Using individual employeedemographics can help employers and benefits managers help identifydesirable enrollment methodologies. (Photo: Shutterstock)

We have conducted research on employee attitudes about voluntary benefits for years now. Historically,we've taken a high-level view; however, we have always believedthere were meaningful segments inside this community, andthat identifying them may allow more specific strategies to bedeveloped. This led us to take a different look at this criticalconstituency.

Bonnie Brazzell and NickRockwell,
Eastbridge Consulting Group, Inc.

A new report, Employee Life Stage Segmentation, aimed to createdifferent employee segments based on demographic data. It findsthat there are certain commonalities in employee buying behavior.For example, consistency across all employee segments surroundingthe reasons why they buy voluntary products (i.e.,“reasonable cost for the product” and “filling a personal need.”)However, our deeper look also confirmed discernibledifferences.

Related: 9 voluntary solutions for today's diverseworkforce

One such area is employee preference for learning about theirbenefits. Only 10 percent of employees in the Low- to Middle-IncomeSingles segment cite a preference for learning about benefits inone-on-one meetings, while 22 percent of thosein the Low- to Middle-Income Family segment find that it not onlypreferential, but among the most desirable.

Some producers could feel their clients don't really appreciatethis amount of granularity. The 2016 Eastbridge MarketVision™Employer Viewpoint report found 72 percent of employers preferpersonalized communications based on age, gender or life-stage.Clearly, our clients are beginning to find employee personalizationa decision-making factor. Brokers should prepare to help themunderstand what else might be influenced by their employee'sspecific demographics.

Obviously, producers should start with the basics and consideroverall trends in employee behavior as their “first things first”step in defining client strategies. But, learning how to apply moredemographic specific trends may be a new opportunity fordifferentiation.