Tech

Employers increasingly have been asking benefit advisers to provide simplified solutions to their HR challenges and meet new reporting requirements under the Affordable Care Act — making 2014 the year of client-focused technology solutions.

Despite enhanced compliance and tracking requirements in the post-ACA world, benefits administrators are still reluctant to adopt to new, time-saving technology, especially at small businesses.

As the Affordable Care Act moves forward, benefits enrollment and management will increasingly be done online. While there hasn't been a major breach in the benefits world yet, the risk is very real.

Commentary: Smartphone apps improve adherence and plan member health, and brokers can serve as catalyst for change in this new environment.

Applying the appropriate technology to boost benefits engagement may also require managers considering that technology in light of consumerism, compliance, cost and culture.

Any benefits technology employers adopt should always engage and educate employees throughout the entire benefit experience. Don’t offer access to technology simply for technology’s sake.

EBA's first-ever technology survey reveals how benefits agencies plan to invest in internal systems.

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.

Commentary: Are private exchanges just a flex benefits reboot? Lockton’s Mike Smith shares what he thinks will affect their success and adoption.

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).