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New LIMRA research finds nearly half of employers use technology for benefits enrollment, yet few (22 percent) take advantage of technology for benefits education and communication (slide). That said, 41 percent of employers who do not have technology for benefits communications say they are interested in adding it in the future.

LIMRA research finds the most popular use of technology in the human resources function is payroll. Seven in ten companies have a technology platform that handles their payroll administration, which is the only type of technology that is prevalent even among small companies.  

Many factors influence a company’s use of technology, with size being the biggest. Other factors that play a role in the use of technology include:

• age of workforce,
• how long the company has been in business,
• location of the company, and
• the type of industry.

The study found that satisfaction rates are high for almost every type of human resources technology. Employers are more satisfied with their benefits enrollment or administration technology if it is able to handle all of their benefits on one platform. Additionally, satisfaction seems to increase as companies add more benefits technology functions, including enrollment, administration, and communication.

However, nearly one in four employers are still interested in switching to a new benefits platform. They would be most likely to switch to obtain a better price or improved data security.

LIMRA conducted an online survey in December 2016 of 1,403 private employers with 10 or more employees that offered insurance benefits and have been in business for at least three years. The sample was weighted by company size and industry to be representative of the total population of U.S. employers with 10 or more employees offering insurance benefits, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

LIMRA members are invited to read the full report, Convenient and Connected: How are Employers Using Technology Today?