Benefits professionals have been on a roller-coaster ride since the 2016 presidential election. That ride includes the highs of lofty rhetoric, the lows of as-yet unfulfilled promises, and uncertainty about what may lie around the next curve.

Every now and then, it helps to step off the ride, catch your breath and collect your thoughts. That's why BenefitsPRO takes time each year to ask employers to share their insights on the most important issues they face. Their responses provide a valuable roadmap for brokers as they plan ahead for this fall's abbreviated open enrollment period.

Not surprisingly, the economy is top of mind for the 125 decision-makers who participated this year (see box on last slide). Overall, employers give the Trump administration low marks for its economic policies. Thirty-seven percent said these policies have had a moderately or extremely negative effect on their business outlook, with 20 percent reporting a moderately or extremely positive impact.