Securian plans 2027 start for Workday benefits integrations

By Priya Raman

Securian Financial plans to begin phased development of Workday Wellness integrations in 2027, with additional capabilities planned through 2028. The Nov. 2, 2026 announcement sets no new employer compliance deadline; it centers on how employee, eligibility, enrollment and insurability data move between benefits platforms and insurers.

Securian joined the Workday Wellness partner program, a benefits technology ecosystem, on Nov. 2, 2026. For employers, the people-process issue is how employee and eligibility records move among HR systems, benefits platforms and carriers; the ecosystem supports embedded benefits experiences and API-driven exchanges.

What changes in 2027?

Securian expects initial development to focus on APIs for real-time worker data and enrollment. Those APIs would cover employee, eligibility and enrollment information, plus real-time evidence of insurability, or EOI. The company says this shift from file-based integrations can enable more efficient information flow between benefits platforms and carriers.

Securian did not name specific go-live dates, customer cohorts or state-by-state deployment schedules. It also gave no customer rollout milestones or quantified targets for administrative savings.

Securian describes Workday as one of the leading employee benefits administration platforms and one of the most widely used among its customers. The announcement provides no customer count for that usage. The commercial case rests on reducing handoffs, not simply adding another vendor connection.

Benefits teams must test whether the connections replace routine file transfers and fit existing employee management channels. Russell said direct, real-time links could simplify administration and meet customers where they choose to manage benefits.

Securian enrollment platforms manager Leslee Russell said: "Employers increasingly expect their benefits technology and insurance providers to work together seamlessly, and joining Workday Wellness is an important step in delivering that experience."

How does the deal fit Securian's strategy?

The Workday agreement builds on Securian Platform Connect, the insurer's API integration program for benefits administration platforms. Securian says Platform Connect is designed to create faster data connections between Securian and those platforms, with flexible options that complement employers' existing technology. Workday Wellness extends that approach through a multiyear development cycle.

Leslee Russell, enrollment platforms manager for Securian Financial's Employee Benefits Solutions business, tied the agreement to future integration needs. She said: "Our participation in Workday Wellness positions Securian to build the next generation of integrations our customers will need and helps us deliver a simpler, more connected benefits experience over time."

What should employers test?

The announcement leaves several capability and adoption questions for HR, benefits and procurement teams. They should test the scope, timing and operational fit before treating the roadmap as a live option.

• Which 2027 APIs will exchange employee, eligibility, enrollment and real-time EOI information?
• Which additional capabilities will arrive through 2028, and when will mutual customers receive them?
• How will employers configure benefits within Workday while preserving employees' ability to manage benefits in their chosen channel?
• Which benefits products and states will support the new connections, given that availability and features vary by state?
• What implementation timeline will Securian and Workday set for mutual customers, including when development work becomes available?

The announcement does not require employers to move away from existing files or benefits platforms. Employers therefore have time to compare the planned APIs with current administration costs, carrier workflows and employee access requirements before committing to a deployment window.

Where do Securian's products stand?

Securian offers group life insurance and supplemental health benefits to employers nationwide through Minnesota Life Insurance Company and Securian Life Insurance Company. The announcement identifies Securian as the nation's third-largest direct writer of group life insurance.

S&P Global Market Intelligence based that ranking on direct group life insurance in force as of Dec. 31, 2025, on a consolidated basis. The measure reflects the two insurance subsidiaries of Securian Financial Group, Inc.: Minnesota Life and Securian Life.

Securian Financial is the marketing name for Securian Financial Group, Inc., and its subsidiaries. Securian Life is a New York-authorized insurer; Minnesota Life is not authorized in New York and does not do insurance business there.

Both insurers are headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, and each remains solely responsible for financial obligations under the policies or contracts it issues. Product availability and features may vary by state. Securian reports more than 23 million customers throughout the United States and Canada as of Dec. 31, 2024.

The company says its family of companies has developed insurance and retirement solutions for more than 145 years. The next checkpoint is 2027, when phased development begins; employer adoption will depend on whether the first APIs deliver the promised real-time enrollment and insurability connections to mutual customers.