Ten years from now, brokers will be working with sponsors in awhole new paradigm of benefits. They will be selling benefits thatgive employees knowledge in order to set them up for success;benefits that teach them how to make decisions rather than makingthe decision for them. The famous saying by Lao Tzu from the 4thcentury B.C. is true in the 21st century, "give a man a fish andyou feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and you feed him for alifetime."

Employers have traditionally taken on a role similar to that ofa surrogate parent to employees--employees follow clearly definedrules and responsibilities in exchange for remaining on a company'spayroll. But the changing workplace has employers taking on a newrole more aligned with that of a coach, creating an environment,culture and communications system in order to set employees up forsuccess rather than giving them outlined roles to get there.

With benefits more commonly being reduced or disappearing,employees are becoming more responsible for their own financialsuccess. As pensions and matches are dropped, the resources theyhave available to do it with are quickly decreasing. This means thelandscape of benefits will change. Here's how:

• Financial education will become a key employeebenefit purchased through benefits brokers and provided byfull-time financial educators--experts at giving participantsinformation, tools and guidance to make key financial decisionsabout their benefits so that they can achieve independent financialsecurity rather than depend on their employers to provide it forthem.
• There will be more emphasis on retirement and benefitsplan design in facilitating good decision making.Employers will seek trusted consultants who can help them withsuccessful plan design and make both their core and voluntarybenefits successful. Employers will recognize that it is muchharder to get participation when employees have to fund benefitsand choose among seemingly complex options.
• Overall benefits consulting will become an even biggerdifferentiator as financial benefits become morecommoditized. Benefits providers that win engagements willincreasingly be those who are on the leading edge of trends andbest practices, providing ongoing consulting to employers to helpthem shape their overall benefits strategy--from design of benefitsto benefits communication and planning. Providers that take thepartner approach with employers will dramatically outperform thosewho simply sell services.

Knowledge of how finances affect employee success andparticipation in benefits will continue to grow and the changinglandscape of the workplace will continue to shift to one that helpsemployees reach individual goals in order to reach companyobjectives. Times are changing for the better.