Cambridge
Academy
In London

Introduction

Benefits administration ensures employees receive the right entitlements on time and according to policy, while protecting the organization through strong controls and compliance. This practical program equips payroll and benefits specialists with simple, end-to-end methods to administer benefits, apply policies consistently, manage exceptions, and maintain accurate records and reporting.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

·        Understand benefits administration lifecycle and key controls

·        Apply benefits policies consistently and fairly

·        Manage enrollment, changes, and employee inquiries effectively

·        Maintain accurate documentation and audit-ready evidence

·        Improve service quality through clear workflows and reporting

Target Audience

This course is designed for:

·        Senior specialists in payroll and benefits

·        HR operations and shared services staff

·        Benefits coordinators and case handlers

·        HRIS and HR data administrators supporting benefits

·        Compliance and internal control partners supporting HR operations 

Course Outlines

Day 1: Benefits Administration Foundations

·        Benefits types and eligibility basics

·        Policies, rules, and entitlements

·        Roles, approvals, and ownership

·        End-to-end benefits lifecycle

·        Activity: Benefits process map (current state) 

Day 2: Enrollment and Changes

·        Enrollment workflows and checklists

·        Life events and changes management

·        Documentation and evidence basics

·        Handling exceptions and escalations

·        Workshop: Build enrollment SOP

Day 3: Benefits Policy Implementation

·        Policy interpretation and consistency

·        Communication to employees (clear language)

·        Coordination with payroll and finance

·        Vendor coordination basics (if applicable)

·        Activity: Policy scenario practice 

Day 4: Controls, Compliance, and Audit Readiness

·        Key controls: approvals, eligibility checks, and reconciliations

·        Data accuracy and HRIS updates

·        Record keeping and retention basics

·        Managing errors and corrections

·        Case study: Audit finding response 

Day 5: Service Quality and Reporting

·        Handling inquiries and service recovery

·        Simple KPIs: cycle time, accuracy, satisfaction

·        Reporting templates and dashboards basics

·        Continuous improvement and lessons learned

·        Final project: Benefits admin playbook