Employee benefit planning is familiar ground for most benefit professionals, both advisors and their employer customers. However, there is a major pitfall when familiarity with concepts leads to assumptions that can destroy an effective employee benefit plan. Here are some of the bad assumptions I have observed over the years.

All employee benefit administration systems are the same – NOT!

Many times, it seems deceptively easy to choose a benefit administration system. After all, every system comes with a glowing description of its advantages. The functions all seem similar: maintaining employee and dependent eligibility, processing enrollment and terminations, tracking product deductions, providing reports, enabling employee benefit-related communications, etc. But don't be deceived by the seeming similarities. Every system will say it is user-friendly, but the reality of using the system must be experienced, rather than simply described. Make sure the system is tested from the viewpoint of both the employer benefits administrator and the employees who will be using the system to enroll or make changes. I have personally seen "user-friendly" systems that made life miserable for users.

All enrollment processes are the same – NOT!

Most enrollments are conducted through some form of benefit administration system. That makes one part of the process efficient, but it also requires an effective enrollment marketing campaign to support the process. Employee education is the key to maximizing the value of enrollment. Employees need to know how to use the system as well as how to evaluate the products on the system. It's important to integrate systems with human communication, either via in person meetings with employees, or in technology enabled person-to-person enrollment sessions.