Trends in Benefits Web Technology: 2006 Research Among Benefits Plan Sponsors

1
Trends in Benefits Web Technology 2006 Research
Among Benefits Plan Sponsors
2
Introduction
3
Research Objectives
To determine through market studies

• The availability of group life and disability web
  tools for use by benefits plan administrators
  and plan participants.
• The frequency of use of group life and disability
  web tools by plan administrators.
• The satisfaction of plan sponsors with the
  performance of group life and disability web
  tools, in terms of functionality, navigation,
  content, and accessibilityfor plan
  administrators and participants.
• The primary objectives of plan sponsors who have
  implemented benefits web tools and how well those
  objectives have been met.

4
Study of Employee Benefits 2006 Beyond
Employees
Region
Industry
5
2006 Plan Sponsor Web Benchmarking Study
Group Life Web Technology
Group Disability Web Technology
6
Frequency of Using Benefits Web Tools Among Plan
Administrators
7
Functionality Used Most Frequently by Plan
Administrators
Doing Each Activity Online Daily or Weekly
Net Daily/Weekly
8
Usage of Benefits Web Technology by Company Size
Frequency of Use
Number of Functions Used
Low 2 functions or less Medium 3 to 9
functions High 10 or more functions
9
Plan Sponsors Making Benefits Web Tools Available
to Employees
of Companies Providing Employees Access to
These Tools
10
Plan Sponsors Making Benefits Web Tools Available
to EmployeesBy Company Size
68
59
48
10,000Employees
1,000-9,999Employees
100-999Employees
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Theme I
Removing Barriers to Promote Usage
12
Removing Barriers
Overall Satisfaction of Web Benefits
TechnologyBy Usage and Number of Functions Used
Number of Functions Used
Online Tool Usage
For number of functions used, the categories
were created by counting the number of functions
used on a daily or weekly basis Low 1
function or less Medium 2 to 9 functions High
10 to 12 functions
13
Ease of Navigation is Key to a Positive User
Experience and to Increasing Utilization
Benefits Website Attributes Plan Sponsor
Satisfaction vs. Importance
-12 Gap
-2 Gap
26
21
34
14
Site Navigation Needs to be More Intuitive for
the Less Frequent Users
Plan Sponsor Satisfaction With Navigation of
Benefits Websites By Frequency of Use
15
Removing Barriers to Promote Usage
SIGN ON Employer Portal access 24x7x365 with single sign on Employee Portal access 24x7x365
TRAINING Multi-channel approach
NAVIGATION Consistent across sitesplus site instruction
COST Online services at no additional cost
ACCESSIBILITY Employee websites for visually-impaired users
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Theme II
Making Plan Administration Easier to Realize
Cost Savings
17
Plan Sponsors Expect Greater Efficiency from Use
of Benefits Web Tools
Extent to Which Benefits Web Technology Makes Job
Easier
Ease for Plan Administrators
By Company Size
18
But Time and Cost Savings Have Yet to Be Fully
Realized
Benefits Website Attributes Plan Sponsor
Satisfaction vs. Importance
-32 Gap
-29 Gap
-29 Gap
-26 Gap
-24 Gap
-22 Gap
-39 Gap
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Making Plan Administration Easier to Realize
Cost Savings
ONLINE / IVR ENROLLMENT For Employersreduces involvement For Employeessimplifies process
EOI CONNECT EOI SELF-CONNECT For Employersreduces involvement For Employeessimplifies process
CLAIM SUBMISSION Minimizes time requirements
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION Reports that help with decision-making
20
Theme III
The Future Looks BrightComing Soon
21
The Future Looks BrightComing Soon
Areas of Greatest Future Growth for Web Benefits
Tools
Plan Sponsors
Employees
Point Change
21
16
16
16
30
28
25
24
21
22
Increased Adoption of Benefits Web Technology
will Continue in Many Industries
Plan Sponsor Willingness to Adopt New
TechnologyBy Industry
of Total Sample
13
16
30
28
13
39
34
34
32
31
30
29
28
26
26
23
20
20
20
20
19
17
16
16
14
13
13
13
12
9
9
8
6
4
3
AT THE FOREFRONTof technology
SOMEWHAT AHEAD of the market in adopting new
technologies
KEEP PACE with the market in adapting new
technologies
TEND TO FOLLOW the market and only adopt
proven technologies
RELY ON LEGACYtechnologies
All Employers
Heavy Industry
Manufacturing
Sales/Trade
Finance/Ins/Real Estate
Services
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The Future Looks Bright
ENHANCED EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE SITES Design Navigation
EXPANDED SINGLE SIGN ON CAPABILITIES Enrollment Employee Self Service
COMBINED ONLINE SCREENING Life Disability
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Questions Answers
25
Questions Answers

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