Our Engagement Team Difference: Efficiency, Education, and Value

Written by: Emily Vorpahl, Sales Executive - Employee Benefits

In today’s competitive labor market, employers are under more pressure than ever to offer benefits that not only protect employees but also engage them, simplify administration, and deliver measurable value. At Cottingham & Butler, we’ve built a unique Engagement Team that brings together technology, communications, and non-medical expertise to create a seamless experience for employers and employees alike - one that enhances understanding, increases efficiency, and ensures every benefit delivers value.

Three Teams, One Seamless Experience

While each team brings its own expertise, they operate with one shared mission: to help employers attract and retain employees by protecting their financial well-being through market-leading benefits, communication, and technology. Together, they work in lockstep to guide employers from initial strategy and implementation to long-term execution and ongoing support.

Maximize Value: Non-Medical Team

By negotiating with carriers and analyzing contract language in depth, our Non-Medical Team helps employers deliver high-value, cost-effective coverage across a range of offerings - including dental, vision, disability, life, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and more. By digging into the details and uncovering gaps in coverage, our team helps employers save 25–30% on coverage while enhancing the benefits they provide. Employees also see the impact directly, saving 19–40% annually out of their paychecks.

Educate Employees: Communication Team

We know communication isn’t one-size-fits-all. That’s why our Communication Team partners with employers to develop tailored strategies based on industry, demographics, location, and workforce size. From open enrollment sites to flyers and posters, every piece of collateral is designed to be clear, engaging, and on-brand. This personalized approach drives measurable results and helps employees make more confident decisions: 91% of employees complete enrollment without HR assistance, enrollments in non-medical coverage increase by 5–10%, and enrollment in one benefit rises from 46% to 60% after targeted education efforts.

Drive Efficiencies: Technology Team

Our Technology Team helps employers simplify benefits administration by consulting on and implementing systems that reduce errors and improve efficiency. With experience across 30+ platforms - including ADP, Paycom, Employee Navigator, and more - our analysts provide hands-on support with data management, file feeds, and billing processes. On average, this saves clients over 30 hours per year, with some billing tasks reduced from hours to mere minutes.

The Power of Alignment

What makes our Engagement Team effective is the way these three groups operate as one. Through regular collaboration, shared insights, and a commitment to continuous improvement, we ensure every strategy is aligned from start to finish. It’s not about passing tasks from one team to the next - it’s about working together to deliver a unified experience that feels seamless to clients and their employees.

Conclusion

Whether it’s navigating complex carrier relationships, optimizing coverage, improving employee engagement, or untangling technology challenges, our Engagement Team solves problems before they become pain points.

If you're looking for a partner who brings clarity, coordination, and measurable impact to your benefits strategy, we’d love to connect.

Emily Vorpahl EVorpahl@cottinghambutler.com 608.467.0453 ext 2358