Morgan Stanley at Work Enhances Technology to Deliver Time and Cost Savings to Stock Plan Administrators and Participants

Rhea-AI Summary

Morgan Stanley at Work has introduced three key enhancements to its stock plan platforms, Equity Edge Online® and Shareworks. These innovations aim to boost efficiency for corporate clients and their participants. Notable upgrades include expanded fractional share transaction capabilities, an automated Leave of Absence administration process, and a new automation framework called Workflows. These upgrades are designed to streamline operations, reduce manual errors, and improve participant engagement, thereby saving companies time and costs.

Positive

• Expanded fractional share transaction capabilities enhance participant engagement and tax strategy options.
• Automation of Leave of Absence processes saves time and reduces errors for stock plan administrators.
• Introduction of Workflows allows for customized automated processes, improving efficiency.

Negative

• None.

Enhancements provide greater ease of use through fractional shares and automation

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Morgan Stanley at Work today announced three strategic product enhancements to its stock plan platforms Equity Edge Online® (EEO) and Shareworks, designed to streamline functionality for Morgan Stanley at Work’s corporate clients and their workplace participants.

With these technology upgrades to EEO and Shareworks, corporate clients will experience new processes that drive efficiency, increase productivity, and boost satisfaction.

New technology capabilities and features on the platforms include:

• Expanded fractional shares transaction capabilities in both Shareworks and EEO that enable stock plan participants to trade any fractional portion of their equity shares—or sell just enough to cover taxes and keep the rest. This helps them to keep a higher number of equity shares after vesting, widens their tax strategy choices, and drives deeper engagement and satisfaction with their plans.
• A fully automated Leave of Absence administration process in Shareworks in which stock plan administrators no longer need to manually update individual vest schedules when a participant goes on leave and/or returns. Plan administrators can now handle this frequent occurrence automatically with a simple status rule—saving time and minimizing errors.
• A new automation framework in EEO called Workflows allows stock plan administrators to build custom automated processes, reducing individual manual steps. The automated Workflows help administrators coordinate and deploy end-to-end processes in the platform itself, store whatever parameters they need, isolate specific populations of participants, and run workflows for specific events—all from one place.

“Over the past two years we’ve made significant progress in bringing together the best of the best from Shareworks and Equity Edge Online,” said Mark Mitchell, Chief Product Officer of Morgan Stanley at Work. “We have our foot firmly on the gas to improve the lives of administrators and their participants through technology that turns once analogue processes into seamless automation. These recent enhancements help save companies time and costs while also mitigating risks. There’s much more to come as we continue to invest heavily in our people, platforms, and products.”

About Morgan Stanley at Work

Morgan Stanley at Work offers a suite of financial solutions, which spans Equity Compensation through Shareworks and E*TRADE Equity Edge Online, Retirement and Financial Wellness Solutions. Morgan Stanley at Work combines cutting-edge planning and Morgan Stanley intellectual capital and financial education delivered through multiple channels to enable employees to build a holistic plan to achieve their financial goals. Shareworks services are provided by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, member SIPC, and its affiliates, and Equity Edge Online® employee stock plan solutions are offered by E*TRADE Financial Corporate Services, Inc., both are parts of Morgan Stanley at Work and all wholly owned subsidiaries of Morgan Stanley.

About Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is a leading financial services firm that provides access to a wide range of products and services to individuals, businesses, and institutions, including brokerage and investment advisory services, financial and wealth planning, cash management and lending products and services, annuities and insurance, retirement, and trust services.

About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in 41 countries, the Firm’s employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For further information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com.

Shareworks, a part of Morgan Stanley at Work, is provided by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, member SIPC, and its affiliates, all wholly owned subsidiaries of Morgan Stanley. Equity Edge Online employee stock plan solutions are offered by E*TRADE Financial Corporate Services, Inc. which are part of Morgan Stanley at Work. Securities products and services are offered by E*TRADE Securities LLC, Member SIPC. In connection with stock plan solutions offered by Morgan Stanley at Work, E*TRADE Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC provide brokerage services to stock plan participants. E*TRADE Financial Corporate Services, Inc. and E*TRADE Securities LLC are separate but affiliated subsidiaries of Morgan Stanley.

Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is the trade name of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, a registered broker-dealer in the United States.

© 2022 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220818005522/en/

Media Relations Contacts: Jeanne Joe Perrone Jeanne.perrone@morganstanley.com | Lindsey Madnick, Lindsey.madnick@morganstanley.com |

Source: Morgan Stanley

FAQ

What are the new features introduced in Morgan Stanley's stock plan platforms in 2022?

Morgan Stanley introduced expanded fractional shares transaction capabilities, an automated Leave of Absence administration process, and a new automation framework called Workflows.

How do the enhancements benefit Morgan Stanley's corporate clients?

The enhancements improve efficiency, reduce manual errors, and boost participant engagement, ultimately saving clients time and costs.

What is the significance of fractional share transactions on Morgan Stanley's platforms?

The expanded fractional share transaction capabilities allow participants to trade any portion of their equity shares, improving their tax strategies and engagement.

What advantages does the new automation framework Workflows provide?

Workflows enable stock plan administrators to create customized automated processes, effectively reducing manual steps and enhancing operational efficiency.

Who is the Chief Product Officer of Morgan Stanley at Work?

Mark Mitchell is the Chief Product Officer of Morgan Stanley at Work.