Here’s how small employers can feel the boons of an online benefits system.
Why should a small employer consider moving their benefits administration online? Well, let’s first clarify what a small employer even is; an employer is categorized as “small” if it has anywhere from two to 100 employees.
Much time is wasted administering employee benefits because insurance forms are complicated, and it’s easy for an employee to miss something. Simple errors frequently lead to a frustrating back-and-forth exchange between the employee and the benefits administrator, who’s just trying to get things right. If an incomplete form actually makes its way to an insurance company, two weeks will be lost before the form is sent back.
In an online system, that rigamarole is done away with outright; employees simply can’t move forward in the process until they’ve completed all the required information. Employees will also enjoy not being presented with a complicated insurance form with many pages and sections. With an online system, they only have to work through a few fields.
"An online benefits administration system offers smooth, straightforward processes for small employers and their employees."
Also, it’s no secret that the government at both the federal and local level is taking a greater interest in employee benefit plans. Let’s say the government requires that a particular document be distributed outside of an online benefits system. That’s a very cumbersome process—one that small employers often fail to complete, leaving themselves open to potential penalties. In an online system, completing government documents is a cinch. On- and off-boarding for open enrollment is much simpler, too.
The “three-legged stool” is the ultimate goal in administering employees: payroll, human resource information system, and benefits. Now, online benefits administration systems integrate payroll and HRIS, so a lot of duplicate work is eliminated.
If you have any questions about how to take your benefits administration online or anything else regarding small employer insurance, please reach out to WGB Benefits by phone or email. We’d love to hear from you and find out how we can be of service.
