RCN Telecom Services, the nation’s sixth largest cable provider, delivers industry-leading high-speed internet as well as all-digital TV and phone services for residential, small/medium, and enterprise business customers.
Challenges
RCN’s 2,000 employees were eager for a state-of-the-art benefits-selection process that would simulate the look and feel of an online shopping experience. At the same time, the company’s HR department sought enhanced benefits-selection functionality that included significant configurability and simplified audit processes.
Solutions
RCN is using UKG Pro® Benefits Administration for new hires, life events, and open enrollment.
Benefits administration
“The flexibility of UKG Pro Benefits Administration has become an important part of our acquisition strategy,” said Stacy Murray, Director of HRMS and Benefits at RCN Telecom Services. “Last year, we acquired 600 employees and needed to include them in our November open enrollment, even though they wouldn’t be paid through UKG Pro’s payroll solution until the following year. Once their employee data was added to Pro, we used an API to automatically feed that information into UKG Pro Benefits Administration. These 600 employees participated in open enrollment with our existing employees, and we were able to send a file feed of deductions over to their legacy payroll system. As we plan the integration of another 1,200 employees from a recent acquisition, we’ll follow the same process to ensure a smooth transition.”
Murray noted that the standard reports that come with UKG Pro Benefits Administration also make benefits administration easier. For example, the company can quickly build census data when necessary, or use the open-enrollment reporting functionality for enterprise-level visibility into benefits selection. In addition, the solution’s effective-dating and audit functionality are essential tools for HR professionals.
“With UKG Pro Benefits Administration, there is robust effective-dating functionality, which lets us review employee selection history and confirmation statements,” said Murray. When an employee has a problem with claims processing, this history is enormously helpful to our investigation. We can see if the issue is due to administrative error or an employee’s failure to enroll. We are also heavy users of the solution’s audit feature. We are able to see an employee’s time-stamped activity in the solution so we can identify precisely when an employee made a selection.”
Employee experience
The UKG Pro Benefits Administration shopping experience enables employees to easily navigate through the solution, regardless of computer skills,” said Murray. “Employee feedback about the solution can best be described as ‘no news is good news.’ Employees are accessing UKG Pro Benefits Administration and enrolling without issues, which is fantastic.”
“The shopping experience makes all the difference in the world. Any employee confusion related to enrolling dependents or completing the process has disappeared.”
Stacy Murray
Director of HRMS and Benefits
Results
“One of the main advantages of UKG Pro Benefits Administration is that we can configure all eligibility rules related to life insurance,” said Murray. “Straightforward Evidence of Insurability processing has made our lives easier in HR and has also made this important aspect of benefits much simpler for employees.”
Murray noted that, due to the configurability of UKG Pro Benefits Administration, employees are enjoying benefits confirmation statements that are more detailed and understandable. The statements clearly itemize the employee’s benefits enrollment choices, including which dependents are enrolled in each benefits plan. Overall, UKG Pro Benefits Administration has increased the focus on employee needs.
“The shopping experience makes all the difference in the world,” said Murray. “Any employee confusion related to enrolling dependents or completing the process has disappeared. UKG Pro Benefits Administration has definitely made a big difference within our organization.”
