Addressing the Common Challenges that Managers Face When Implementing Benefits Technology 

By Frank Mengert

Implementing benefits technology into an organization is a great investment. Automating a variety of administrative processes and minimizing errors when coordinating employee benefits is a great help for businesses. 

However, many businesses face a number of challenges when implementing and maximizing the use of their benefits technology. Still, by applying some helpful strategies, you can ensure that you’re making the most of your technology investments.  

Overcoming Resistance to Change 

It’s natural for employees and even leadership teams to be resistant to change. Even if a process is inefficient, completing tasks the same way you always have brings a certain familiarity and comfort. 

However, when you’ve invested in a benefits technology solution, you will need additional training and an adjustment period to familiarize yourself with the new way of doing things. This disruption to the normal flow of business can cause many employees to be overly critical of new solutions and may not put effort into using the platform to its fullest.. 

This is why it’s important for managers to remind the HR team of how these new solutions will make their lives easier in the long run. Talk about the direct impact it will have on redundant processes and time-wasting activities. This helps to make the solutions more relevant for each team member, allowing them to place more value on their implementation and be less abrasive to changes. 

Seamless Integration with Existing Systems 

When organizations take the time to invest in a benefits technology solution, they’ll often be looking to prioritize a handful of objectives. They may be focused on a specific functionality or improvement they’ve been looking for   

Regardless, however, there are any number of benefits technology solutions out there, and they’re not created equal. Organizations should partner with a technology vendor that will connect them to the best-fit solution for their unique needs and challenges. The right partner will assist with implementation, ensuring everything is set up correctly.  

It’s important for your employee benefits solution to offer seamless connectivity between This is typically facilitated through API connections and the right selection of supporting cloud services. However, if the solution provided doesn’t have the right integrations pre-established, it may be lacking in the level of efficiency and automation  

Tackling Data Migration Issues 

Successfully migrating data across various systems can be one of the more challenging components of implementing benefits technology. This typically involves a methodical process that involves planning and coordination with both internal and external teams. 

In order for your migration to happen successfully, it’s important to prioritize careful planning during the implementation stages. Whether you’re working with outside consultants or have internal project managers, you’ll need a clear strategy for roll out..  

A big part of making your benefits technology implementation a success is doing the prep work ahead of time to “clean” your data – making sure to get rid of duplicate or outdated data that can impact the integrity of your solution.   

It’s also a good idea to set up a regular meeting cadence with your technology solutions provider since they’ll be able to help you prioritize your efforts and ensure you get maximum value out of your solution. 

Ensuring System Dependability 

The last thing a business wants to see is that their benefits technology fails when they depend on it for open enrollment or when finalizing their pay periods. However, this is unfortunately fairly common when not working with a qualified benefits technology partner.  

Management teams should thoroughly vet their partnerships to help ensure they’re choosing reputable solutions specialists who will ensure their systems are reliable long-term. Technical issues can happen without any warning, and it’s important that you’re able to receive the support you need to get things back up and running. 

Measuring Success 

While it can be tempting to simply apply a “set it and forget it” mentality to the implementation of your solution, this rarely works out long-term. While benefits solutions on their own can provide a fair amount of value, that value can only be confirmed if you’re measuring its performance.  

To do this properly, it’s important that you’ve established primary goals to hit even before you’ve started the implementation process. Maybe your main focus is to reduce administrative workloads or improve your benefits enrollment efficiency with your employees. Whatever the primary goals, it’s important to always have this at the forefront of your mind when evaluating the effectiveness of your solution.  

Data collection can be an important part of benchmarking your solutions and help you make the right decisions regarding how they can be improved. Benefits technology solutions with advanced reporting and analytics features can help you monitor trends and determine what’s working and develop strategies to get better results.   

Maximizing the Value of Your Benefits Technology  

Most businesses that put the right benefits technology solutions in place experience a variety of advantages – especially when it comes to better efficiency and productivity in their administrative processes. However, in order to get the most out of your investment, it’s critical to have the right implementation plan in place, along with the right partners.  

By following the steps provided, you can help avoid the common challenges that come up when implementing new technology while making sure you’re getting the support you need to get the most out of your investment.

About the Author

Frank Mengert continues to find success by spotting opportunities where others see nothing. As the founder and CEO of ebm, a leading provider of employee benefits solutions. Frank has built the business by bridging the gap between insurance and technology driven solutions for brokers, consultants, carriers, and employers nationwide.