Voluntary

Tailoring a voluntary benefits plan to better suit the very different needs of workers with entirely different generational goals and objectives can be challenging, but the payoff is better participation.

On the whole, benefits professionals do feel a high level of satisfaction with the majority of technology they use, but shortcomings in end-user experience remain a frustration.

EBN’s inaugural technology survey indicates that 41% of respondents plan to increase their spending on technology next year, with 45% having already increased their spending from 2013 to 2014. Much of that spending is directed toward new employee portals and front-end systems to better integrate and utilize various benefits functionalities (health, retirement, voluntary benefits and more).

Commentary: The more companies we come in contact with, the more we hear this statement and the more we realize how much employers are relying on their broker, says Beverly Beattie.

Advisers need to know what employees want, what the competition is doing and be current on tax law before setting up an executive benefit plan.

Despite the past two decades of employer efforts to improve gender diversity and equality in the workplace, women remain underrepresented at most levels in the workforce and are not progressing in their careers.

With many employers moving to an online self-service model for benefits – and with the rapid changes in the health care industry – now more than ever, employees need an active guide to help them with their benefit selections and enrollment.

Commentary: The average working American is part of a financially fragile workforce and many are reacting to higher health insurance contributions that could spell long-term trouble, says voluntary specialist Tinker Kelly.

For the third time in recent months, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has launched legal action against a private employer, claiming discrimination on the part of the company’s wellness program.

Commentary: Why group benefit brokers are behind the curve when it comes to voluntary benefit sales — and how to fix it.