Tools and Technologies

As a client of The Richards Group, you gain access to an array of financial tools and web-based human resources technologies

Regional Employee Benefits Survey

We invite our customers to participate in our proprietary, confidential survey of employee benefits programs. With a variety of metrics, we help you compare and contrast your company’s benefits programs to those of dozens of fellow businesses in your community. And we analyze trends in local employee benefits management to help you succeed.

HR Insider

Your desktop human resources assistant, helping you to keep current with legislative and employee benefit issues. Features include:

• Legislative Guides - Provides up-to-date information about COBRA, Flex/ß125, FMLA, HIPAA, HIPAA Privacy, and USERRA. Each section also contains FAQs, related forms and instructions, and legislative updates (as needed)
• What’s New Section - Highlights the latest resources, documents, or forms uploaded to HRinsider to keep the pre-loaded information current
• Resource Center - Access to helpful document library and resource links
• Daily News & Information Service - Keeps you informed of what’s happening in the HR world via a highly focused daily news and information service

Employee Benefit Center (EBC)

Your online employee benefits handbook designed to simplify HR tasks, improve employee communications, and save time, money, and energy.

EBC benefits your HR department:

• Organizes HR information in an easy-to-use format
• Increases your efficiency by eliminating routine benefits inquiries
• Saves money by eliminating printing and distribution costs when plans or policies change
• Integrates previously prepared documents and spreadsheets via links to a private library on your EBC, your company website, or Intranet/Extranet

EBC benefits your employees:

• All company benefits information resides in one place, assuring consistent communication
• Search feature allows quick access to benefits information
• Wellness Manager includes an illustrated medical encyclopedia, drug interaction checker, chronic care guides, hospital quality ratings, and more
• Life Events section provides information to help manage lifestyle issues facing employees and their families
• Financial Calculators
• Many resources are available in Español.

benefitsCONNECT

A web-based employee benefits enrollment and management system designed to offer employers and employees a quick, easy and efficient way to process and manage employee benefit information.

benefitsCONNECT streamlines the enrollment process:

• Enables efficient data sharing and transferring of benefits information to any third party who can accept electronic files.
• Produces enrollment forms populated with information entered online by the employees for vendors who require forms.
• Produces online employee benefit statements.
• Allows documents, such as SPDs or benefit overviews, to be uploaded for employees to access any time.
• Includes a modeling component to calculate benefit costs during the enrollment process.

benefitsCONNECT enhances benefits management:

• Leverages the use of information collected for management reporting purposes
• Information can be downloaded into Microsoft Excel or Access to further customize reports
• Integrates benefit election data with existing internal systems, such as payroll, HRIS, and other corporate accounting and management systems
• Produces vendor billing information
• Maintains a chronological transaction log vital to the integrity and accountability of any benefits administration system
• Increases accuracy and efficiency by collecting all required employee information the first time