How a major retailer leverages student loan benefits to drive employee engagement nationwide

Founded nearly eighty years ago by an 18-year-old as a bait-and-tackle shop, DICK’s Sporting Goods (DSG) is today the nation’s leading retailer for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts. And with more than 55,000 teammates across its stores, distribution centers, and corporate office, maximizing reach — and impact — is critical to the organization’s benefits strategy.

“Financial wellbeing has been a big focus for us, because we know it’s tied at the hip with mental wellbeing,” shares Tammy Fennessy, Director of Benefits at DSG.

Candidly’s innovative programs have the ability to help anyone with student loan debt.

Tammy Fennessey, Director of Benefits

That in mind, the decision to introduce a student loan benefit was “a no-brainer,” says Tammy. “We didn’t need to do a more formal organizational assessment to know that DSG is a good fit for student loan benefits. Our population is predominantly Millennial-aged, but student loan debt affects every generation. Candidly’s innovative programs have the ability to help anyone with student loan debt.”

The return to federal student loan repayment following the three-and-half-year long moratorium underscored the benefit’s potential, Tammy shares. “We knew that this was an urgent, pressing issue for a lot of teammates, so we wanted to give them tools that would help them navigate that transition, barrier- and cost-free to them.”

“This is important — getting [teammates] the tools so that they can advocate for themselves in ways that they might not have thought of doing before. You’re there, and you’re helping people take little steps towards big milestones,” Tammy says of the organization’s offering.

Since joining the organization at the start of 2024, Tammy says she’s strived to improve awareness and adoption through increased education and strategic vendor partnerships. And she’s already seeing results: the organization’s most recent open enrollment period was among the most successful on record.

“I think we’re really hitting a chord, and our teammates are really paying attention right now,” she says.

Tammy credits this success in large part to an increased focus on leveraging digital solutions. “That goes a long way in helping us reach beyond our corporate office so that distribution center and store teammates can really tap into these resources,” she says.

Also critical to increasing the reach of DSG’s benefits program has been a push to refine its messaging and diversify its communications strategy. “We’re trying to leverage every modality we can,” including in-person engagement events at distribution centers and handing out print materials at a recent conference for store managers.

Word-of-mouth is still an important channel, too — especially for a benefit like Candidly. “We’re still in our first year with this benefit, and I know that as more teammates continue to sign up, they’ll keep sharing their experiences with each other about why this is such a beneficial offering,” Tammy shares. “If they see what can happen just by taking these little steps, it gives them the encouragement and the ability to take larger steps down the road.”