Latest news with #CrystalWilliams
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
15 Ways Companies Can Support Working Parents During School Breaks
For working parents, juggling childcare and job responsibilities becomes even more complex during school breaks, and these employees need support from their workplace. Flexibility on work location and hours is a good start, but there are many other creative ways employers can ease this burden. To help businesses create a more inclusive and family-friendly workplace, Forbes Human Resources Council members share 15 smart strategies for supporting working parents beyond flexible scheduling. From offering backup care options to planning family-friendly company events, your proactive support as a leader can boost morale and foster loyalty and long-term retention. 1. Destigmatize Time Off For Childcare Employers must destigmatize time off for childcare, including school breaks and parental leave, especially for men. Goldin's "motherhood penalty" research shows why this matters. HR needs to understand these patterns to foster true workplace equality and encourage men to take leave, normalizing it for everyone. - Erika Andersson, Allshares 2. Offer Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts Employers can offer a dependent care FSA that allows employees to save pre-tax deductions from their paycheck for summer camps and childcare needs or partner with local summer camps and childcare providers to offer stipends. Employee resource groups are also a great resource of shared experiences, support and often have creative solutions to everyday challenges. - Crystal Williams, Corpay 3. Make The Workload More Manageable Employers can support working parents by encouraging time off and making work more manageable. This includes back-up care options, fewer meetings, more on-demand or independent work and relaxed summer hours. Small things like offering a stipend for camp or being clear that it's okay to take time off can go a long way. Managers should also plan ahead and show understanding during these busy times. - Amy Cappellanti-Wolf, Dayforce 4. Establish Parent Support Networks In addition to providing flexible spending accounts, daycare support and personal time off for parents, employers could establish a support network for parents with children of similar ages and in the same area. These networks can be beneficial for parents looking to share transportation and arrange playdates. Also, financial benefits for sports or educational activities could be helpful. - Kevin Walters, Top DEI Consulting 5. Offer Subsidized Programs And Caregiving Resources Caregivers who work full-time are juggling a lot, and they often feel stretched pretty thin. Alongside flexibility, employers can support their employees with subsidized programs, like childcare or day camps, and caregiving support resources, like mental health. Above all else, ask your employees what they need most to help them balance caregiving, work and personal life successfully. - Marcy Klipfel, Businessolver Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify? 6. Consider Alternatives To Meetings Consider alternative forms of communication to reduce the number of meetings. By having less on their schedule, working parents will have more flexibility in their days, allowing them to manage camp pickups and drop-offs between emails and projects. - Caitlin MacGregor, Plum 7. Ask What Employees Actually Need Flexibility isn't just about where you work—it's also about when, how much, with whom and what kind of work. To support working parents, especially during school breaks, ask them what they actually need, instead of just offering token perks. Design roles with adaptable time, workload and team setups. True support means fitting work around life, not the other way around. - Prithvi Singh Shergill, Tomorrow @entomo 8. Offer Care Stipends And Tailored PTO School breaks test more than logistics—they test your culture. Go beyond flexibility with care stipends, tailored PTO options and peer networks for support. Train managers to lead with empathy, not exception. When support is proactive and policies reflect lived realities, performance rises, and retention becomes a byproduct of belonging. - Apryl Evans, USA for UNHCR 9. Implement Summer Hours Implement "summer hours"—such as shortened workweeks, early Friday closures or reduced meeting schedules during summer months. Offering this enhanced seasonal flexibility allows parents to better manage childcare responsibilities and family commitments. - Britton Bloch, Navy Federal 10. Offer A Lifestyle Spending Account Offer a lifestyle spending account (LSA) to offset childcare expenses during summer months or to pay for summer camps and related programs. Funds may also be used to pay for games and hobbies, outdoor activities, entertainment expenses, healthy food options, travel and other approved expenditures. Because LSAs can be used by all employees and not just working parents, it's a highly inclusive option. - Lori Landrum, Heights Tower Service, Inc. 11. Be Empathetic Support starts with empathy. Respect boundaries, trust employees to manage their time and invest in their growth. When people feel seen, supported and set up to succeed—at home and work—they stay engaged, motivated and loyal. - Jamie Aitken, Betterworks 12. Make Sure Parents Feel Welcome And Supported Employers need to make sure that working parents feel welcome and supported at work. Flexible hours, working from home or job-sharing are all good tools. However, don't discount the value of employee support programs or parent social groups as a safe place to talk about any problems. Lastly, educate managers on how to help parents in the best way possible. - Dr. Nara Ringrose, Cyclife Aquila Nuclear 13. Encourage PTO During School Breaks Employers must actively promote an environment where parents feel empowered and supported in taking that time off during school breaks. This means eliminating any unspoken pressure or fear of reprisal for taking leave. Managers should proactively discuss upcoming school breaks with their teams, inquire about their plans and encourage them to schedule their time off to plan schedules accordingly. - Sherry Martin 14. Provide Employee And Family Assistance Programs School breaks are a great time to highlight your employee and family assistance program (EFAP), reminding caregivers of the resources and referrals available. Many EFAPs offer concierge-like services to connect employees with local childcare, camps and learning programs. Consider partnerships with discount providers or community groups to ease costs. - Jennifer Rozon, McLean & Company 15. Build A Culture That Encourages Time Off Whether parents or not, employers should actively encourage the use of paid time off to their workforce, reinforcing that rest is essential for sustained performance. This is especially important for working parents, who often face added demands during these periods. Promoting a culture that normalizes time off helps prevent burnout and supports overall well-being across the workforce. - Dr. Timothy J. Giardino,
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lizzo says she was deeply depressed and 'very paranoid and isolated' after ex-dancers filed a sexual harassment and weight-shaming lawsuit against her
A year and a half after falling into a deep depression, Lizzo is ready to talk about it. The Grammy-winning hitmaker, while chatting with Women's Health for its summer issue, reflected on her declining mental health in the summer of 2023. Lizzo's poor mental health coincided with a bombshell lawsuit filed by three former dancers accusing her of sexual harassment and fostering hostile working conditions. 'You look around and think about every person you've ever known and every experience, and you wonder, Was that real?' she recalled to Women's Health. 'I got very paranoid and isolated. I used to walk into glam and be like, 'Oh, let me tell you about this crazy s*** that happened last night!' I couldn't do that anymore. I pushed everyone away. I wasn't even talking to my therapist.' 'I wasn't present. I wasn't open. I wasn't myself anymore,' Lizzo added. The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Aug. 1, 2023, by Crystal Williams, Arianna Davis and Noelle Rodriguez, who worked as Lizzo's backup dancers from 2021 to 2023 on her tour, the Special Tour, the Los Angeles Times reported. In it, they alleged that the 'Juice' singer pressured them to touch a nude performer at a club in Amsterdam, made fun of them for their weight and subjected them to an 'excruciating' re-audition process. Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, and her dance captain Shirlene Quigley were listed as defendants in the lawsuit, according to a filing obtained by NBC News. Williams and Davis previously competed on the singer's reality TV competition show, Watch Out for the Big Grrrls. The series, which aired one, eight-episode season in 2022, saw women compete to join Lizzo's tour as her backup dancers. Rodriguez, meanwhile, was hired by Lizzo after performing in her 'Rumors' video, NBC News also reported. 'The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly, while privately she weight-shames her dancers and demeans them in ways that are not only illegal but absolutely demoralizing,' Ron Zambrano, the dancers' attorney, said in a statement obtained by the Los Angeles Times when the lawsuit was filed in 2023. Lizzo denied these allegations in an Instagram post in 2023, writing, 'These last few days have been gut wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing.' 'My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticized. Usually I choose not to respond to false accusations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed.' As she grappled with the fallout of the lawsuit and associated allegations, Lizzo struggled mentally. She told Women's Health that all she wanted was to disappear. 'You ever get tired of living?' she asked while reflecting. 'It got to the point where I was like, 'I could die.' I never attempted to kill myself or thought about it, but I did think, If everyone hates you and thinks you're a terrible person, then what's the point? ' The 37-year-old singer has previously spoken out about the lawsuit and how it affected her mental health. Her Women's Health interview is just the latest instance of that. In an Instagram post from May 2024, nearly a year after the lawsuit was filed, Lizzo shared an update on how she's been moving through her depression. 'I'm the happiest I've been in 10 months,' she wrote alongside a mirror selfie. 'The strange thing about depression is you don't know you're in it until you're out of it. I'm definitely not all the way as carefree as I used to be ... but the dark cloud that followed me every day is finally clearing up.' She gave fans another update on her mental health during her Los Angeles concert in March 2025. Speaking once more on her struggle with depression, Lizzo opened up about how that experience inspired the title of her forthcoming album, Love in Real Life. 'About a year and a half ago, I was in such a dark, deep depression. I was so heartbroken by the world, and so deeply hurt that I didn't want to live anymore,' she told the crowd. 'And I was so deeply afraid of people that I didn't want to be seen. And eventually, I got over that fear.' Despite being afraid to face the public, she attended a concert after months of isolation. 'As I was walking through the crowd to get to my spot, something miraculous happened,' she recounted. 'Somebody, who I didn't know, looked at me and said, 'Lizzo, I love you.' And they reached out, and I reached back, and we hugged. And it felt so damn good. … It was f***ing life-saving.' In May 2025, the 'Truth Hurts' singer appealed to overturn a ruling from 2024 that allowed the sexual harassment lawsuit to proceed, calling it an attack on her 'First Amendment right to perform her music and advocate for body positivity,' according to Billboard. Judge Mark Epstein in 2024 tossed out a number of allegations against Lizzo, including claims that she had fat-shamed the dancers. He did, however, allow several accusations to move forward toward a possible trial, the outlet reported.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Corpay Named to Newsweek's List of 2025 Global Most Loved Workplaces®
Corpay Ranked as #39 Among the Top 100 Global Companies Recognized for Employee Sentiment and Satisfaction ATLANTA & NEW YORK, May 28, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Newsweek Magazine recently announced the 2025 Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplaces®, developed in partnership with Most Loved Workplace®, a division of Best Practice Institute (BPI). – Corpay, Inc. (NYSE: CPAY), a leading corporate payments company, was ranked #39 on this prestigious list, which highlights companies across the globe where employees genuinely love to work. The Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplaces® list is based on research from BPI's Love of Workplace Index®, drawing on data from more than two million employees worldwide. Companies featured have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to building cultures of trust, respect, purpose, and employee connection, regardless of size, location, or industry. "It's an honor to earn this recognition because it validates our commitment to creating a culture where all employees are acknowledged, valued, and nurtured in a way that leads to professional growth and personal happiness," said Crystal Williams, chief human resources officer at Corpay. "We realize there is no finish line when it comes to creating a positive company culture, but at Corpay we remain fully invested in the well-being, quality of life, productivity, and careers of our employees, now and in the future." The ranking is informed by employee perspectives in five key areas: how positive employees feel about their future at the company, career achievement, alignment of employer values with employee values, respect at all levels, and collaboration. Additional factors—such as diversity and belonging, leadership, and professional development—were also evaluated in relation to these core sentiment drivers. "As we mark five years of recognizing the world's Most Loved Workplaces®, it's an honor to spotlight companies that place employee well-being at the center of their workplace cultures," said Jennifer H. Cunningham, Newsweek's Global Editor in Chief. "In today's rapidly changing world, this year's list reflects a growing global shift toward human-centered leadership as a key driver of resilience and success." "This year's Global Most Loved Workplaces® show what's possible when leaders turn employee sentiment into business strategy," said Louis Carter. "From trust to purpose to collaboration, these companies are using data-driven insights to build cultures people don't want to leave. This year's Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplaces® showcase how leading with love, trust, and alignment drives performance, loyalty, and lasting impact. We're proud to work with Newsweek to highlight their achievements on a global stage." To view the complete 2025 Global Most Loved Workplaces® list, visit Methodology The 2025 Global Most Loved Workplaces® list was developed in partnership with Best Practice Institute (BPI) using its proprietary Love of Workplace Index®, which includes direct employee survey responses and analysis across five core sentiment areas: employee satisfaction with future vision, career achievement, values alignment, respect, and collaboration. More than two million employees worldwide were surveyed across companies ranging in size from 10 to over 10,000 employees. Additional evaluation included written submissions and interviews with several hundred company executives, along with analysis of external public ratings. Newsweek's global editorial team then conducted independent research to finalize the list—recognizing companies that place trust, belonging, and respect at the center of their business and workplace culture. About Corpay Corpay (NYSE: CPAY), the Corporate Payments Company, is a global S&P 500 provider of commercial cards (e.g, business cards, fleet cards, virtual cards) and AP automation solutions (e.g., invoice and payments automation, cross border payments) to businesses worldwide. Our solutions "keep business moving" and result in our customers better controlling purchases, mitigating fraud, and ultimately spending less. To learn more visit About Newsweek Newsweek is the modern global digital news organization built around the iconic, over 90-year-old magazine legacy. Newsweek reaches 100 million people each month with its thought-provoking news, opinion, images, graphics, and video delivered across a dozen print and digital platforms. Headquartered in New York City, Newsweek also publishes international editions in EMEA and Asia. About Best Practice Institute Best Practice Institute is an award-winning leadership and organization development center, benchmark research company, think tank, and solutions provider. BPI is the only certifying body for Most Loved Workplace® and conducted the original research to create the model and criteria for becoming a Most Loved Workplace®. BPI's research proves that Most Loved Workplaces® produce 3-4 times better customer service, employee performance, and retention than companies not loved by their employees. For more information on how to apply to become a certified Most Loved Workplace, go to: View source version on Contacts Media Contacts: Chad CorleyVP of Corporate Communications, (770) 729-5021 Scott BaxtHead of Research, Most Loved Workplace® scottbaxt@ (917) 805-6413 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Wire
28-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Corpay Named to Newsweek's List of 2025 Global
ATLANTA & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Newsweek Magazine recently announced the 2025 Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplaces ®, developed in partnership with Most Loved Workplace ®, a division of Best Practice Institute (BPI). – Corpay, Inc. (NYSE: CPAY), a leading corporate payments company, was ranked #39 on this prestigious list, which highlights companies across the globe where employees genuinely love to work. The Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplaces ® list is based on research from BPI's Love of Workplace Index ®, drawing on data from more than two million employees worldwide. Companies featured have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to building cultures of trust, respect, purpose, and employee connection, regardless of size, location, or industry. 'It's an honor to earn this recognition because it validates our commitment to creating a culture where all employees are acknowledged, valued, and nurtured in a way that leads to professional growth and personal happiness,' said Crystal Williams, chief human resources officer at Corpay. 'We realize there is no finish line when it comes to creating a positive company culture, but at Corpay we remain fully invested in the well-being, quality of life, productivity, and careers of our employees, now and in the future.' The ranking is informed by employee perspectives in five key areas: how positive employees feel about their future at the company, career achievement, alignment of employer values with employee values, respect at all levels, and collaboration. Additional factors—such as diversity and belonging, leadership, and professional development—were also evaluated in relation to these core sentiment drivers. 'As we mark five years of recognizing the world's Most Loved Workplaces ®, it's an honor to spotlight companies that place employee well-being at the center of their workplace cultures,' said Jennifer H. Cunningham, Newsweek's Global Editor in Chief. 'In today's rapidly changing world, this year's list reflects a growing global shift toward human-centered leadership as a key driver of resilience and success.' 'This year's Global Most Loved Workplaces ® show what's possible when leaders turn employee sentiment into business strategy,' said Louis Carter. 'From trust to purpose to collaboration, these companies are using data-driven insights to build cultures people don't want to leave. This year's Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplaces® showcase how leading with love, trust, and alignment drives performance, loyalty, and lasting impact. We're proud to work with Newsweek to highlight their achievements on a global stage.' To view the complete 2025 Global Most Loved Workplaces ® list, visit Methodology The 2025 Global Most Loved Workplaces® list was developed in partnership with Best Practice Institute (BPI) using its proprietary Love of Workplace Index ®, which includes direct employee survey responses and analysis across five core sentiment areas: employee satisfaction with future vision, career achievement, values alignment, respect, and collaboration. More than two million employees worldwide were surveyed across companies ranging in size from 10 to over 10,000 employees. Additional evaluation included written submissions and interviews with several hundred company executives, along with analysis of external public ratings. Newsweek's global editorial team then conducted independent research to finalize the list—recognizing companies that place trust, belonging, and respect at the center of their business and workplace culture. About Corpay Corpay (NYSE: CPAY), the Corporate Payments Company, is a global S&P 500 provider of commercial cards (e.g, business cards, fleet cards, virtual cards) and AP automation solutions (e.g., invoice and payments automation, cross border payments) to businesses worldwide. Our solutions 'keep business moving' and result in our customers better controlling purchases, mitigating fraud, and ultimately spending less. To learn more visit About Newsweek Newsweek is the modern global digital news organization built around the iconic, over 90-year-old magazine legacy. Newsweek reaches 100 million people each month with its thought-provoking news, opinion, images, graphics, and video delivered across a dozen print and digital platforms. Headquartered in New York City, Newsweek also publishes international editions in EMEA and Asia. About Best Practice Institute Best Practice Institute is an award-winning leadership and organization development center, benchmark research company, think tank, and solutions provider. BPI is the only certifying body for Most Loved Workplace ® and conducted the original research to create the model and criteria for becoming a Most Loved Workplace®. BPI's research proves that Most Loved Workplaces® produce 3-4 times better customer service, employee performance, and retention than companies not loved by their employees. For more information on how to apply to become a certified Most Loved Workplace, go to:
BreakingNews.ie
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Lizzo releases music video filmed after Met Gala
US pop star Lizzo has released a new music video filmed at the Met Gala. Lizzo, real name Melissa Viviane Jefferson, revealed the video for Still Bad (Animal Style) in a stream on Twitch before posting the full clip to her Instagram account. Advertisement 'DROPS TONIGHT,' she teased in an Instagram post showing the song's mp3 file on Thursday. 'MEET ME ON TWITCH! 5PM!' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lizzo (@lizzobeeating) The song is a re-released alternate version of her single Still Bad, which originally debuted in March. The upbeat pop number shows clips of the Good As Hell singer arriving at the Vogue-run gala in a black and white two-toned gown before cutting to footage of her running through the streets of New York City, partying in an arcade and lip syncing in a limousine. 'I like the demo version more and I had people in my head telling me that it wasn't good enough,' she wrote on BlueSky of the decision to re-release the song. Advertisement 'But I'm learning it's not about what's good enough, it's about what I WANT.' Her upcoming album, Love In Real Life, is due to be released this summer. The album will mark her first since the musician and her production company were sued by ex-dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez, who made a number of claims, including allegations of sexual, religious and racial harassment. At the time, the singer, 37, said the claims were 'as unbelievable as they sound' and insisted she would 'not let the good work I've done in the world be overshadowed by this'. Advertisement Her first single since the scandal, Love in Real Life, was released in February. Fans speculated over her return to music after the Grammy Award-winner posted a video of her spray painting the words 'bye bitch' on to a large printout of her album cover Special on Valentine's Day. Lizzo attending the 2025 Met Gala (Matt Crossick/PA) Earlier in the month, it was reported she had told a Twitch stream about her plans, saying: 'I've been working on new music for the last two years.' In 2023 she released the song Pink, which featured on the Barbie movie soundtrack, and a remix of the song Special. Advertisement A month after the allegations in August 2023, similar claims were made against Lizzo by stylist Asha Daniels, who said she was subject to racial and sexual harassment and a hostile work environment while on tour with Lizzo. A US judge dismissed the specific allegations against Lizzo.
