There are a lot of factors that go into employee wellbeing, but for these three Chicago tech companies it comes down to a blend of flexible work, autonomy and trust.
For Laura Lyne, senior manager of organization development and wellness at McCain Foods, the key ingredient is to “protect energy, not just time.”
“That’s when flexibility truly works: when people feel supported, can perform at their best and choose to stay and grow because of it,” Lyne said.
At NinjaHoldings, Senior HR Manager Maggie Latvys said leadership focuses on what gets done — not when someone logs on.
“When people know they’re not being watched but are trusted to deliver results, the mindset shifts,” she said. “They stop worrying about looking “online” and start taking real ownership of their work.”
Meghan O'Neill, lead consultant of the creative culture team at Arity, has a similar philosophy when it comes to facilitating real employee wellbeing.
“Flexibility only works when it’s real,” O'Neill said. “At Arity, it comes down to a shared understanding: Outcomes matter more than when or where the work happens.”
Built In spoke with the three tech professionals about the policies, resources and practices that keep employees satisfied for the long haul.
Founded by The Allstate Corporation in 2016, Arity is a mobility data and analytics company focused on improving transportation.
Share your principle for sustainable pace — and the signal that proves it works for your team?
At Arity, we build balance into how we work. While many companies are pushing employees back to the office, we've remained remote-first and that flexibility is a big reason people choose to stay. Employees are empowered to structure work in ways that integrate with their lives rather than compete with them and that autonomy builds real trust. We also protect time intentionally and create moments during the work week for employees to focus on themselves.
The signal that it's working isn't just that the time and flexibility exist — it's that people trust it and use it. In a recent survey, 83.1 percent of employees report feeling valued and 84 percent report a sense of belonging, both strong indicators of emotional wellbeing. That tells us that sustainable pace at Arity is more than a policy — it's an intentional part of our employees' experience.
Which policy or norm makes flexible working arrangements succeed — and how do you measure its impact?
Flexibility only works when it’s real. At Arity, it comes down to a shared understanding: Outcomes matter more than when or where the work happens.
Managers make that real day to day. They model healthy boundaries and create an environment where people don’t have to choose between performing and taking care of themselves. Over time, that builds trust and trust is what makes flexibility stick.
We reinforce it with simple, consistent norms. Focus Fridays keep calendars clear so employees have uninterrupted time to finish the week strong. We also offer quarterly wellness sessions to encourage people to pause and reset.
You see the impact in the small, everyday behaviors — people stepping away without guilt, adjusting schedules without hesitation and not needing permission to take care of themselves. That’s when you know flexibility is working.
Which wellness resource do people actually use — and what improvement have you seen on your team?
We’ve found wellness programs only work if they’re easy to access and actually useful. So we focus on offering options that fit into people’s real lives.
At Arity, that includes step challenges, a quarterly wellness series and access to programs through our parent company Allstate — like meditation and yoga, nutrition coaching, financial counseling and up to six free counseling sessions each year through Spring Health.
What matters most is that people actually use them. Some take advantage of everything, others just one or two but they use what they need, when they need it. During a recent Mental Health Awareness Month session, one employee shared how he used Hinge Health’s physical therapy program to recover from a shoulder injury.
The impact shows up in behavior: people taking time away, engaging with programs and coming back with more energy. The clearest signal is simple — people feel supported enough to use what’s available.
NinjaHoldings empowers people overlooked by traditional financial institutions to take control of their finances via a full suite of digital banking and lending products.
Share your principle for sustainable pace — and the signal that proves it works for your team?
We hire with intention — only when there’s a real need. It keeps teams lean and avoids the kind of unnecessary overhead that slowly burns people out.
You can see it in a few ways. First, low turnover: People stick around when the pace feels right. Second, disciplined hiring: We don’t staff ahead of demand. Third, consistently strong pulse survey results. Put together, it creates a simple cycle: Hire what you actually need, keep workloads reasonable and people do better work and stay longer. A sustainable pace isn’t about doing less, it’s about working in a way people can keep up with for years, not just a few busy quarters.
Which policy or norm makes flexible working arrangements succeed — and how do you measure its impact?
We’ve built a remote-first team with people all over the world and one thing’s become really clear: Flexible work isn’t something you just write into a handbook and expect to work. It only works if there’s a shared understanding everyone actually follows. For us, it comes down to this: We focus on what gets done, not when someone logs on. When people know they’re not being watched but are trusted to deliver results, the mindset shifts. They stop worrying about looking “online” and start taking real ownership of their work. That’s what turns flexibility from a nice idea into something that actually works day to day.
Which wellness resource do people actually use — and what improvement have you seen on your team?
Every full-time employee gets a yearly wellness credit they can use however it helps them — gym membership, therapy, a meditation app, better home office setup, whatever makes sense. We’ve found that when you stop defining what “wellness” should look like and just give people the flexibility (and budget), they’re far more likely to use it. It ends up fitting into their real lives instead of sitting unused. On top of that, we offer mental health support, an EAP and solid medical coverage — so people aren’t stuck choosing between physical and mental health. Both are there and both are encouraged. The biggest impact we’ve seen is cultural. You can feel it day to day and it shows up in engagement and retention too. When people feel genuinely supported — not just handed a list of perks — they stick around and bring more of themselves to the work. That’s the ROI that actually matters.
McCain Foods is a Canadian multinational frozen food company.
Share your principle for sustainable pace — and the signal that proves it works for your team?
I would say my principle for sustainable pace is simple — protect energy, not just time. It’s not about doing less, it’s about being intentional with where energy goes so people can do their job without burning out. Yes... the “B” word. Time is limited, but so is our energy. When we give all of it away, we have nothing left for ourselves and we can’t show up at our best if we’re running on empty. Creating a sustainable pace also depends on psychological safety. People need to feel safe to speak up, set boundaries and have honest, even uncomfortable, conversations without fear of judgment or negative consequences. In practice, this means having brave conversations early and often. It looks like flagging capacity, asking for help, setting boundaries, taking breaks and supporting one another as a team. Sustainable pace isn’t just a concept; it’s something we intentionally build into our culture and how we work daily.
And the signal that it’s working? We hold each other accountable. We look out for one another. Because if that becomes the norm, it’s a sign the pace isn’t sustainable. That’s when we step in, support each other and normalize asking for help before it is too much.
Which policy or norm makes flexible working arrangements succeed — and how do you measure its impact?
Flexible working works best when it’s grounded in trust, clarity and strong team norms. At McCain, this comes to life through a combination of flexibility options and programs, such as hybrid work for corporate employees, Flexible Fridays “Unplugged,” and health and wellness days, giving people the space to manage their time and care for what matters most, both at work and at home.
But policies alone aren’t enough. It’s leaders and managers who bring them to life. This is where strong team norms matter most, through clear priorities, open conversations and a willingness to flex in real-life moments. I experienced this firsthand when my son was unexpectedly hospitalized and I was given the flexibility to work in a way that supported my family while still contributing.
That’s when flexibility truly works: when people feel supported, can perform at their best and choose to stay and grow because of it. We see this reflected in engagement results, program uptake and, most importantly, in everyday behaviors.
When people choose to stay, grow and continue making an impact, it’s a clear signal that we’re getting it right.
Which wellness resource do people actually use — and what improvement have you seen on your team?
The wellness resources people actually use are the ones that are simple, visible and easy to access in the flow of work. At McCain, we’ve been intentional about bringing those resources closer to employees, so support is embedded into the day. We’ve created a central wellness hub connecting employees to the support they need, but what’s most encouraging is how people are using it. We’re seeing the highest engagement on our benefits page, where employees can quickly access mental health support with Telus Health and enroll in mindfulness tools like Calm Health. Our metrics also show strong usage of the wellness moments library, with teams actively downloading resources to build awareness and support one another in real time. Campaigns, like our Mental Health Awareness week in May, have accelerated this even further, helping employees not just become aware of resources, but confidently use them.
The impact has been meaningful as an organization. Since launching the program in 2021, our wellbeing index on our engagement survey has increased by six percent, benefit enrollment has grown and our wellness hub continues to see strong participation. That shift is the real indicator of success.
