Employees Want Online Benefits

Efforts to encourage employees to take more responsibility for health care and retirement planning are at risk of being undermined by the lack of a unified technology and content strategy, according to Michael Rudnick, eCommunications and portal leader at Watson Wyatt.

“Changing the way employees choose and use their benefits involves more

than simply providing reams of information on a multitude of Web sites,” says Michael, also the co-leader of the Technology community here on Communitelligence.com. “Employees are much more likely to change their behavior and become more discerning benefits consumers if they can find relevant, personalized and meaningful information. Employers who send employees links to five to 10 provider Web sites or HR applications and expect them to navigate the system will not see the results they are seeking.”

A soon-to-be-released Watson Wyatt survey of 2,000 employees has found that employees rank the Internet as one of their preferred ways to receive benefits information. The survey found that 62% of employees like to receive benefits information via the Internet way.

Most medium to large organizations offer benefits via online enrolment. And most strongly encourage if not force employees to enrol and change benefits online; most employees prefer the online method. Some may complain at first, but they become quick adopters. Even employees who are not so-called knowledge workers such as British Airways employees and retirees (75% of pensioner (retiree) self-service is done online).

Online benefits at Baxter International has replaced the former voice recognition system (VRU) and accrued savings of between US$300,000–$350,000 per year.