STEP 1
Build the Ideal Candidate Profile
To find the best person for the role, you need to understand what the role involves. You can complete this with the hiring manager to define the role, its contribution, and the skills needed.
Benefits Administrator
Human Resources (HR)Complete with job descriptions, skill profiles, and interview templates. Use this Benefits Administrator hiring guide to help you make the right decisions, fast.
HOW TO HIRE A BENEFITS ADMINISTRATOR
What does a Benefits Administrator do?
Benefits Administrators work within an human resources department and are responsible for planning and administering employee benefit programs. They communicate with employees, resolve benefit-related issues and collaborate with other departments and external vendors. A Benefits Coordinator should have strong organizational skills and stay up-to-date with relevant laws, regulations and market trends. They should also have strong interpersonal skills, be able to maintain meticulous records and collaborate with other departments and external service providers.
Day to day tasks of a Benefits Administrator
- Collaborate with payroll and ensure that employer contributions and payroll deductions are processed accurately
- Maintain and update employee records and benefits files
- Coordinate daily benefits processing, including enrollments, terminations and claims
- Advise and inform employees of the details of the company's benefit programs
- Resolve benefit-related issues and respond to queries and requests in a timely manner
- Research new employee benefit plans and vendors
- Evaluate the efficiency and value of current benefit programs and make recommendations for improvement
- Liaise with vendors and negotiate and coordinate contracts for new and existing plans
BENEFITS ADMINISTRATOR DEFINITION
Benefits Administrators manage all employee benefit programs within an organization from personal leave to retirement plans. Benefits Administrators are extremely important to an organization as the correct processing and distribution of benefits is vital for employee retention and satisfaction. Confidentiality and efficiency are very important qualities for a Benefits Administrator. Communication skills and deep knowledge of regulations and benefit options are also vital for a Benefits Administrator.
HIRING PROCESS
Benefits Administrator Hiring Process
STEP 2
Write A Job Description Based On Skills
Once you understand the requirements for the role, you’ll need to understand the skills for success. You can then write an effective job description to promote your role.
STEP 3
Selecting The Ideal Candidate
See which applicants have the right skills for the role. Send all your applicants a Vervoe skills assessment from the expert library, or customize one for your organization.
STEP 4
Interview Top Performers
Your skills assessment results will identify top performers. Focus your time on interviewing those that have met or exceeded your requirements. Assessment results will also help guide which skill areas to focus on in the interview.
STEP 5
Making An Offer
Once you assess your candidates against these skills, you’re ready to offer the top performer(s). You should base your offer on the value that the candidate would bring to your team and your business as a whole. It is also important to ensure your compensation and benefits packages are competitive in the industry and help you attract and retain the top talent.
BUILD THE IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE
Skills needed for a Benefits Administrator
A Benefits Administrator must have the ability to mediate a situation and find a solution where all parties are satisfied. They must also have the ability to think critically and have an attention to detail, particularly when it comes to reviewing employee benefit claims.
- Critical Thinking
- Attention to Detail
- Conflict Resolution
WRITE A JOB DESCRIPTION BASED ON SKILLS
How to write a Benefits Administrator job description
Once you’ve determined the skills required for the role, you can write the job description to advertise for your position. Here’s what to include in your Benefits Administrator job description:
- Job Title
- What position are you hiring for?
- Summary
- What makes your company unique? What would it be like to work for you?
- Responsibilities
- An overview of the role’s day-to-day activities, and how the position contributes to the organization
- Requirements
- Skills a candidate must have to perform the job successfully
- Benefits
- Details of compensation, benefits, and any perks on offer
SELECTING THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
Sample skill tests for a Benefits Administrator
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Question 1
Attention to DetailQuestion Type: Multiple Choice
Using the document in the previous question, how many days of vacation leave is this employee entitled to?
Question 2
Conflict ResolutionQuestion Type: Text
As a benefits administrator, you will be required to have conversations and discussions with colleagues that may be of a sensitive nature for example: rising healthcare costs, healthcare needs, mental health issues.How will you create a safe place for your colleagues, to feel open and safe when engaging in such conversations?
Question 3
Critical ThinkingQuestion Type: Text
You do an employee survey to understand what employees want in their benefits plan. There are a number of suggestions from insurance to wellness accessibility to discounts and more.How do you decide which is the most important if you can only implement a few?
INTERVIEW TOP PERFORMERS
How to interview a Benefits Administrator
Once your Vervoe skills assessment has surfaced the most qualified people for your open role, you can focus on interviewing these candidates. The interview should focus on any skills that require development that were highlighted from the skills assessment.
Now you know that candidates can do the job, the interview becomes more of a relationship building exercise where you can get to know the candidate on a more personal level, understand their motivations, and how they would fit in with the team.
MAKING AN OFFER
How much does it cost to hire a Benefits Administrator?
The US average for a Benefits Administrator is $55,400 according to Salary.com, while the reported average salary on Payscale.com amounts to $55,000. Ninety percent of talent acquisition managers earn up to $76,000 with 75 percent receiving less than $66,000. The lowest paid ten percent is paid up to $42,300.
United States
Benefits Administrator salaries in the United States range from $42,000 - $56,000 (USD). Benefits Administrator salaries in the U.S vary depending on the industry and the location.
Source: Source: Payscale
United Kingdom
Benefits Administrator salaries in the United Kingdom range from £17,000 - £28,000 (GBP). Benefits Administrator salaries in the UK vary based on location and the amount of career experience.
Source: Source: Glassdoor
Australia
Benefits Administrator salaries in Australia range from $46,000 - $75,000 (AUD). Benefits Administrator salaries usually depend on the industry and the amount of career experience.
Source: Source: Salary Expert