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Think Fast: Behavioral Economics and Benefits Messaging

Kimberly A. Landry 3/31/2023

Learn how principles from behavioral economics can influence employees' decisions to enroll in workplace benefits.

Summary

Many employees choose not to enroll in nonmedical workplace benefits when given the opportunity, and often spend only a few minutes making enrollment decisions. How can benefits providers help employees make better decisions when they pay so little attention to their benefits?  

The field of behavioral economics has identified a variety of mental shortcuts and biases that influence people's decisions when they are "thinking fast," such as anchoring, storytelling, social norms, default bias, information overload, and decision fatigue. This research explores how behavioral economic principles can be incorporated into benefits messaging to help employees make better enrollment decisions. Results are based on an online study of 2,408 U.S. employees conducted in fall 2022.

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Meet the Project Director

Kimberly A. Landry
Kim conducts quantitative and qualitative research on hot topics within the employee benefits industry, with a specific focus on employer and employee perspectives. She is also responsible for LIMRA’s worksite and supplemental health research programs. She is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and events. Kim joined LIMRA in 2008. She received her bachelor's degree from Wesleyan University and her master's degree from the University of Hartford.

Research Director, Workplace Benefits Research
LIMRA and LOMA
klandry@limra.com


For more information, please contact klandry@limra.com.

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