Employee Benefits Administration and Outsourcing

Implementing employee benefits is a key element in boosting employment satisfaction and engagement with your workforce. Nationwide labor shortages have changed many businesses' hiring and retention strategies.

With employee benefits packages becoming increasingly necessary to stay competitive, benefits administration software is critical for effectively managing these offerings. Read on to learn about what benefits administration is, what implementation or outsourcing of this software looks like, and how to improve employee benefit management at your business.

What Is Benefits Administration?

Benefits administration is the process of creating, developing, managing, and updating the benefits program an organization offers its employees. Once an employer has selected benefits to offer, many businesses will choose to use benefits administration software to help them execute ongoing benefits management tasks in a more streamlined way, such as benefits reporting, employee communications, internal and external audits, plan updates, and governmental filings.

What Does an Employee Benefits Administrator Do?

An employee benefits administrator is usually an employee within the organization responsible for managing employee benefits on an ongoing basis. The benefits administrator's responsibilities can include auditing current offerings, investigating new benefits, and supervising and monitoring the day-to-day operations of benefits programs, such as:

• Group health insurance plans
• Supplementary medical benefits such as dental and vision coverage, as well as short-term and long-term disability
• Workers' compensation
• Health benefit accounts such as FSAs, HSAs, and HRAs
• Retirement plans

What Is the Employee Benefits Security Administration?

One of the most important responsibilities a benefits administrator must take on is being knowledgeable about applicable laws that govern health, retirement, and other benefits. This includes benefits compliance enforced by the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), the enforcement arm of the Department of Labor.

What does the Employee Benefits Security Administration do? The EBSA handles protecting the benefits of about 152 million participants in employer-sponsored retirement and health benefit plans, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). This includes assisting workers in understanding their rights, protecting their benefits, and facilitating compliance by plan sponsors, plan officials, and service providers.

Part of EBSA's enforcement includes focusing on retirement and health plan compliance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), which establishes minimum standards for employee benefit plans. A benefits administrator must ensure, among many other things, that benefits plan information is disclosed to employees and reported to the Department of Labor in a manner consistent with policies enforced by EBSA.

What Is Employee Benefits Administration Software? Key Features and Capabilities

Benefits administration software should typically meet the following criteria:

• Provides a centralized administrator dashboard
• Allows access to a marketplace of insurance carriers
• Offers an employee benefits portal so employees can access benefits plans, update their information, and enroll
• Lets administrators create compensation statements
• Includes built-in compliance support

Additionally, there are 3 other key pieces to consider about benefits administration software: reporting, security, and transparency. If you're offering health and wellness benefits, for example, benefits administration software can help make these tasks easier for you and your employees while helping to ensure compliance for your company.

Reporting and Analytics

Most benefits administration software lets HR create customized benefits reports. These reports can significantly help streamline your benefits process and share data with organizational leaders. More specifically, reports can help you:

• Detect benefits changes during a particular payroll period
• Allow you to audit a monthly medical insurance bill, ensuring that the bill is correct and that you and/or your employees aren't accidentally charged for something that wasn't used
• Decide how to expand or change your benefits package for the upcoming year

Security

A manual benefits enrollment process can make it challenging for companies to keep things secure. After all, we're talking about forms that include Social Security numbers, home addresses, payroll information, and other critical personal information. With benefits administration software, security features should:

• Include secure storage for personal and/or sensitive employee information
• Allow administrators to set criteria to allow employees only to see data relevant and necessary to them

Transparency

When an employee submits a benefits request that needs approval, your benefits administration software will make every step of the process traceable, which can help minimize future issues. Specifically, this level of transparency should:

• Give you and your employees access to information that the benefits provider shares. This can help keep everyone on the same page while avoiding miscommunication.
• Help explain features like benefit contribution requirements. When this information is easy to find, it can help you catch errors or resolve employee issues.

How To Administer Employee Benefits

Audit Your Benefits Package

Offering benefits to your employees is a balancing act between meeting employees' needs and staying within your budget. From time to time, you should audit your current offerings to ensure you are offering competitive benefits while staying within your annual budget.

While federal law doesn't require small businesses to offer most types of benefits, many small employers provide additional perks that benefit their employees while staying competitive in the labor market.

Here are some key types of benefits you may want to consider:

• Health care benefits: For smaller budgets, consider health savings accounts combined with qualified high deductible health plans, or  flexible spending accounts for eligible medical expenses, which do not require any employer contributions.
• An Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Provides a confidential source for employees to find support and resources for certain stress-related and mental health challenges they face in and out of the workplace. The service is usually part of a larger benefits package and connects employees to assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services.
• Retirement savings: Help employees save for their retirement by offering a qualified retirement plan. You can do so at no significant cost (e.g., offering a 401(k) plan without any employer contributions). A tax credit may also be available for the administrative costs of setting up the plan and educating your employees about contributions.
• Training: You can pay to train employees on the job or help them take educational or career development courses outside of work. By setting specific parameters, you can arrange for this benefit to be tax-free to employees.
• No-cost benefits: Perhaps the best types of benefits you can offer have no associated costs. Consider offering perks such as flex time, permitting employees to work some or all of the time from home, or other work arrangements that allow your employees to manage their work/life balance better.

Provide Notice

Offering certain benefits requires you to give certain notice to employees. These notices may allow employees to opt out in some situations or take advantage of benefits offerings. Here are some examples:

• Safe harbor 401(k) plans: Requires a notice to be distributed 30 to 90 days in advance of the plan year, outlining employee rights, obligations, and certain minimum benefits, as well as the timing and method for making salary deferral elections.
• Qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangements (QSEHRAs): At least 90 days before the beginning of the year, notice must be furnished to eligible employees describing the permitted benefit and coverage requirements to maintain eligibility.

Withhold Appropriate Taxes

Staying current on tax withholding is another essential facet of employee benefits management, as some benefits are subject to payroll taxes while others are exempt. Be sure to consider the impact of your employee benefits on the following:

• Employees' W-2s
• Quarterly employer tax returns (Form 941)

It's also critical that you:

• Allow employees to submit a revised Form W-4, which allows them to increase or reduce their withholding.
• Adopt proper withholding rates for supplemental wages (e.g., bonuses). The 2024 rate is 22% (unchanged from 2023) if you withhold separately and do not combine the supplemental wages with regular wages. The withholding rate on supplemental wages exceeding $1 million during a calendar year is 37%.
• Determine reimbursement status. If you reimburse employees for certain costs under an accountable plan, the reimbursements are excluded from the employee's gross income, meaning they are not compensation, and there's no withholding. But if it's a non-accountable plan, you must withhold taxes accordingly, as these amounts count as income.

Establish a Benefits Communication Plan

Traditionally, companies communicate with their teams about benefit plans once or twice a year, usually during annual open enrollment periods and performance reviews. HR departments play an essential role in communicating benefits' value to employees by raising awareness and providing insight into how programs can be used.

However, occasional communications aren't sufficient as they may lead to employees' perception that benefits aren't a priority within the organization. Developing and executing a plan for ongoing employee communication can help cultivate favorable perceptions, participation, and engagement that drive strategic business goals.

Employee Benefits Communications Plan Best Practices

If you don't have an employee benefits communication plan in place, here are some guidelines to keep in mind as you prepare to engage your employees in your benefits strategy:

• Communicate often: You can't over-communicate news about employee benefits. Regularly schedule updates to employees, even when nothing much seems to be happening. Continual education about your benefits offerings can increase participation and engagement.
• Utilize your benefits administration platform to produce information of genuine value. Topics for these updates might include tips from benefit providers and employee benefit success stories. Consider sending out value-added messaging over the year. These messages should:
  • Be easy to understand (no technical language or legalese).
  • Take little time to read while creating real value for employees.
  • Avoid the alphabet soup of acronyms common in today's benefits literature.
  • Foster positive impressions regarding workplace benefits. Examples of effective communications include spotlights on optional benefits programs such as pet insurance, tips from benefits providers on how to make the most of a program, and employee success stories.
• Get started ASAP: When it's clear that changes in benefits are imminent, begin preparing your presentation to employees as soon as possible. Rumors can take on a life of their own, and once they get started, it's hard to conduct damage control. At the same time, be sure to have all the facts in place before making any official announcement. If a new plan is implemented, you'll want to answer employee questions as clearly and consistently as possible.
• Frame the message in a positive light: Employee reactions will depend on how favorably you frame the message about changes in benefits. For example, if you are canceling an established plan, your company should make clear you aren't cutting benefits across the board. Instead, you may communicate that you are providing access to improved benefits chosen with employees in mind.
• Don't cloud the message with industry jargon: The areas of health insurance and other employee benefits can be cluttered with insider jargon. Many employees don't know the terminology, so including these terms in your message can increase confusion and uncertainty. Strive for clarity at every point, and if you must use industry terms, explain what they mean.
• Tailor your communications efforts: Your workforce is most likely composed of different demographic groups, with unique benefits concerns at each individual’s life stage. One group might value information about time off or flexible work schedules, while another might value detailed information about retirement options. Tailor your communications to fit your employee population and specific business strategies. Consider developing unique content streams with collateral and communications targeted to different groups, such as college recruits or senior executives.
• Use all distribution channels at your disposal: You can't always be sure how employees receive essential information, so it's a good idea to use various methods to reach employees, such as videos, blogs, social media, town hall meetings, lunch-and-learns, and benefits fairs. Some workers may appreciate more face-to-face enrollment meetings, while others may prefer getting details on their devices, with essential information delivered in short, concise bites.

Consider the following options:

• HR portal: This channel can promote self-service access, automated notifications, news postings, and online tools that are spotlighted every time an employee logs into the portal.
• Mobile devices: Share information with messages optimized for smartphones, tablets, and text messaging for employees who have opted into this communication method.
• Electronic: Reach out to remote workers and multiple offices through email notifications, videos, and online satisfaction surveys.

You may also want to offer printed materials as well as online resources. Producing easy-to-read printed pieces can be very helpful, particularly those pieces that offer side-by-side comparisons of:

• Premiums, projected employee contributions, and/or deductibles
• Lists of in-network and out-of-network medical facilities and consulting physicians
• Changes in plan offerings for the upcoming year as compared to the past year

Try to anticipate the kinds of questions employees will ask and include detailed FAQs with this printed piece, giving employees an additional resource for common or anticipated questions. A PDF version on your company's intranet can also help.

How Can Employee Benefits Administration Software Help Your Business?

Benefits administration software can help you and your organization stay balanced while you focus on the moving parts. Although federal law doesn't require that small businesses offer certain types of benefits, most companies provide health care and wellness benefits to support employees and attract job seekers. Your benefits administration software can help simplify your management, secure your data when administering benefits and communicating with employees, and encourage employees to use the offered benefits.

Specifically, benefits administration software can:

• Help you facilitate open enrollment easier than a paper system. Most benefits administration software includes an administrative dashboard that lets you view and adjust benefits packages when needed.
• Give employees control over making claims while allowing them to update their information or elections (when permitted).
• Help you stay compliant with federal, state, and local regulations, such as those related to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), among others.

Another significant advantage of employee benefits software is that it includes features such as employee portals and self-service menus, which give employees more control over making updates and changes such as:

• Switching or adding on coverage options during open enrollment or at other times when they've had a qualifying event, such as a change in their family status
• Updating their personal information, such as a new phone number or mailing address, freeing up time and resources that would otherwise fall on your HR team's plate

Stay Competitive and Alleviate Administrative Burdens With Benefits Software

Establishing attractive employee benefits is just as important as administering them effectively. Luckily, benefits administration doesn't have to be overwhelming. You can easily manage all your offerings from one place via employee benefits administration software. This technology provides a holistic view of your company's benefit plans, helping improve productivity and communication with employees. Additionally, your benefits administration software can help you make well-informed business decisions about your employee benefits plan strategies.

Learn more about how your business can handle employee benefits administration more simply and hassle-free.

Alternatives to In-House Benefits Administration

When deciding how to administer your benefits, employers should weigh the pros and cons of managing their benefits in-house versus outsourcing benefits administration. When considering this outsourcing alternative to in-house benefits administration, employers should consider the challenges of in-house administration with the potential advantages of outsourcing part or all of their benefits management.

Challenges of In-House Benefits Administration

In-house benefits administration can face several challenges. One of the most significant challenges in today's benefits market is compliance. When managing benefits, employers must follow an ever-changing set of complex federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Failure to comply can result in costly penalties and fines, potential agency audits or lawsuits, personal liability for plan fiduciaries, and reputation damage.

Other challenges include:

• Keeping up with day-to-day tasks, such as payroll deductions, distributing employee notices, filing reports with governmental agencies, monthly reconciliations, employee enrollment, and plan updates.
• Managing benefits internally can also increase costs in your team's salaries, benefits, and overhead, such as hardware and software licenses, office space, and other administrative expenses. Additionally, you'll need to ensure that your team has the specialized knowledge needed to manage your benefits compliantly.
• Leveraging technology and innovation to enhance or streamline your employee benefits administration through artificial intelligence, mobile apps, gamification, provider integrations, or cloud-based platforms while ensuring your data is secure.
• Staying on top of employee engagement and satisfaction. It takes time (and money) for your team to monitor your employees' views and use of your benefits packages through employee surveys, feedback, and other communication tools, letting you know where you need to improve your benefits offerings or further engage your employees.

What Is Benefits Administration Outsourcing?

Before considering whether benefits administration outsourcing is right for you, you must understand the definition of benefits outsourcing. When outsourcing your employee benefits administration, you partner with a trusted outside partner to handle all or part of your benefits offerings.

For example, you may decide to outsource your health plan open enrollment, your Form 5500 or ACA reporting, your COBRA management, your employee payroll deductions and plan contributions, or your employee communications, among many other tasks. Your outsourced partner is an extension of your human resources department, allowing you to focus on higher-level tasks such as business strategies or employee engagement.

Why Benefit Outsourcing Might Be Right for Your Business

Human resources and employee benefits administration is often overwhelming, especially for small businesses. Handing some of these tasks off to a benefits partner may be suitable for your business, especially if you're struggling to keep up or your business is in growth mode. In fact, according to the 2023 Pulse of HR Survey by Paychex, one of the most frequently cited responsibilities that business owners would like to outsource is 401(k) and benefits administration.

Advantages of Outsourcing Benefits Administration

Outsourcing benefits administration can increase cost-efficiency by reducing the cost of benefits administration, helping you gain access to required knowledge and expertise, enhancing your benefits offerings, reducing internal administrative burdens on your team, and ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

Let's look at each benefit in more detail.

Cost Savings

Outsourcing employee benefits to a trusted partner can help you reduce costs in multiple ways, including:

• Eliminating the need for certain in-house staff, reducing salaries, benefits, and overhead
• Reducing benefits administration training costs
• Helping you negotiate better benefit rates than you may secure on your own
• Helping you with your Ensuring legal and operational compliance, reducing or eliminating potential fines and penalties

Access to Expertise

Additionally, with outsourced benefits administration, you can increase your access to expertise, which can give you more accurate information and advice than if you tried to learn these topics independently.

With the laws and regulations changing more quickly than ever, having a benefits expert in your corner can give you peace of mind.

Enhanced Employee Benefits Options

Also, employee benefits outsourcing can increase your benefits options through stronger bargaining power and more access to a broader range of more sophisticated or affordable benefits options than if you tried to acquire these benefits on your own.

For example, if you have fewer than 10 employees, you may not want to spend the money to set up a retirement plan. However, offering your employees a 401(k) plan through a professional employer organization (PEO) may be friendlier to your budget.

Reduced Administrative Burden

Outsourcing your employee benefits administration can also reduce internal administrative burdens on your team. For example, a trusted benefits partner can help free up critical resources and time for your HR team to focus on higher-level tasks, such as business strategies and employee engagement and satisfaction. Instead, outsourcing your benefits administration leaves these tasks to the experts.

Compliance and Risk Mitigation

Finally, employee benefits administration outsourcing can help you with compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations as well as your internal policies and procedures. By outsourcing these tasks, your trusted benefits partner can help you protect your business from unnecessary risks by using their extensive expertise in managing benefits and identifying (and fixing) weaknesses.

Selecting a Benefits Administration Outsourcing Partner

If you are considering selecting and hiring a benefits administration outsourcing partner, be sure to do your homework to choose the right partner for your business and employees.

Key Criteria for Choosing a Provider

Here are some key questions you should consider before engaging a benefits partner.

• What is your timeline? Are you looking to hire someone for this plan year or the next plan year? Allow plenty of time to consider your options.
• What are your current benefits and processes? What do you specifically need help with? All tasks or just certain tasks? Do the providers you're considering offer complimentary services?
• What technology do you have in place today? What are its weaknesses? What can be streamlined? Do the providers you're considering offer a solution? Are you confident the provider is committed to keeping up with future technology and innovation trends? Does the benefits partner's technology integrate into your human resource information system (HRIS)?
• What is your budget? Can the providers you're considering help achieve your benefits goals while staying within your annual budget? Be sure to compare multiple bids when researching potential benefits partners.
• What is the provider's expertise and reputation in employee benefits administration? Are they a new player in the field, or do they have considerable experience offering these services?

Questions to Ask Potential Providers

When choosing a trusted benefits administration partner, make sure to interview them – asking questions specific to your needs. Here are some examples of questions to ask potential benefits administration providers.

• What services do you offer? What is the cost of each?
• What are your technology go-tos? How do you incorporate this technology into your overall offerings?
• What does the employer experience look like?
• What does the employee experience look like?
• What efficiency can we gain by implementing your services?
• Are your benefits administration offerings continually updated to reflect applicable laws and regulations? How else do you ensure compliance?
• What data privacy and security rules do you have in place? What is your process in case of a breach?
• How do you access our information, and how do we access yours? How do employees access their information?
• How long does it take to implement a new benefits administration process? What are the start-up costs associated with the implementation?
• What do your contribution strategies look like?
• How flexible are you at designing solutions, especially as our company grows?
• What are your other participation requirements?

Of course, this is just a sampling of potential questions. When you decide to hire a benefits administration provider, be sure that they offer what your specific business needs.

Evaluating Performance and Maintaining Accountability

Once you choose your employee benefits administration partner, you must evaluate their performance while maintaining their accountability. A good rule of thumb is to evaluate your selected provider annually through established performance benchmarks.

For example, consider the following measurements when evaluating benefits outsourcing companies:

• Is the overall experience an asset to your employees? Are your employees satisfied with their experience? How are these experiences benchmarked against other companies?
• Does your provider offer timely solutions?
• Can your provider offer flexible solutions that grow with your business?
• Is your provider accurate when administering your company's benefits?
• Are the provider's services effective?

Achieving Success With Benefits Administration

Benefits administration can often be a time-consuming, overwhelming task, especially for small employers. However, whether you decide to administer benefits in-house or select an outsourcing partner, you should carefully approach this decision, weighing the pros and cons of each.

Explore how Paychex's Employee Benefits Administration can help your business efficiently and effectively scale your benefits program.