In the business world, a “benefit” is an indicator of positive change, a reflection of one’s role in growing and expanding the success of an enterprise. Designing, implementing, and managing benefits is the job of benefits managers, professionals whose expertise lies within a specialized field of finance and economics. The benefits management discipline is one in which cutting-edge ideas are being developed and moved to the forefront on a regular basis, requiring regular updates and an ongoing educational initiative.
For supplemental training and ongoing support “in the field,” here are five excellent online resources for benefits managers:
BenefitsPRO
BenefitsPRO is an interactive website and magazine, providing access to expert advice on benefits management, benefits brokerage, and retirement planning. In addition to its ready access to professional materials, BenefitsPRO also connects its users with free benefits management tools and strategies, to help them streamline their own workloads. Cutting-edge articles include expert advice on everything from the latest strategies in the field, to prevailing attitudes among professionals, industry-by-industry.
Employee Benefit News
EBN magazine offers a conveniently organized layout, providing access to a wealth of benefits-related information categorized according to industry. Benefits may also be examined according to type, such as health and wellness, or those which are related to retirement. The magazine’s digital features include articles on the effective communications of changes in benefits management, helping to bridge the frequently frustrating gap between management and employees, and ensuring responsible levels of employee engagement.
EBN Benefits Forum & Expo
This is an annual benefits management conference; in 2017, it will be held in Boca Raton, Florida from the 18th to the 20th of September. In addition to attending the conference, if you sign up in advance, you will receive access to some of the conferences online resources. These resources, such as information on the types of benefits to be covered at the expo, provide good refresher value throughout the year. The ability to network with other attendees is another excellent online perk of signing up early.
Society for Human Resource Management
SHRM is the world’s oldest and most prestigious professional organization for human resource management, including the benefits management specialty. Through SHRM, members have access to a wide range of expertise from highly esteemed professionals from around the world, bringing in cutting-edge ideas to which they would not otherwise have access. Conferences and publications for human resource management are made available, and a substantial library of articles on highly relevant current topics can be browsed by all active members. SHRM puts its members in a position to benefit from their respective expertise, refining the overall approach to benefits management strategy as they go.
Benefitfocus
Benefitfocus presents itself as a benefits management portal, combining unique B2B strategies in a single location. This allows benefits managers to shop for, enroll in, and exchange benefits in one location, with access to a suite of highly advanced features allowing for this to be done smoothly and efficiently. The website puts everything at its members’ fingertips, enabling them to manage (and even swap out) employee benefits with streamlined ease.
For More Information
Benefits management is a rapidly growing field, particularly within the private sector, but managers are also seeing new opportunities within the government and academic sectors, which likewise require skilled professionals to measure the impact of positive financial growth.
See also: 50 Most Affordable Small Colleges for a Human Resources Degree and HR Study 2016
