small actions, this episode reveals practical ways HR and benefits professionals can apply psychology to drive connection, motivation, and trust.

Side Affects Episode 154 | The Science of Employee Persuasion | Part II

Leslie is joined by Dr. Robert Shapiro, Chairman of Sonecon, an economic advisory firm, and a Senior Fellow of the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.

The two discuss his latest blog, "The Government Shutdown Is the First Skirmish in the Battle Over Trump’s 2026 Budget."
(Link: https://www.sonecon.com/the-government-shutdown-is-the-first-skirmish-in-the-battle-over-trumps-2026-budget/)

In it, Dr. Shapiro argues that the current federal government shutdown marks the opening move in a much larger struggle over the fiscal direction of the federal government under Donald Trump’s 2026 budget proposal. It contends that what appears to be a short-term fight over spending bills is in fact a strategic effort to reshape federal priorities—cutting large swaths of domestic programs while boosting defense, border security and deregulation. The shutdown is portrayed as both a bargaining tactic to force concessions from Congress and a signalling device to markets and stakeholders about how aggressively the administration intends to pursue its agenda. The blog warns that the deeper economic and institutional damage will come once the shutdown ends and the budget battle truly begins, with Congress and the administration locked in a clash over the size, scope and role of the federal government.

Dr. Shapiro's website is Sonecon.com and his handle on X is @RobShapiro.

Government Shutdown Is the First Skirmish in the Battle Over Trump’s 2026 Budget

Leslie is joined by Jody Calemine, Director of Advocacy for the 63 unions and 15 million members of the AFL-CIO, where he serves as chief lobbyist and director of government affairs.

They discuss the severe toll of the ongoing government shutdown on workers and families—from unpaid federal employees turning to food banks to the ripple effects hitting local economies.

Calemine warns that Congress’s failure to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits could sharply raise health costs for small-business owners and workers. He urges lawmakers to pass relief measures like the True Shutdown Fairness Act and Military and Federal Employee Protection Act, and to end political brinkmanship that’s using American workers as pawns.

The website for the AFL-CIO is AFLCIO.org and their handle on Blue Sky is @AFLCIO.org. Their handle on Facebook, Instagram and X is @AFLCIO.  Jody's handle on Blue Sky is @guerino.bsky.social. 

Workers Held Hostage: AFL-CIO’s Jody Calemine on the Shutdown Crisis

Side Affects host, Kenzie McEvily closes out the three-part series with MB Chief Marketing Officer, Dave Homan, exploring the final three of Robert Cialdini’s 7 Principles of Persuasion: Liking, Social Proof and Unity.

In this episode, Dave shares how psychology and human connection can transform benefits communication — from using peer influence and authentic storytelling to fostering a shared culture that drives trust, engagement and participation.

Discover how to move beyond information overload and inspire genuine connection between your employees and their benefits.

Side Affects Episode 155 | The Science of Employee Persuasion | Part III

Innovative Partners LP is a leading partner in customized health insurance, PPO network access, and wellness tailored to the needs of our clients. Manage your healthcare data securely while you enjoy telemedicine, preventive care, and transparent pricing structures for all-round health security. Click Here: https://tinyurl.com/3hjsx9ex

Innovative Partners LP Health Coverage Experts

Duston Detrick discusses the effect of the federal shutdown on small businesses, particularly the delay of billions of dollars in SBA loans. Not only is this jeopardizing growth plans, the added uncertainty of tariffs and rising health costs are threatening the momentum of this critical segment of the American economy.

11/06/2025: Duston Detrick - What the shutdown means for small business

The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET.

Brad is first joined by Alex Lawson, Executive Director of Social Security Works. 
The two discuss the eight Senate Democrats who caved to the GOP and gave up healthcare tax credits in order to re-open the government.
They also hypothesize Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's role in the eight Senators' decision, and whether it's time to look for a new leader for Senate Democrats.
Finally, Alex explains that it's ultimately the Republicans who have caused the health care catastrophe.
On that front, there’s a list of the 25 most vulnerable House Republicans that people should continue to focus on, and Social Security Works will continue to do protests on these matters.

Then, Brad is joined by Eve Levenson, Senior Director of Political Partnerships and Strategy at Flytedesk, 'the technology that powers college media.'
The pair analyzes last Tuesday's election results across the country, and how young voters played a huge part in determining the outcomes.
Flytedesk's key takeaways showed that young voters remain a stronghold for Democrats: across the country from VA and NJ to CA and NYC, they favored Dems strongly in last Tuesday's elections.
Young voters favored candidates who prioritized affordability. This tracks with Flytedesk's research that the economy and, in particular, costs were a top issue in both 2024 and 2025.
The gender gap among young voters remains, but is shrinking: Abigail Spanberger, Mickie Sherrill, and Zohran Mamdani all won young men by double digits, while winning young women with even larger margins.

The 'Social Security Works' website is www.socialsecurityworks.org and their handle on BlueSky is @socialsecurityworks.org. Alex's handle there is @alaw202.bsky.social.  

Flytedesk's website is www.flytedesk.com.
Eve Levenson's handle on BlueSky is @eve-levenson.bsky.social.


Eight Senate Democrats Cave to GOP; Youth Vote Powered 2025 Democratic Wins

Cherita Odums is the Benefits Consultant for The O Insurance Group, a multi-generational health insurance agency. Cherita joins the show to further discuss Health insurance options and deadlines.

Cherita Odums | The Midday Break Room w/ Tiffany Bacon - 11.11.25

With flexible prices and full coverage, Innovative Partners LP helps families get health insurance that they can count on.  Enjoy telemedicine services, countrywide PPO access, and wellness programs that are designed to keep you safe and at ease for the rest of your life. Click Here: https://tinyurl.com/3hjsx9ex

Use Innovative Partners LP to confidently protect your family's health

Innovative Partners LP provides customers with quality,  health insurance options that protect individuals and families.

Side Affects Producer Kenzie McEvily, joined by her guest hosts, spotlights invited industry experts to discuss their best practices that disrupt the norm of health care, leadership, and business. Side Affects: A podcast that prompts you, as an employer, to think differently about the needs of your people and your company. We encourage you to take action by taking a deep look into benefit strategies that will transform your workforce engagement, i.e., diversity, compliance, mental health, and modern reporting. Kenzie and her guests bring these subjects and more to light to better health and productivity. Tune in and learn more!

Some of Associated Bank's most well-respected financial leaders offer their analysis of current events in the financial world. You won't want to miss these conversations. From discussing local commercial real estate to assessing national and global economic trends to dissecting political implications on the banking industry – anything is fair game.

The best progressive talk right here, on demand. Always Progressive, Always On!

WURD Radio is the only African-American owned and operated talk radio station in Pennsylvania, and one of few in the country. Taking a multimedia approach – on-air, online and in the community – WURD is widely recognized as the pulse of the African-American community locally, regionally, and nationally. From mayoral races to presidential elections, from the street corner to the corner suite, WURD has tackled the hard issues as an influential, respected and powerful voice in the marketplace.

New tracks tagged #Health Insurance