Workflow automation is a phrase we are hearing not only in the business world, but in the HR space as well. One major area that HR professionals are keying in on are online benefit platforms. These platforms are automating onboarding, open enrollment, new hire enrollment and paid time off. A few of these platforms include Employee Navigator, BambooHr, and bswift. The online enrollment systems are starting to integrate with the carriers and payroll vendors. For example, Employee Navigator, has integrated with Paylocity and Benefit Mall for payroll and various cobra venders like TASC and CareFlex. We are hearing this is only the start.
Online benefit platforms not only help HR professionals, but also encourage employee engagement. Imagine five years down the road handing a paper application to one of your millennial or even Generation Z employees. What is that employee going to think? Employee recruiting/retention is a key factor into going digital and providing an online benefit platform. These platforms are helping employers educate employees about benefit options, and allowing small groups to offer “Fortune 500 type benefits” without confusing or overwhelming employees.
While all this sounds great, employers do need to pay attention to data security risks before implementing a system. To limit such risks, employers should look for systems that require effective passwords, offer the ability to vary users’ access rights, have SOC 2 certification, and encrypt sensitive data. Weighing the risks vs the potential benefits is something each company is going to need to evaluate.
To learn more about the advantages to employers and employees of taking your HR function to the next level of automation and efficiency, join our complimentary 21st Century HR Processes and Technology webinars on October 10th or October 18th! You’ll also see a demo of how one particular system eliminates benefits headaches, prevents errors, and enables a more robust benefit offering even for smaller employers.
