Vestwell outlines payroll onboarding, webinars and client services driving NEST contributions

Courtney Eccles of Vestwell summarized operational steps taken to convert employer registrations into active payroll contributions and to support both employers and savers.

Eccles said a concentrated communications cadence leading into the registration deadline produced a registration spike; payroll contributions began ramping in September and continued through October. Vestwell has increased the frequency of payroll webinars (to weekly while engagement is high) and records sessions for later viewing so employers who cannot attend live still receive the materials.

"Our goal is always to get that registered number and that running payroll number as close to each other as possible," Eccles said, describing the combination of direct employer outreach, payroll provider integration reminders, and twice-monthly (now weekly) payroll webinars that offer demos and technical help.

Vestwell also described client-service improvements designed to reduce friction: automated exemption and automated opt-out agents (available in English and Spanish), a live chat embedded in the employer portal for verified users, and a Reporting Dashboard that gives near-real-time access to employer and saver engagement metrics for the Treasurer's Office.

These operational tools are intended to turn registrations into recurring payroll contributions, which Vestwell and staff said is essential for employees to become active savers.