Guardian Survey: Six in Ten Workers Now Enroll for Benefits Online

Sixty-two percent of workers now enroll online for their employee benefits, compared to only 29% in 2005, according to a new report.

The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, released this finding in new study that offers generational insights regarding employee preferences related to benefit platforms. The study, “Survey Benefits & Behavior 2011: Spotlight on Enrollment Trends,” presents the findings of a telephone poll conducted among a national sample of 2,000 adults.

The report reveals that a majority of all workers (54%) indicate that a consolidated web portal would help employees appreciate the value of available benefits more effectively.

“Our research indicates a substantial shift in attitudes, needs and technology behaviors among all generations of workers,” says Elena Wu, vice president, group insurance for Guardian. “As such, employers are beginning to adapt to these changing dynamics by offering benefit packages through online interfaces that streamline the learning and evaluation process for all of their workers.” 

Given the complexity of benefits evaluation and the identification of the most appropriate offerings, employees have expressed a strong need for simplification, the study says.