With rising health care costs and the increasing need for comprehensive benefits packages, finding a qualified employee benefits consultant is more crucial than ever.
Your benefits broker can make or break your employee benefits plan. After all, the benefits you offer can directly impact:
- Employee health
- Who you hire
- Overall employee productivity
- Your workplace culture
Choosing the right person to guide you through the ins and outs of employee benefits is an important first step in any company benefits strategy.
Questions to Ask Your Employee Benefits Consultant
Before you can select the best possible benefits specialist, you must determine which benefits and offerings are most important to your company. That way you can compare what they offer with what you’re looking for when interviewing candidates.
Outside of questions about experience and references, here are the main questions you should ask a benefits broker to ensure you choose the best fit for your organization.
1. How many different plan choices can you provide?
Your employee benefits consultant should not only assist with standard coverage options but also help you with options such as dental, vision and life insurance coverage.
2. How will you help me maintain compliance?
A good benefits specialist does more than just help you pick an affordable coverage plan. They should also be able to help you navigate certain regulations and compliance concerns.
While the answer to this question will likely depend on your specific industry, they should offer you advice on best practices.
3. What are your recommendations for attracting and retaining employees?
Most brokers will have insight into employee retention, so use this question as an opportunity to see if the benefits consultant can share strategies and ideas you haven’t heard of before. In the current hiring landscape, a creative approach to employee benefits can be incredibly useful.
4. How will you address my company’s specific needs?
In other words, how dedicated will the agent be to you and your employees? The benefits you offer are a vital part of employee retention and productivity, so you’ll want to select a specialist who is committed to understanding the exact needs of your business.
Using these questions, you can begin to clarify if the consultant is the right fit.
Above all else, your benefits specialist should understand the unique needs you, your employees, and your business have. You’ll want to use the questions as an opportunity not only to narrow down candidates but to zero in on the right employee benefits consultant for your business.
At ShopBenefits.com, we provide complimentary employee benefits reviews, no cost or obligation to you! Contact us for your complimentary review or call (404) 256-2171 and ask for Al Schiebel to see what option is best for your business.