Beyond the Paycheck · 2026-07-14 · 25 min
Summary In this episode of Beyond the Paycheck, host Kelsey Willock Jones sits down with Jonathan Taddeo, Director of Total Rewards at Syniverse, the company powering intercarrier text messaging across 24 countries. Jonathan explains why pay is a hygiene factor rather than a motivator, why recognition is the most underused lever in employee engagement, and why the EU Pay Transparency Directive is only the tip of the iceberg for total rewards leaders. Along the way, he shares how a Division I swimming career shaped his money story, how Syniverse wins executive buy in for wellbeing programs by pairing data with the right story, and what it takes to keep pay fair across a global workforce. This conversation is for HR and total rewards leaders, people managers, and anyone who wants to understand what really drives engagement beyond the paycheck.
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