Alight Solutions is transforming they way employees connect with their benefits through the Alight Worklife® app. By integrating directly into Microsoft Teams, the app simplifies access to well-being and HR resources, creating a seamless and intuitive experience that fits naturally into daily workflows. Employees can easily navigate benefits with features like single sign-on, a 24/7 virtual assistant, personalised dashboards and proactive notifications, ensuring support is always within reach. Early feedback highlights improved engagement, with future and AI-driven enhancements focused on further empowering employees to prioritise their well-being and make informed decisions effortlessly — anytime, anywhere.

Alight Solutions is a leading, cloud-based human capital and technology-enabled services provider. The North America-based company, specialising in administering employee benefits for some of the world's largest organisations, aimed to go beyond traditional HR service delivery by reimagining how its clients facilitate access to well-being resources. HR platforms can be fragmented and used only when necessary, such as during open enrollment or life events. These systems are often complex, requiring multiple logins to navigate basic tasks. For employers, inconsistencies across different systems compound the difficulty of giving their employees seamless access to the important information they need.

Recognising this, Alight leaders wanted to create a more seamless and consistently used experience. Their mission was simple yet transformative: empower employees to connect with resources as naturally as they collaborate with colleagues, ensuring they are accessible anytime, anywhere. Consider this: an employee starting a benefits-related task on their phone during a break, continuing it on their PC and later reviewing it via a Bluetooth device while commuting — an omnichannel experience and flexible approach to benefits navigation that meets employees wherever they are.

Instead of pointing employees to navigate yet another platform, Alight aimed to meet them in their daily workflows. By embedding benefits into a tool they already use to communicate and collaborate, the approach would improve the user experience and address critical concerns like data security.

Enter Alight Worklife®, an app designed to both simplify access across HR and benefits, and encourage employees to explore broader services offered within their company’s scope. To bring this vision to life, Alight partnered with Avanade. Together, we developed and launched the app to consolidate benefits access and boost employee engagement. The solution integrates with Microsoft Teams, transforming the way employees interact with their benefits by delivering a more unique and robust experience.

"Microsoft Teams has become a dominant tool for employee communication, acting as the central platform where people connect and stay informed throughout their workday,” says Kellee Eavenson, vice president of technology enablement at Alight. “By meeting employees where they’re already spending their time, we’re simplifying access and refining the overall user experience.”

The integration included several elements from strategy to finish:

• Single sign-on (SSO): Employees log in once via Microsoft Teams, gaining continuous access to all HR and benefits resources without navigating multiple platforms. “Data security is paramount in today’s digital environment,” says Eavenson. “By integrating benefits management into Teams, we’ve created a secure flow that both employees and employers can trust.” 

• Interactive virtual assistant (IVA): A 24/7 assistant built into Teams that answers HR questions, tracks tickets and provides personalised insights on demand.

• Personalised dashboard: A tailored interface that gives employees quick access to essential information — like account balances — all within a single Teams channel.

• Real-time notifications: Proactive alerts and recommendations delivered directly to help employees stay informed and make timely decisions.

“Avanade is a solution innovator, a connector and a technology expert,” says Josh Welch, Alight’s executive vice president of product. “We saw value from each of these roles. Time and again, the team went above and beyond in problem-solving to meet our needs and imagine creative solutions on ‘what could be,’ not just the technical requirements.” 

The AI component of security and compliance features also positions Alight to future-proof these requirements. And, the solution highlights a user-centric design, ensuring every element enhances accessibility and usability. With omnichannel flexibility, employees can transition tasks across devices, and as a “companion in your pocket,” the app acts as a personal knowledge base, offering immediate access to benefits information during more urgent times, such as when a family member needs medical care. 

Alight Worklife® has already demonstrated its potential to transform benefits engagement — starting across Alight teams. Employees will be able to more frequently and more conveniently access their valuable resources. Early feedback has been positive, with employees enjoying the recommendations and mobile integration.

Looking ahead, Alight is exploring additional features to further elevate the app’s impact. Incorporating well-being tools into Teams means employees can engage with resources that enhance their physical, mental and financial health. Planned enhancements include expanding tools via Microsoft Viva and exploring even more AI-driven recommendations, with high-touch support — for example, advanced video or chat capabilities to connect with health providers or financial counselors.

“We’re not just simplifying navigation — we’re enhancing employee well-being and productivity in ways that were previously unavailable,” says Alex Broghammer, Avanade account lead.

And as Alight continues to innovate and expand the app’s reach, the team’s vision remains clear: to empower employers and employees with tools that are relevant and accessible, helping users explore and keep up with tasks without excessive effort. Through a collaborative approach to education and engagement, the company is simplifying benefits access and redefining what it means to support employees in the modern workplace.

Elevate employee engagement, boost employee productivity and create a seamless digital workplace with Avanade’s modern workplace services.