*Guest blog content provided by freshbenies.

How many Benefits Administration systems did you work with last year versus 5 years ago? Like you, we’ve seen a few different companies with multiple options over the years– and a lot more in recent years. They’re getting smarter and more efficient, and that’s good because today, most medium to large-size employers already have or are considering a benefit administration system.

Of course, the goal is to deliver benefits to employees in a more efficient manner, and we should be prepared to help with the decision-making process.

On that note, here are 3 key areas of functionality to consider when reviewing a new or current system.  

1.  Consolidation of services – with support!

The system should handle multiple carriers and offer enrollment for all employee benefits. This involves seamless connectivity for eligibility feeds to all carriers. The “holy grail” everyone is looking for is integration with a payroll system. True integration allows for one point of input for employee information, plus payroll deductions carried from the benefits system to the payroll system (That would make life a little easier, right?).

Also, while good software is crucial, support when things go wrong (because they will) is just as important. Some questions to ask include:

• Are account management and technical support available when setting up feeds?
• How are errors, reconciliation and auditing of data handled?
• What compliance reports are available?

2.  Paperless, self-service enrollment

The trend is headed toward paperless and self-service enrollment. What specific features are required to meet this need?

• Employees should be able to enroll in all benefits via the system, including voluntary benefits with the necessary restrictions for participation.
• Benefit descriptions should be easily available in the system or via links.
• HSA and FSA contributions should be captured.
• Costs should be presented on a “per paycheck” basis.
• Defined contributions will require credit bank functionality so employees can shop for benefits and use credits.

Bonus functionality would allow employees to order ID cards, update addresses and change benefits due to qualifying events. HR should be notified when a change is made and be able to track these changes in a date range. Based on the love affair Americans have with their phones, the demand for systems with mobile app enrollment will likely increase. Ask if the system offers this technology now or plans to in the near future.   

3.  Content management – external and internal streams

As they say, content is king. Cutting-edge systems will allow for delivery of critical messages and serve as a central repository for relevant news and updates. This will be an important trend going forward because it facilitates efficient communication between benefit advisors and employers, as well as between employers and employees.

Internally, the employer can deliver useful information to employees and draw them to the site. Where do employees go for information now and how can the system help provide a better, more convenient information source? The portal can also include health and nutritional information, new medical breakthroughs and lifestyle information as a start.

We all know how hard it is to sort through emails and take note of all the information they contain. The importance of a central go-to information source will only increase for you and your employees.      

There are many systems out there that provide a varying mix of these functions. It’s important to discuss these possibilities with your employee benefits broker as part of your overall benefits strategy.

At Sonus Benefits, we build cost effective, long-lasting benefits strategies to keep your business and your employees in optimum health. Located in Kirkwood, MO, we help clients throughout the greater St. Louis area identify and manage complex employee benefits challenges. If you want help managing your employee programs, we may be the insurance consultant and business partner you need.

Find the original article here. (freshbenies helps employers and employees take the headache out of healthcare with telehealth, doctors online, advocacy, Rx savings (and more)… all in one easy membership.)

For the vast majority of organizations, HR functions are not a luxury— especially the benefits administration and compliance pieces. Your company depends on HR’s critical role to keep you in compliance and out of legal trouble.

When businesses think about cutting costs, it’s tempting to look at lowering fixed expenses such as rent, electricity, insurance, salaries and employee benefits. Some employers have even decided to trim their HR departments in an effort to save money. But when it comes to reducing expenses, investing in your Human Resources team can yield big returns.

HR handles a huge range of activities relating to employees. From hiring staff, to implementing organizational strategies, to maintaining administration systems for payroll, employee benefits, and compliance tracking, these folks do some pretty heavy lifting.

As a local insurance agency, we’ve seen more than our share of St. Louis area businesses who desperately need help with compliance.

Compliance matters

The stakes are high when you’re dealing with a part of the business that is regulated with potential fines and lawsuits. If you’re not following the rules, punitive fines, fees and litigation can literally bring down your business.

Compliance penalties for not keeping up with new regulations can be severe, including fines and criminal penalties.

• SPD violations can be $110 per day, per instance and up to $500,000 and/or include imprisonment for willful violation.
• The IRS penalty for late filing of a 5500-series return is $25 per day, up to a maximum of $15,000.
• The DOL penalty for late filing can run up to $1,100 per day, with no maximum.
• COBRA penalties can be complex and mounting, starting at $100 per day for tax penalties + $110 per day through ERISA, + actual benefit missed and legal fees.

Keeping up with these responsibilities is daunting, but the “I didn’t know!” defense isn’t going to help if you end up on the wrong side of the rules.

It’s your job to know your organizational responsibilities and operate within that space. If you don’t have the team, resources, and processes in place to manage it all, things can go wrong. Sometimes very wrong.

Dangers include:

• Fines for non-compliance
• Litigation and attorney fees
• Lack of confidence in leadership
• Damage to the organizational brand
• Exposure to increased Workers’ Comp fees
• Inefficiencies due to lack of training and procedures

Investing in your HR team and processes will help keep you in the safe zone. Start by breaking your efforts down to the basic level to uncover your most pressing needs. Then review your current HR and compliance administration practices as a leadership team.

Discussing the importance of these issues allows for strategic-level input to address issues that may arise. Once you have an understanding of your greatest concerns, you can seek out the right solutions.

Is your employee benefits broker also a compliance consultant? A good broker will bring you policy options. A great broker will be willing (and excited!) to help you work through any HR and compliance challenges you may be facing.

If your current agent isn’t focused on finding creative business solutions, do yourself a huge favor and find someone who is.

Struggling with benefits administration and compliance? At Sonus, we’ve got tools to make it easier. We help businesses all throughout the Midwest identify organizational challenges and put customized solutions in place. From tailored benefit programs to human resource management services, we’ve got you covered.

Company Culture. Employee Engagement. Managing Millennials. These hot topics have been getting a lot of press lately, and with good reason. Workplace processes, recruitment, and demographics are changing rapidly. Things that worked fine in the past simply aren’t cutting it today. Even more frightening, what works well today might not work tomorrow.

If you want to be successful in an ever-shifting business world, you have got to be willing to see, accept and facilitate change. Whether it’s adjusting to new technologies, finding and keeping the right people, or effectively overseeing a diverse workforce, clinging to old HR policies simply won’t do.

Of course, every business has its own unique set of needs, and workplace policies should rightfully reflect them. Retail and manufacturing companies can’t necessarily offer work-at-home options. Banks and insurance companies might not be able to say yes to jeans and flip-flops. But chances are good that you have at least one HR policy or practice that’s worth re-visiting in order to make your company more appealing to current staff and potential new employees.

Not sure where to start? Here are two things to quickly eliminate if you’re interested in attracting and retaining top-notch talent.

1.) Harrowing hiring

Your hiring process says a lot about who you are as a company. An ineffective, unprofessional or exhausting interview process will send fantastic candidates running. Away, that is.

If you require five years of experience, three separate interviews, and a 1,500-word essay for an entry-level position, chances are you’re going to do one of two things:

1. scare applicants away, or
2. build an expectation that the job is more lucrative or significant than it actually is

Yes, you need to find highly capable people, but the last thing you want is a top pick candidate who turns you down— or an over-qualified new hire who feels bored and disillusioned two months into the position.

Tip: Keep your skill requirements and your interview process properly geared toward the position to make sure you get a generous pool of appropriately qualified candidates.

Employers can also miss out on awesome future employees by not moving applicants through the process in a timely manner and/or failing to keep them in the loop. Hiring should never be rushed, but taking too long to conduct interviews, check references and make a decision will only hurt you in the long run.

You may be convinced your company is the gold standard and your position is amazing, but that doesn’t mean you have an infinite amount of time to find that right person. Today’s job seekers are smart, savvy, and driven. And you can bet they’re not just talking to you. By the time you finally get around to calling your top choice back, they could already be putting their enthusiasm and talents to work for someone else.

Tip: To avoid losing out on great candidates and hires, institute a short, but effective process and keep people informed and updated as it moves along.

2.) Vacation vs. sick days

This system probably seemed logical at some point, but in today’s working world, it just doesn’t make sense. Employees aren’t interested in being sick; they’re interested being well. And that means achieving a healthy, manageable work/life balance.

According to the 2015 Workplace Flexibility Study, 75% of employees surveyed chose workplace flexibility as the most important benefit their employer could offer them. Meanwhile, research from Morneau Shepell found that 52% of incidental employee absence is not actually due to illness.

When your employees need to be out of the office, does it really matter what the exact reason is? Whether a staff member has intestinal distress, a sick toddler, or playoff tickets is irrelevant. The point is, that person either needs to deal with a personal situation or they need to rest and re-charge.

Not being flexible when it comes to employee time off will only cause resentment and ultimately reduce employee engagement and productivity.

Don’t force your employees to call in “sick” from the stadium. Scrap your vacation policy and come up with a Paid Time Off system that allows for maximum flexibility and discretion. Even better, design it so that paid time off can be used in hourly increments instead of in all-or-nothing eight-hour blocks. That way, your employees will feel free to take only the time they need, when they need it, whatever they need it for.

Switching your outdated sick policy to a PTO program is an inexpensive way to make current employees happy, recruit new talent and, according to Workforce, significantly reduce the number of unscheduled absences at your business.

What outdated policies do you have?

We’ve worked with clients to help implement a variety of operational solutions designed to ensure a happier, healthier workplace (Optional: Insert client example here).

The only question now is: What can we do for you?

At Sonus, we build cost-effective, long-lasting employee benefits strategies to keep your business— and your employees— in optimum health. We help clients all over the Midwest identify organizational challenges and put customized solutions in place.

If you’re looking for a corporate employee benefits consultant who is a true business partner, and not just a once a year policy peddler, Sonus is here for you.