Rethink, Reskill and Reimagine

As the benefits landscape grows more complex, employers must rethink how the work gets done

If you had to write a job description for the person or team responsible for managing your employee healthcare benefits, what tasks would make the list?

Perhaps responsibilities like market research and benchmarking, plan design, benefit audits, open enrollment, employee communications, external vendor management, contract negotiations, analytics, reporting, and team development to name just a few. For some businesses, every benefit-related duty lands on an internal staff person’s desk or a team of desks. Others outsource the tasks or develop a hybrid model of internal and external resources.

Now take a step back: What skills and tools does your organization depend on to deliver the best possible healthcare benefits to your team?

There are the industry skills like benefits administration and management, benefits regulations and market trends, analytics, communications, and possibly experience using HRIS and benefits administration software. Then there are all the people skills. As you help employees find in-network providers and explain out-of-pocket costs, you help them enroll in DM and UM programs and engage them in wellness initiatives. Don’t forget the soft skills. The individual will need to be able to communicate clearly and concisely, practice active listening, show empathy, exercise analytical thinking, problem-solve, make decisions, collaborate, negotiate, build relationships, manage time, attend to details and conduct themselves with integrity. In addition, he or she will need to be able to manage multiple priorities at the same time.

The list goes on—and it’s a heavy lift. But should it consume the time and energy of your most valuable people?

As employers, it’s time to shift from simply doing the work of benefits administration to rethinking how the work gets done. We need to evaluate how to leverage technology, automate routine tasks, and build future-ready teams with the right skills to manage benefits in a rapidly changing landscape. Across industries, from financial services to manufacturing, employers are asking:

• How do we reskill for what’s next?
• ​​​​​​How do we prepare our teams today for tomorrow’s workplace?
• How can we free up internal bandwidth to focus on strategy instead of paperwork?
• How do we redirect talent toward problem-solving, critical thinking, innovation, and employee experience? .

Employee benefits is no different. HR teams overseeing healthcare benefits now operate in a dynamic environment shaped by technology like AI, evolving employee expectations for personalized care and communications, rising costs, and regulatory complexity.

So, what’s next?

Take a moment to list the skills your team will need to administer an employer health plan in the future. Think beyond forms and files. Consider the capabilities your team will need to administer benefits in the future, such as:

Mine the data: It’s not just about making sure the data is loaded correctly. It’s about analyzing and understanding it to uncover root causes, improve plan design, and drive better health outcomes and smarter utilization.

​​​​​​Engage to understand: Even as technology advances, the human element matters more than ever. We need to be better storytellers to connect with employees, understand their health-related challenges, and engage them in ways that are personal and accessible. The future of health benefits requires messages that resonate with our people and are customized by role, life stage, or health needs.

Stay on top of regulations: Teams must keep up with evolving federal and state laws and plan requirements, but how? What systems are in place for ensuring compliance, and is this something that could be automated?

Get well: How will you tap into programming innovations to meet team members’ needs, boost overall health, and increase participation? Just as healthcare systems introduced virtual appointments, are there ways we can develop bundles of services to improve health outcomes?

This is just a snapshot of change as we consider the skills required to manage employee healthcare benefits. It’s far beyond routine administration. Upskilling to embrace innovation is an essential business strategy.

We’re in this together. As we consider that “job description” for administering benefits, tap into our education opportunities including monthly webinars, and take advantage of just-in-time programming with experts who respond to the ever-changing market. Heading into open enrollment, let’s reinvigorate our messaging so we can meet our people where they feel comfortable engaging and learning about their choices.

Innovation doesn’t happen overnight. Strategic change isn’t something you can cover in a meeting and deploy the next day. But the cumulative effect of implementing small changes can make a big impact in how your organization “does benefits” down the road.

About Health Action Council 
Health Action Council is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) organization representing mid-and large-size employers that enhance human and economic health through thought leadership, innovative services, and collaboration. It provides value to its members by facilitating projects that improve the quality and moderate the cost of healthcare purchased by its members for their employees, dependents, and retirees. Health Action Council also collaborates with key stakeholders – health plans, physicians, hospitals, and the pharmaceutical industry – to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare in the community.