Benefits on the Go: Why Mobile-Friendly Benefits Administration is Required

We’re all moving through the world cell phone-first, both in our personal lives and in business. Mobile-friendly sites and apps have become the default. So, when your employees want to check their benefits, they’ll likely use their phone for convenience. That means mobile-friendly benefits administration is not only preferred, it is necessary.

Americans check their phones 144 times a day, spending over 4 hours on their devices.

All your work emails, texts, and calls go straight to employee phones. Shouldn’t they be able to manage benefits from the same device? Here are a few of the top reasons for mobile-friendly benefits administration:

Anywhere, anytime access is expected

We’ve become a culture of instant gratification and short attention spans, but that’s not always a bad thing. Your employee benefits administration portal shouldn’t be a difficult place for employees to check their plans and make sure their information is correct. Mobile accessibility is a small way to ensure that your employees are able to easily use their benefits. 

People spend more time on their phone

Around the world, people are spending an average of 44% of their waking hours looking at a screen. Mobile screen time has recently jumped 30%—from 2 hrs 56 mins in 2019 to 4 hrs 12 mins in 2021. Between social media and payment apps, people are using their smartphones for all kinds of transactions and administration, which means employee benefits must be too.

Increases employee benefit adoption

How many employees take full advantage of your benefits programs? Many workers feel overwhelmed by the paperwork and brochures, unable to remember information they heard during orientation

20% of American workers have abandoned a 401k, basically walking away from their own money, rather than dealing with providers or HR.

A mobile friendly benefits portal makes it easy for workers to participate without getting intimidated. Younger workers and introverts will appreciate the self-service aspect, preferring to avoid face-to-face conversations.

Desktop-only applications are harder to navigate

Buttons and menus have to be simple and intuitive for mobile users. Applications designed for desktop users can get way too complicated. When a complex desktop menu is shrunken down to fit on a mobile screen, the results can be hopelessly frustrating, with buttons too close together. These days, website and app designers start with the mobile version first. 

An employee who opens your app should only need a couple of clicks to find the information they need. Meanwhile, a web portal user needs to navigate in their web browser and load the whole portal.

Of course, Netchex offers mobile-friendly benefits administration! The Netchex App is available for Android and Apple (iOS). 

Direct communication

Communication is the lifeblood of any relationship, including the connection between workers and employers. Mobile benefits make communication easier with push notifications and built-in messaging systems. Don’t let important reminders, updates, and deadlines get lost in the email inbox among memos and daily chatter. De-stress open enrollment and processes like onboarding with an app that tracks each employee’s progress.

Improves benefits education and research

For too many employees, the brochures and benefits pamphlets get filed away at home, never to be re-opened. Mobile-friendly benefits administration keep the most important information and services right at each worker’s fingertips. Hyperlinks can provide more context and references.

Sick workers can register their sick days and jump over to their telemedicine portal to get an assessment. As an employer, you’ll have more data about the benefits that make the biggest difference to your workforce, which could influence your future perks and programs.

Reduces cost

We all know about the cost-savings of going paperless, and a mobile benefits experience reduces a lot of unnecessary paperwork. Electronic recordkeeping reduces the need for on-site storage and filing cabinets full of employee forms. The biggest savings come with efficiency.

Use remote onboarding to get new hires straight to work on their first day in the office. Get automatic reminders for critical deadlines and checklists like COBRA paperwork, avoiding compliance issues and fines.

Empowers employees to own their benefits experience

When apps are designed for handheld screens, they have to distill important information to its key features. You can’t ask users to scroll through (and actually read) several pages of confusing legal jargon. Mobile benefits connect users with the features, settings, and options that matter most, and they don’t have to play phone tag with HR staff for every question. 

Allows for easier alerts and notifications

Your employee’s cell phones are the best way to reach them outside of the office. You might already use a combination of emails and text messages, but mobile benefits allow you to use push notifications and other alerts. Mass texts about open enrollment can get lost among all the spam and bot messages. Notifications from the benefits app, on the other hand, are personalized and convenient.

Easier document/photo uploads and access

How many workers have a fax or standalone scanner at home? Mobile apps are great for scanning and uploading documents. HR data security includes the transfer of employee information, and apps can provide better security than MMS messaging or personal email transfers. Workers who want to check their insurance policies or the employee handbook should be able to quickly find digital copies on their phone.

Discover how Netchex HR technology can ensure your employees have access to mobile-friendly benefits administration: