Articles in Career DevelopmentArticles in EntrepreneurshipArticles in Health & SafetyArticles in Job SearchArticles in Salary / BenefitsArticles in WorkplaceBenefits AdministratorA Day in the life of a Benefits Administrator Benefit administrators handle grievances, take suggestions, and act as intermediaries between benefits providers and employees. Administrators with strong communication skills, sharp minds, and the instinct to explain, to teach, find their choice of occupation gives them a high degree of satisfaction. Over 40 percent of the benefits administrator’s day is spent on the telephone, either with providers or clients, explaining procedures and getting information. Another 40 percent of the day is spent writing, reading, and researching reports. Benefits administration is one outcropping of the corporate culture it supports; many who enter the industry with the belief that employee benefits should help the employee at any cost are rudely awakened. Decisions on benefits are made in the context of this corporate culture, particularly with an eye to the bottom line. Benefits administration is a way of providing employees with support, a safety net, and advice on investments, but any decisions that help the employees should help the company as well. Administrators must have a strong sense of self and an ability to explain benefits plans clearly. “Expect to be blamed for everything from the client not filling out their forms properly to a rude pharmacist,” said one seven-year veteran. Balanced delicately between the clients and the providers, benefits administrators prove good targets for dissatisfied members of either side. This was cited as the largest downside of the profession, and may contribute to the number of administrators who leave the field between years three and six (nearly 35 percent). But this frustration is frequently offset by the general sense of helpfulness that benefits administrators feel in offering people options, educating them about their plans, and helping them through a confusing and intimidating healthcare system. Paying Your Dues Associated Careers |