Guardian Simplifies Employee Benefits Enrollment and Management Through New EnrollmentWorks(sm) Platform

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), one of the largest mutual life insurers and a leading provider of employee benefits, is making the benefits enrollment and administration process considerably easier for employees and employers with the launch of a multi-carrier online enrollment platform as part of their EnrollmentWorks program. This new system enables organizations of 50 or more employees to manage their benefits carriers with a single online system.

The EnrollmentWorks platform, powered by PlanSource, one of the industry’s leading providers of employee benefits management services, offers the ability to:

• Give employees electronic access to their portfolio of benefits, regardless of carrier, from any location
• Enroll in benefits and make life events changes online
• Support employee decision-making with helpful tools (e.g. compare benefits, view plan summaries)
• View detailed employee information and access a full record of employee changes
• Provide electronic data feeds to carriers
• View and edit bills
• Export files in common formats for COBRA, FSA and payroll
• Produce a current census and other useful reports

According to a new survey* commissioned by Guardian, more than half of all workers believe a consolidated benefits web portal allows them to better evaluate their insurance options, make selections, understand and appreciate the value of the benefits available to them. The survey also found that using a consolidated web site to enroll in benefits offered from different insurance companies is preferred by all workers, regardless of age, life-stage or education level. Furthermore, those already using the web are more likely to enroll in benefits offered by their employer if they have access to a consolidated site.

“Guardian is committed to making the benefits enrollment and management process as convenient, efficient and seamless as possible by mitigating the factors that prevent employees from fully participating in their benefits programs,” said Chris Swanker, Vice President, Worksite and Sponsored Markets. “Our EnrollmentWorks multi-carrier online enrollment platform and portfolio of tools will help brokers and employers save time, money and resources while simultaneously creating the optimal benefits experience for their employees.”

Current EnrollmentWorks user Foster Financial/Planned Benefits sought to improve its client retention efforts and new business prospecting early last year. Guardian introduced the firm to the new EnrollmentWorks platform, which immediately became a pillar of Foster’s business development program, quickly winning additional business from a current medical plan client. Foster and its client saw participation quadruple for voluntary long-term disability (from 10 percent to 40 percent) and more than triple for voluntary life (from 11 percent to 38 percent).

“The EnrollmentWorks platform was the real game changer,” said Foster Financial/Planned Benefits President, Myles Mendenhall. “We wouldn’t have won the business without it.”

The EnrollmentWorks platform is currently available to companies with more than 50 employees who are purchasing a new line of Guardian coverage.

In addition to Guardian’s multi-carrier online enrollment platform, Guardian’s comprehensive EnrollmentWorks program includes 24/7 online access through Guardian Anytime, provider directories, a nationwide team of benefits advisors, a 24-hour employee benefits hotline, personalized enrollment kits, post enrollment support tools and the WorkLife Matters employee assistance program.

*About the Survey

Benefits & Behavior 2011: Spotlight on Enrollment Trends presents the findings of a telephone survey conducted among a national probability sample of 2,000 adults. In total, 874 adults qualified to answer questions pertaining to their employee benefits: 469 men and 405 women, all of whom are 18 years of age and older, living in private households in the continental United States. Opinion Research Corporation of Princeton, N.J. conducted the interviews from August 25–27, 2011. Complete survey results will be released in October 2011.

About Guardian

A mutual insurer founded in 1860, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America and its subsidiaries are committed to protecting individuals, business owners and their employees with life insurance, disability income insurance, dental insurance products, and offer funding vehicles for 401(k) plans, annuities and other financial products. Guardian operates one of the largest dental networks in the United States, and protects more than six million employees and their families at 120,000 companies. The company has approximately 5,000 employees in the United States and a network of over 3,000 financial representatives in more than 80 agencies nationwide.

For more information about Guardian, please visit: www.GuardianLife.com.

About PlanSource

PlanSource is a pioneering Software as a Service (SaaS) provider that simplifies back office HR for employers with an array of integrated services including payroll, benefits administration, decision support, and HRMS technology. PlanSource solutions are delivered through strategic partnerships with carriers and brokers who partner with PlanSource in order to increase their retention rates, revenue, and the overall value they bring to their customers.

To learn more about PlanSource, visit: www.plansource.com.