Some might believe being a good salesperson is all abouttalking, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s actuallyall about listening to the customer. I’ve found that a greatchallenge of working in voluntary benefits is that one-size-fitsall solutions don’t exist. Each customer comes with their own setof needs, wants and challenges, and you need to adjust yourapproach based on the client. And this requires listening.

As part of our ongoing efforts to listen to customers, wepartnered with an independent research firm and surveyed more than200 employers to understand what drives purchasing behavior for voluntary benefits. Ibelieve what we heard was insightful and would strongly consider itas you evaluate whether to sell voluntary benefits. Here’s alook:

1. 83 percent of employees with healthcare coverageand no voluntary benefits say they’re open to enrolling involuntary benefits through their employer – and they don’texpect their employer to pay for them.

The benefits that insurance provides to employees and theirfamilies are easy to sell. Who wouldn’t want more financialsecurity and peace of mind? Who wouldn’t want support during adifficult time in their life? Who wouldn’t readily accept a checkwhen others are sending bills for services? As with anypurchase, however, those benefits come with a price, which begs thequestion: Will consumers pay for it? In this case, the proof is inthe pudding. According to our research, employees want voluntary benefits and are willing to pay forthem.

For employers, voluntary benefits are a win as well. Offeringvoluntary benefits is an opportunity for employers to help softenthe shifts that are occurring with some of their health care coststo the employee. Our research shows that employees not only wantvoluntary benefits, they expect to pay for it themselves. In fact,employees appreciate being offered voluntary benefits, as evidencedby our next finding…

2. 87 percent of employees in companies offeringvoluntary benefits feel they matter to their employers because ofthose benefits.

In recent years, employers have focused more and more oncreating a positive workplace environment for employees. Studieshave shown the link between an engaged, loyal workforce and greaterproductivity, as well as enhanced employee loyalty. As the finding demonstrates,offering voluntary benefits helps create a positive workplaceatmosphere by helping employees feel like they matter in theirworkplace.

Helping employees feel valued in the workplace is just the tipof the iceberg when it comes to voluntary benefits’ impact oncreating a strong corporate culture. A voluntary benefitsenrollment can also be used as a platform to address importantcompany messages or initiatives, such as 401(k) participation or awell-being program to continue enhancing a healthy workspace.Further, the financial protection from voluntary benefits helps putemployees and their families at ease and allows them to focus ontheir work, rather than their financial burdens.

3. Finally, 62 percent of employees under 50 yearsold wouldn’t consider taking a job that doesn’t offer voluntarybenefits.

Young workers are your best indicator of what the future holds,and a majority of them don’t see voluntary benefits as just a niceadded perk; they consider them a requirement. The flexibility andcustomization that voluntary benefits offer is a necessity for manyof today’s young workers. Thus, familiarity with the world ofvoluntary benefits will be crucial for brokers looking to helptheir clients attract young talent.

The upward trend of voluntary benefit sales over the past fewyears is well-documented. But it’s much more difficult projectingwhat’s to come. The statistics, however, don’t lie. As evidenced byour research, employees expect voluntary benefits, and they’rehappy to pay for it themselves. Further, voluntary benefits offeroptions for building a positive workplace now and in the future.While there’s no one single path to success, what’s clear fromlistening to the market is that the future of voluntary benefitsales is bright.