Benefits platforms help employers stand out

EXCLUSIVE: The most attractive aspect of a corporate or employee benefits platform is its ability to help organisations stand out as a top employer by offering a range of benefits beyond basic salary, according to more than half (56%) of adviser respondents to research by Aviva.

The research, which surveyed almost 200 employee benefits advisers in September 2012, found that 48% of respondents said being able to show the full range of benefits on offer in one place was highly regarded by employers, while 34% said the ability to communicate with employees about savings and benefits options was also important to employers.

When asked what elements of an employee benefits platform employees most valued, 67% of respondents said it was the ability to tailor the benefit choices to their needs, while 54% said it was being able to make informed decisions about how to save or spend money.

More than half (54%) said being offered a wide range of benefits, such as healthcare, life insurance or travel insurance, was also highly regarded by employees. Almost half (46%) felt allowing instant access to personalised online benefits statements was of value.

Paul Goodwin, proposition strategy and development director for corporate benefits at Aviva (pictured), said: “There’s no doubt that bringing all employee benefits into a single place is going to make it much easier for employees to make decisions about the type of benefits that would be best for them.  

“Being able to see the total value of their package beyond a basic salary is also likely to give employees a much stronger view about their employer, and if they are happy with what they are receiving they are likely to think twice about moving jobs.

“That’s a strong incentive for employers that want to retain a skilled and expert workforce.”