Finding the right balance: How brokers can harmonize technology with human touch

Human resource (HR) technology is rapidly evolving, with the role of the HR professional growing along with it. Even with the fast pace of change, many HR professionals are successfully adapting, learning new skills and recognizing how HR technology can help streamline their work.

While most employers (82%) say HR technology has made it easier to do their job and believe their company has a good balance between HR technology and the human touch, 61% worry that updated HR technology and systems may cause them to lose the personal touch.

“Finding the right balance between the efficiencies of technology advancements related to benefits administration and the comfort that comes with speaking to a supportive, empathetic professional is important for employers to maintain,” says Alyssa Hill, Technology Relationship Executive at The Hartford. “Trusted benefits brokers play a critical role in guiding employers through decision-making processes about technology solutions.”

The need to balance the human touch with technology will continue as companies begin introducing new tools such as artificial intelligence and generative artificial intelligence. Seven in 10 employers would trust artificial intelligence to make benefits recommendations for employees, according to The Hartford’s 2024 Future of Benefits Study. Most U.S. workers, however, remain more comfortable using traditional digital tools or working with a person. The preference for a human touch among U.S. workers is even higher for tasks requiring empathy or support such as requesting a leave (53%) and filing a non-medical claim (48%).

The new reality means brokers are uniquely positioned to help employers provide a human-centric approach while still making the most of technology advancements.

Brokers can help clients identify routine tasks that can be streamlined using HR technology, creating efficiencies for employers and their employees, while maintaining the human touch when it matters to employees.

Today’s technology solutions can help simplify enrollment, provide real-time absence management updates, enable paperless evidence of insurability processes and automate eligibility data to improve claims, leave management and billing efficiency.

“When investing in HR technology, employers can maximize business and employee experiences by leveraging technology and AI to manage rote, often time-consuming work,” explains Hill “This approach provides more bandwidth for HR teams and benefit administrators to spend more time with employees when additional support is needed.”

Brokers as trusted tech advisors

Brokers offer a unique vantage point to help clients optimize HR technology and retain the ability to deliver empathetic human support when employees need it. Brokers looking to strengthen client relationships by providing insights and recommendations about technology solutions have three distinct opportunities to demonstrate value:

1. Match long-term solutions to client-specific needs: HR technology is not one-size-fits-all. By understanding the employer’s benefits objectives and current platforms, brokers provide credible guidance for technology planning and prioritization.

2. Understand the resources: Brokers have a firsthand view of how their employer clients use their technology stack and the data sources available. This perspective lets brokers recommend solutions and insurers to address gaps or pain points. They can also suggest ways to enhance the employee experience from open enrollment through claims by optimizing the mix of technology and human support.

3. Stay involved: Brokers are well-positioned to foster broker-client-carrier partnerships that continue throughout a technology implementation or data integration. The ongoing nature of the broker-client relationship enables brokers to step in to alleviate issues and tap into consultative expertise available through the insurance company or technology vendor.

By combining the efficiencies of innovative technology tools with the people-centric approach favored by most employees, brokers help their employer clients deliver an enhanced benefits experience during implementation and beyond.

Learn more at www.thehartford.com/hrtech 

Ann Clifford is a freelance writer who translates her background in financial services marketing into specialized content focused on employee benefits and small business topics.