Problem

The IRS requires employers to provide their employees with hard copies of W-2s at the end of the year. 

Gusto creates digital copies for employees to access online, but that only alleviates the employer requirement if they get written consent from employees to distribute forms electronically. 

Still with me? 

Opportunity

Gusto could and should create a way to for employers to gain consent from employees that would keep our customers compliant (and save trees!).

Challenge

How might we explain the concept of "consent for electronic distribution" to employees in a way that will yield results?

Solution 

Go paperless. 

By reframing the solution in a way people know and understand, we can dodge the compliance-speak of "consent" and drive adoption so employers have a way to stay compliant, and employees have a way to tell their company they'd prefer less mail anyway. Win win.

On the employee side, "going paperless" is a concept many people are already familiar with. Why reinvent the wheel? 

This solution allowed us to present an option the end user already knows about. As a result, adoption and impact didn't rely heavily on education. 

On the employer side, I created a way for customers to quickly see who has gone paperless so they know who they're still legally required to mail forms to.