When mapping out goals for a benefits program, it's important to consider what employees want. But it's even more important to consider their needs — and possible solutions.
Even though technology and economic factors can change quickly, effective benefit administrators look out years ahead to identify what they need and what options are available now or on the horizon. To help you look ahead, here are seven benefit plan technology themes that can drive organizational success and long-term employee satisfaction and engagement.
1. Data is the foundation
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Strategic benefits administration is only as good as the data that drives it, so having the capability to aggregate benefits data in a way that's useful and actionable for smarter decision-making is key. The trick is not just pulling structured data together, but also unstructured data — social media data to information from wearables and biometric data. With data and analytics that can process that data into actionable information, you can provide consumers with a personalized benefits experience and recommendations.
2. Provide insight & understanding
Right now, only 4 percent of companies provide predictive analytics about their workforce. That means many companies are essentially making decisions in the dark. You can change that with condition-based and scenario cost modeling that reveals insights into the future. And through consumer shopping activity tracking and analysis, employers, brokers and carriers will be able to track and then model benefit offerings based on real-time data as well as year-over-year analytics.
3. Customized, extensible solutions
Right now, 40 percent of employees look to their employer for help achieving financial security through workplace benefits, according to MetLife's 2013 Annual US Employee Benefit Trends Study. And since 60 percent of all bankruptcies stem from medical costs and a lack of adequate coverage, that places an extremely large burden on employers.
In order to help employees cross the deductible gap and maintain their financial security, forward-looking employers are establishing an ecosystem of providers that extend beyond the basics of medical, dental, vision and life. Bringing it back to personalization – the key is making it easy to integrate things like wellness, voluntary benefits, and quality care information so that people can customize their coverage to their individual health and wealth needs.
4. Simplify complex administration
Four generations are converging in today's workforce, soon to be five. Communicating to this wide population range takes more than memos. Seventy-five percent of HR professionals say their greatest communication challenge is keeping employees engaged.
Instead of piling on marketing duties to administrators' already large laundry list of responsibilities, certain benefits management solutions have built-in campaign management, survey and form builders, task management and communication automation tools to lessen this burden and allow HR to focus on the heart of their profession: the people.
5. Marketplace
We all like the personal touch, and employees are no different. Eighty percent4 say they value benefits that are personalized for their specific circumstance, and with more of the population turning to private exchanges for their benefits, they're wanting the same consumer-friendly shopping experience to which they've grown accustomed. But personalization means so much more than just providing choices, especially when the majority of employees don't even know what their deductible might be.
Fortunately, advanced algorithms can be used to tailor enrollment workflows within a private exchange marketplace so employees find the information they need at critical decision points. And social data can be incorporated to provide plan ratings and reviews, transforming enrollment into a true e-commerce shopping experience where employees are empowered to make confident benefit decisions.
6. The world is mobile
Smartphones have revolutionized more than our personal lives, they're redefining business as we know it. One in five workers telecommutes, with the average person spending 177 minutes browsing, shopping and interacting online on a mobile device daily.
This leads consumers to expect access to information anywhere from any device at any time. Giving employees on demand access to their benefits information from their mobile device keeps them engaged beyond enrollment. Mobile app capabilities such as push notifications and reminders give administrators an additional opportunity to connect with employees.
7. Experience
Web 2.0 ushered in a new era of user experience. We're no longer passive passengers in the digital world. However, are our engagement efforts utilizing this new opportunity? With only 34 percent of employees saying benefit communication received is effective, the answer is a resounding "no."
Rather than accepting this reality, many employers are leveraging technology to deliver personalized content that is contextual and event-based. This captivates users, and benefit timeline information empowers them with a holistic view of their benefit history. For back-end users, role-based permissions can break down the compartmentalization of experience for brokers, insurance carriers and benefit administrators, allowing for unified platform participation.
Personalization is an overarching objective of effective benefits planning. It's not just for smoothing out open enrollment. Successful goal-setting takes a 365-day, multi-year view to ensure a positive year-round experience for all benefits, a deeper engagement for the individual and their family members, and an overall umbrella experience that serves up all of the benefits available to employees at any stage of their life. This broad approach creates a world in which everyone benefits.
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