Reflecting on a year of COVID-19

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By Paul Johnston

I’ve been reflecting lately on the anniversary of moving our workforce to a primarily remote work environment. I’ll never forget our early conversations about the pandemic as a cross-functional group of leaders gathered daily to try to solve for the potential impacts on our organization. Even then, it was clear that Thrivent’s commitment to supporting and caring for our workforce was forming the foundation for the decisions we would make in the months that followed.

We knew that in order to fulfill our purpose as an organization—to help people make the most of all they’ve been given—we needed to take care of our workforce so they could care for you.

While the shift to working remotely was a major change for us, our employees and financial professionals transitioned to a new way of working with resilience, commitment and grace.

As it became clear that the remote work environment would be with us for many months, we specifically focused on engaging, supporting and connecting our workforce during these unusual times. Over the past year, we introduced several programs to maintain the safety, well-being and morale of our workforce. To meet individuals where they need the most support, we offered a variety of programs, including:

• Financial support: Providing assistance for unexpected childcare or remote work costs, paid time off for employees who must quarantine, and flexible work options.
• Well-being support: Free counseling services through our employee assistance program, access to online wellness programs, and support networks for parents navigating remote learning.
• Virtual connections: Hosting a virtual holiday celebration, bingo tournament, and offering opportunities for virtual volunteering and generosity.

At Thrivent, we invest in people. Our clients and our workforce are invested in their families, their communities and each other. We are proud to do work that matters, which includes doing our best to provide support and stability to our workforce in challenging times. As a workforce, we are safe, well and more energized than ever to serve you and help you achieve financial clarity during these challenging times. We all make up the fabric of Thrivent—and we are all in this together.

Paul Johnston is executive vice president, chief legal officer, general counsel and secretary at Thrivent.