MetLife Launches Open Enrollment Portal for Employers and Brokers

MetLife (New York) has introduced an online open enrollment portal that the carrier says will help companies of all sizes maximize their return on investment in employee benefits. The multimedia portal, www.metlife.com/enrollment, incorporates proprietary research, best practices, online support tools and practical tips for employers and brokers to help them prepare for the open enrollment period, according to a MetLife source.

"In today's tough economic times, employers are concerned about benefit expenses and, at first blush, may consider core and supplemental benefits a potential savings opportunity," says Bill Mullaney, president, Institutional Business, MetLife. "We realize that cost control is necessary, but our research shows that these kinds of cuts could adversely affect employee morale and loyalty " key elements to a profitable business."

"We've found with our customers that the best opportunity for savings is through effective spending and targeted benefits communication in order to maximize their benefits investment," Mullaney adds. "This site was designed to help employers and brokers do exactly that during the fall open enrollment period."

MetLife reports that the open enrollment portal includes:

Position Paper, Employee Benefits: A Differentiator During Challenging Economic Times — A guide for employers on optimizing benefits spend, and how to take a long-term view with employee benefit decisions in the current economic climate.

Five Best Practices Checklist — List of tips for employers and brokers to maximize their enrollment strategy.

Template Surveys — Free, customizable surveys that employers can distribute to their workforce, either before or after the enrollment period, to gauge the effectiveness of their benefits communications and their employees' understanding of benefits offerings. The survey also helps companies determine which benefits make the most sense for their workforce.

Benchmarking Tool — Online tool that enables employers and brokers to quickly compare and contrast relevant benefits offerings and objectives through customized queries in 35 areas, including trends by industry and geography.

Employee Benefits Simplifier Tool — Free, online tool that helps workers identify which benefits may be suitable for "people like them," and offers suggested actionable life-stage recommendations " particularly when it comes to coverage levels and benefits selection.

White Paper, Open Enrollment at a Crossroad — A compilation of research that provides a window into how employees think and behave during their company's open enrollment, and how workforce needs are changing. The paper helps ensure that employers are focused maximizing their investments in benefits to enhance their business.

Anthony O'Donnell has covered technology in the insurance industry since 2000, when he joined the editorial staff of Insurance & Technology. As an editor and reporter for I&T and the InformationWeek Financial Services of TechWeb he has written on all areas of information ... View Full Bio