What are APIs and how can they help employers and employees?

As APIs (or application programming interfaces) become more common in the business world, it’s important to understand what they do and what they can do for organizations. There are endless possible ways to take advantage of APIs — and they can be especially helpful to businesses that use multiple programs to manage employee benefit information.

APIs make it possible for different software programs to communicate and work together, which can streamline workflows, improve efficiency, and enhance user experiences.

Organizations with good data and a willingness to learn could find APIs valuable. Implementing APIs can also present employers with data integrity issues with the opportunity to clean up their data and exercise proper data hygiene. Let’s talk through the basics of APIs.

What are APIs and how do they work?

APIs are software interfaces that allow different computer programs to interact with each other. Here's a brief overview of how APIs work:

1. First, a software developer creates an API that defines the rules and protocols for how other programs can interact with it. The API is like a set of instructions or a manual that tells other programs how to use it.
2. When another program wants to use the API, it sends a request asking for information (or asking the API to perform an action).
3. The API receives the request and performs the requested action or retrieves the requested information. The API then sends a response back with the information (or confirms the action has been completed).

APIs can use a variety of protocols for sending and receiving data. An example of an API in everyday life is the weather app on many mobile phones. The app “talks” to the weather bureau’s software system using APIs. The weather bureau responds back to the app with the requested information — in this case, the current weather and forecast. The app can then show daily weather updates.

Why use APIs for employee benefits?

Using APIs to manage employee benefits data can provide numerous benefits for employers and employees alike. Here are some of the key advantages:

• Increased efficiency: APIs allow different software applications to communicate with each other seamlessly. By integrating HR and benefits software applications through APIs, employers can eliminate the need for manual data entry, reduce errors, and save time.
• Real-time access: APIs provide real-time access to employee benefits data. This means that employees can access their benefits information at any time, and employers can quickly and easily update the data as needed.
• Improved data accuracy: By using APIs to transfer data between systems, employers can ensure that employee benefits information is always accurate and up to date.
• Enhanced security: APIs can be secured using various authentication methods, which helps protect sensitive employee information.
• Better employee engagement: With APIs, employees can access their new benefits information almost immediately. This may lead to higher employee engagement and satisfaction.
• Customization: APIs can be customized to meet the specific needs of an organization. This means that employers can tailor their benefits programs to fit the unique needs of their workforce.

Voya’s API solutions

Voya is committed to innovating for a better future with products and services that support the employer, the employee and our partners. That’s why we developed APIs to help streamline behind-the-scenes administration work, giving employers more time to focus on what really matters — their people.

When an employee finds themselves in a situation that requires health-related decisions, it can be stressful. They want to learn and find answers as quickly as possible. When Voya looked at the day-to-day tasks required to care for employees during those times, it became clear that there is too much room for error and delay.

Voya chose to create APIs so employers could eliminate the time and energy spent managing and re-keying information between programs — which can also help reduce errors.

Voya offers two APIs now — with more on the horizon

As part of our suite of technology solutions, our API capabilities strive to automate the administration of an employer’s benefits so they can focus on delivering more value to their employees.

1. Evidence of Insurability (EOI) decisions: Our API capabilities allow various enrollment technology vendors such Workday, Benefitfocus, ADP, Plansource and Businessolver¹ to automatically receive our medical underwriting and EOI decisions and update the appropriate employee records.
2. Leave decisions: With this API, our leave decisions and return-to-work data update in real time within an employee’s Workday record.

We are continuously working to expand our API offering to improve the benefits experience for employers and employees. Using APIs to manage employee benefits data can streamline HR processes, improve data accuracy, and enhance employee engagement and satisfaction.

To see if your organization is a good fit for APIs, reach out to your Voya representative.