Automatic features of employer-sponsored retirement plans are helping prepare participants for retirement.

A new study by Lincoln Financial Group and Retirement Made Simpler surveyed plan sponsors' perspectives about the value of automatic retirement plan features, including automatic enrollment, automatic escalation and qualified default investment alternatives (QDIAs).

Ninety-four percent of plan sponsors said they recognize the success of automatic enrollment features in helping them address their plan-related goals and that these features drive higher participation and deferral rates along with better investment performance.