You can carry out most aspects of benefits administration remotely. However, there’s one big exception: traditional mail processing requires a physical presence. With lockbox and virtual mail services, this doesn’t need to be an obstacle for your remote workforce.
How Physical Mail Can Put a Kink in Remote Work Plans
To see how physical mail can cause problems for remote teams, let’s use the example of a small TPA that has mostly gone remote. Most of the people on the team love working remotely full time. However, someone needs to show up at the office to sort through the incoming mail and process payments that arrive by check. One employee takes on this responsibility, stopping by the office every for a few hours every morning.
Things go smoothly until that employee is forced to unexpectedly take time off for health reasons. The other team members are unable to commute to the office due to transportation challenges and family responsibilities. In the meantime, the mail and checks pile up. When deadlines are missed, the headaches start to mount.
There’s a better way. Instead of forcing remote workers back into the office, utilize virtual mail and lockbox services.
How Virtual Mail and Lockbox Services Work
Normally, you need someone to sort through the physical mail, process correspondence, and deposit checks. With virtual mail and lockbox services, this is all unnecessary.
- Your mail is digitized. Instead of sorting through paper mail, your team reviews the digital files.
- Your payments are deposited. You don’t need to worry about going to the bank. Your checks are deposited and reconciled, and you receive a payment file.
Virtual mail and lockbox services are a smart option for in-office administration teams that want a secure and hassle-free way to organize mail and payments. For remote teams, these services may be a necessity.
Does Your Team Have the Right Tools?
Your workforce can thrive while working remotely, but you may need to adjust some of your processes. Virtual mail and lockbox services are a great place to start. With these tools, your remote team can stay remote while benefiting from increased efficiency and robust security. Learn more.