Research studies — which seem to emerge from the PR white noise almost daily — can be as overwhelming as holiday "spirit." And sometimes just as exhausting.
But MetLife's own Dr. Ronald Leopold opened up about some of the carrier's latest research earlier this week at the National Business Group on Health's 22nd National Conference on Health, Productivity and Human Capital in San Diego.
Seems all employers can be tagged as one of four specific "profile types when it comes to workplace benefits investments and strategies." Know your type, the research implies, and you know how work with them.
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In short, Leopold explained, employers are "progressive," "flexible," "traditional" and "standard."
I'm going to crib from the release here a bit, but I think it's worth it this week. Here are some quick thumbnail sketches of the four profiles.
o Traditional — Employers that take a traditional approach to benefits (17 percent of employers) demonstrate a commitment to the legacy of employee benefits. Health insurance and retirement plans are the cornerstones of their programs, and they tend to fund more of these core benefits than other companies do. While they may also offer voluntary benefits, these employers do not appear to focus heavily on matching those benefits with the specific needs of their employee populations or delivering or communicating about them in a targeted way.
o Standard — Employers that take a standard approach to benefits (28 percent of employers) recognize the essential nature of health insurance and retirement plans. However, these employers often do not fully fund these benefits.
o Flexible — Employers that take a flexible approach to benefits (23 percent of employers) are very aware of their competition (those they hire against and compete against in the marketplace). They seem to consider the trade-off between offering choices and shifting costs and seem to support a wider range of benefits program through self-directed education, communications and decision support tools.
o Progressive — Employers with a progressive approach to benefits (32 percent of employers) believe that the richness and diversity of their benefits platform provides a competitive advantage. They seem focused on meeting the diverse needs of their work force, and provide more benefits beyond basic health and welfare offerings. They are among the first employers to offer benefits and programs that address work/life balance.
There's a lot more over at Metlife's Web site, so go check it out.
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