Economic hardships, the sluggish job market and continued uncertainty surrounding the future of health care reform have taken a toll on employees. Now is the time to demonstrate your commitment to your workforce and boost morale by finding ways to effectively communicate your organization’s employee benefits package.
“Employers in the United States spend nearly 40 percent of payroll on benefits. That being said, a strategic approach to benefits communication is no longer a business tactic geared toward only large organizations; it is a necessity for employers of all sizes,” says Jessica Galardini, chief operating officer at JRG Advisors, the management arm of ChamberChoice.
Smart Business spoke with Galardini about taking a strategic approach to benefits communication.
Why should employers be taking a strategic approach to benefits communication?
A strategic approach can boost employee appreciation and comprehension. Maximize your annual open enrollment period by reiterating the positive aspects of what your company offers. ‘Value-adds’ such as paid holidays, vacation time or paid time off, and profit-sharing plans should not be overlooked.
Remind employees about the relevance of the financial contributions made on their behalf. Employers often pay a significant portion of the premiums for medical, dental and vision benefits, and full premium for life and disability insurance benefits. It’s not uncommon for employees to overlook how much employers pay for all components of the benefits package, which is why personalized benefit statements can be powerful communication tools. Referred to as the ‘hidden paycheck,’ these statements incorporate annual salary, the total value of all employee benefits, paid time off, etc.
What should be considered when preparing a benefits communication strategy?
A variety of factors should be considered, including life stages. In what stage of life are your employees? Are they single? Newly married? Ready for retirement? Employees have different needs from their benefits packages at different stages of their lives.
Employees respond differently to technology, which also should be taken into consideration. Email communications, a company intranet site and/or webinars might be well received by some, while others will benefit more from group forum discussions and presentations. Technology creates greater efficiencies and a new approach to benefits communication, but it should not be substituted for face-to-face and ongoing personal communication.
Another challenge is communicating with employees working remotely or in other locations, as well as those working weekends and/or shifts other than 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. You also are faced with new employees entering your workforce and older employees who might retire. People get promoted, married, divorced and have children. All of these life stages and factors can present challenges to effective communication if not taken into consideration upfront.
How do employers develop a benefits communication strategy?
Utilize your benefits advisor to help develop the communication strategy that will work for your organization. Ongoing education and communication are critical since the benefits needs of employees change throughout the year. So, provide employees with instruction and access to make needed changes. Effective programs work best when communication is employee friendly. Employees need to be shown how benefits work together, and they need guidance in order to make the best decisions.
If your organization is facing a change in benefit or contribution structure, make sure to plan how it will be communicated. Be honest, accurate and concise when delivering any message that relates to change. Your advisor can provide benchmarking data to compare your package to others in your industry, geography, etc., to help keep changes in perspective.
Because benefits have a profound impact on job satisfaction, effective benefits communication is one of the most challenging responsibilities facing employers today. The right approach and techniques can put some control back in the hands of employers, and boost employee morale.
Jessica Galardini is the chief operating officer of JRG Advisors, the management arm of ChamberChoice. Reach her at (412) 456-7231 or [email protected].
Insights Employee Benefits is brought to you by ChamberChoice
