Written by Eric Frokjer
One of the best things about Benefits technology, besides making things easier for your rock star HR team, is that it can make work life better for your employees. Here are seven ideas for how you can do so.
- Automatically notify an employee that it is time for them to complete their initial benefits enrollment after joining your organization, as well as where to go to get more information about the benefits and the enrollment process. This eliminates the potentially awkward exchange when you call your nervous new hire down to the HR office alone to enroll in benefits, but they are in a panic because they assume they’ll be receiving disciplinary action.
- Automatically notify all benefits-eligible employees company-wide when it is time to begin the annual Open Enrollment period, and where to go to find information about the process, plan details, and changes from the last year. This helps to consumerize the employee service experience as employees today increasingly prefer self-service wherever possible. Plus, it’s way more efficient for both parties.
- Configure your system to include an Employer-added Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page. Your employees can find answers to questions they have in real time and can cut out the need to call/email/submit a request to HR for that information. They’ll be happy to find the answers they need immediately, and it becomes a win-win since it’ll cut down on your HR team’s to-do list.
- Easy and more secure documentation submission options for dependents and beneficiaries. If your employee can scan and add their dependent’s birth certificate or social security number on their own device, in the office, or at home, the process is much easier. The employee no longer needs to bring an original document or a paper copy in to your office for processing. This also helps keep confidential information secure, as you eliminate the risk of a document being accidentally left out on a desk, or lost somewhere between their home and the office, since the employee can upload themselves.
- Automatic reminders and online uploading make submitting Life Event documentation easy! You don’t have to bug Joe for a copy of his marriage license while he’s away on his honeymoon or keep calling Laura who just had a baby to bring in a copy of the birth certificate. Your employees will be reminded by the system and can upload the documentation themselves, when it is convenient amongst all the other changes associated with their life event.
- Allow employee access to log in to the Benefits system from home to review plan documentation or submit updates and changes. If your employee is preparing to make open enrollment selections, or check on a certain type of insurance benefit, they may feel more comfortable doing so in their own home, where they can look up coverage types and costs in a private environment. Plus, they might not have time to look at benefits information during the work day if they’re busy. Giving them at-home access can make their work lives less stressful.
- Configure your system to allow separate spouse or partner access to the system. This makes it easier for your employees to make important benefit decisions with a spouse or partner during open enrollment. Giving a spouse or partner separate access means that if that person has a benefits question, they can likely log in and find the answer they need without having to reach out to your employee, who needs to then stop what he or she is doing to find the answer online or reach out to HR to ask. That is a huge time-saver for your employee both personally and professionally!
Of course, your technology is only as good as the configuration and end-user communication. So, when you’re preparing to implement your next Benefits system, make sure you’re well prepared and set up for success. If you are looking for a new or replacement Benefits system for your firm, HRchitect can help you to select the right system for your organization. HRchitect can properly configure your system, allowing for all the functionality that will make your employee’s lives easier as well as maximizing return on investment in no time. Plus we’ll make sure you have a comprehensive change management plan in place, so your employees are not only well-prepared to use the new system, but they’re also excited about all of the ways the new system will make their work lives easier.
About Eric Frokjer
Eric has over 25 years of experience in the HRMS field. Some of his experience is in implementing Human Resources, Benefits, Payroll and Time & Attendance systems. He has been working with HRchitect since 2012.