In today’s workplaces, employees are looking for more than just a paycheck—they’re seeking companies that support multiple facets of their well-being. At BlackRock, that commitment is put into practice across four key pillars: Money (savings, financial wellness), Body (physical health), Mind (mental health), and Life (benefits related to self-care and caring for others, like family).
Kaylyn Turner, a Vice President on the Americas Benefits team at BlackRock, says the firm’s 360-degree approach to benefits first sparked her interest in joining the team when she was in a different HR role at the time. “These elements impact every employee at the firm,” she says. “Regardless of your position—whether you’re a recent college graduate, someone growing their family, an individual facing a complex health challenge, or someone considering retirement—BlackRock is committed to offering holistic benefits that help support employees wherever they are, throughout various stages of their lives.”
BlackRock’s extensive global benefits include comprehensive mental health support through its Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) and confidential counseling services, first-rate health insurance*, inclusive parental leave for both birth and adoption, fertility and adoption support, and special needs and elder care assistance. Employees also enjoy unlimited flexible time off, opportunities for volunteering, and retirement planning, giving them autonomy over their personal and professional lives.
Diamond Joy Uy, Vice President of Benefits for Asia-Pacific (APAC), is a big advocate of providing employees flexibility, especially as a working parent. For example, BlackRock’s Flexible Time Off policy allows all employees to take the time they need to be with their loved ones, rest, and recharge. “I can ask my manager for a day off to attend a school event for my son without hesitation,” Uy says. “That type of flexibility is part of our culture at BlackRock.”
Uy also emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive culture, including promoting employees’ financial well-being. As an asset management firm, BlackRock excels in helping people invest for their future and is committed to the financial wellness of its people. Uy points out that employees in the later stages of their careers are often more prepared to take advantage of BlackRock’s retirement benefits. However, she encourages all employees—regardless of what stage of their career they are in—to begin planning for their future.
“Whenever I interact with a junior employee, I always ask them if they’re utilizing the retirement benefits we have at BlackRock.”
Gabor Karmo, Vice President on the EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) Benefits Strategy team, has experienced the positive impact of BlackRock’s comprehensive benefits firsthand, too. When Karmo’s mother, who was covered under his health plan, required urgent, life-saving surgery, she received care promptly and efficiently. “BlackRock’s private medical insurance saved my mother’s life,” he shares.
Karmo specializes in designing, improving, and tailoring employee benefits to meet the needs of a diverse workforce across countries and continents. As a co-founder of the Hungarian chapter of Out & Allies, BlackRock’s LGBTQ+ employee-led network, and an ally participant in other network groups at the firm, he also focuses on inclusion projects and initiatives at work.
In fact, BlackRock’s commitment to inclusivity and its reputation as an industry leader significantly influenced Karmo’s decision to first join BlackRock in 2017. Today, Karmo and his team collaborate with different benefit vendors to help support employees of different backgrounds, including LGBTQ+ couples and families, with inclusive benefits that meet their unique needs, regardless of family composition or marital status, where legally permissible.
Listening to employees
BlackRock’s Benefits teams actively seek employee feedback through multiple channels, including internal surveys, employee-led networks, engagement at on-site health and benefits fairs, and one-on-one conversations both in-person and virtually. While Turner appreciates positive feedback regarding BlackRock’s resources and benefits, she emphasizes that constructive feedback is informative when shaping the company’s benefits strategies.
“We’ve heard feedback that employees sometimes need help leveraging and navigating resources or understanding what’s available,” she explains. “Whether we’re partnering with our digital experience team to update our benefits landing page or offering a benefits education week and benefits library where employees can go to learn more, we’re focused on enhancing the employee experience.”
Focused on the future
As employee benefits evolve, BlackRock’s teams are looking ahead. In the Americas, Turner is concentrating on the employee experience, including improving vendor services and leveraging technology and AI to help employees streamline and personalize their healthcare and well-being experiences.
Meanwhile, in the EMEA region, Karmo is exploring ways to facilitate in-person work that promotes effective brainstorming and collaboration while prioritizing employee experience and health. In APAC, Uy continues to focus on shifting the mindset from reactive care to preventative care, working with employees and vendors to promote early detection and fostering a supportive work environment that encourages employees to seek care, even for non-urgent issues.
Most importantly, Turner emphasizes, BlackRock will continue “to focus on offering inclusive benefits that support the diverse needs of our over 20,000 employees.”