In a world driven by instant gratification, consumers are not the only group that expects quick and seamless experiences. Employees, HR teams, and benefits leaders do, too. From using a smartphone to pay at the gas pump to snapping up the latest fashion trends with a single click, the digital revolution has conditioned us to favor speed and efficiency in every aspect of life. This expectation seamlessly extends into the professional sphere, including having a significant impact on how the entire landscape of employee benefits. When HR adds a new hire to payroll, they want it to happen in real time. Employees want to immediately see the change they just made to their 401(k) contribution amount show up on the app for their employee benefits portal. Benefits leaders want to be able to compare current, updated offerings among benefit providers.

While today's demand for benefits-related tools to be efficient, fast, and comprehensive is felt in every industry, it's most acutely experienced by HR and benefits leaders — and employees — in high-turnover industries. For example:

• Truck drivers and other delivery workers are out on the road and only have access to benefits and HR information from a mobile device. This has traditionally hampered clear, robust, and timely communication for the driver and HR.
• Education wrestles with serious employment fluctuations at the beginning and end of every school year and often at mid-year. The roller-coaster of onboarding, offboarding, and payroll is challenging without a way to fit into the rhythm of payroll and employee benefits — and still get everything done accurately and on time.
• Health care employers, from urgent care clinics to hospital systems, must deal with a vast array of differences in benefits eligibility across roles, full-time or part-time status, certifications, and more. Managing this manually can be a nightmare.

In short, today's employees, HR teams, and benefits leaders want their interactions and benefits tools to mirror the convenience they experience in their consumer lives. Everyone in the company wants to spend less time on administrative tasks and have more time for things that matter — and use tools that have less room for error.

Traditional paperwork or slow, manual processes are no longer acceptable. Why should employees have to wait for weeks on enrollment confirmations when a mobile app can deliver instant proof? This shift in mindset means employers who are striving to attract and retain top talent — and trying to foster a fully engaged workforce — must integrate automation within their employee benefits.