Employee communication may be a burden for HR; simply getting employees to view your emails can be difficult at times. When it comes to benefits, though, a lack of efficient communication may lead to uncertainty and worry during open enrollment.
It is critical to provide employees with the knowledge they need to make an informed decision. However, just speaking about benefits during open enrollment season may not be sufficient, according to a recent study conducted by LegalShield, which revealed that benefits communication isn’t cutting it for many employees, who are left feeling misinformed and unprepared come open enrollment season.
Employees left in the dark
According to the poll, the majority of employees (81%) would appreciate additional information regarding their company-sponsored benefits throughout the year. This demonstrates a significant desire for workers to obtain information all year, yet over half of the employees (47%) reported feeling unprepared during open enrollment season and not knowing enough about their benefits to make educated decisions, indicating a need for more effective benefits communication.
Employees may make uninformed decisions as a result of poor benefits communication or insufficient information in the run-up to open enrollment. In fact, more than half (52%) of participants reported not receiving enough information during open enrollment.
There are obvious advantages to providing workers with the information they need to make educated enrollment decisions. Employees who make greater use of their advantages may experience – Enhanced employee health and well-being, growth in employee satisfaction, and overall productivity improvement.
5 tips to improve year-round benefits communication
Consider adopting these seven ways to improve benefits communication to ensure that staff is completely prepared when open enrollment season arrives.
Use Simple and Clear Language:
When discussing benefits, use simple and plain language. Avoid using technical words that may be confusing to employees and strive to convey advantages in a way that everyone understands. Use tales and examples to demonstrate how benefits function in practice.
Personalize Communication:
When speaking about benefits, keep your workers’ specific requirements in mind. Adapt communication to their unique requirements, taking into consideration any cultural or linguistic obstacles that may occur.
Use a variety of channels:
To reach various employees, use a range of communication methods. Some employees prefer email, while others prefer face-to-face meetings or video presentations. Make use of several channels to ensure that everyone gets the information they require.
Be open and honest:
Make the costs and advantages of each benefit supplied clear. Explain why particular advantages are provided and what the firm hopes to achieve by providing them. Employees will be able to see the value of the perks and make educated decisions as a result of this.
Make It Interesting:
Make benefit communication entertaining and engaging. Make communication more interesting by including multimedia components such as films or infographics. This will aid in capturing employees’ attention and increasing their comprehension and engagement.
Continued Assistance:
Employees should get regular assistance as they manage their benefits. This might include giving a hotline or help desk, online information and tools, and organizing workshops and seminars on benefit-related issues.
Obtain Feedback:
Request feedback from workers on the benefits communication. Make advantage of their input to enhance future communications and to ensure that the material is relevant and beneficial to them.
