The Issue
In a discussion with a 45 employee group prospect recently, we performed our typical benefit analysis and learned that the current benefit consultant was doing little to educate the employees on benefit issues. The owner was oblivious to this and unaware of the impact this was having on the company.
Our Solution
We explained that our strategic approach to employee benefits in every scenario had a strong employee education component at its foundation and that it was present not only at open enrollment time, but throughout the year. A solid benefit communication plan, we further detailed, not only allows the employee to make informed decisions about their benefit package, but keeps them happy and productive and as a result, maximizes the employer’s ROI on their benefit costs.
We summarized a proper employee benefits communication strategy as one that:
- Is customized in it’s approach, tailored to the specific demographics of each group,
- Varied in approach and style, utilizing a variety of formats, including electronic communication methods, employee seminars, one-on-one meetings, etc.
- Provides a detailed overview of all benefits being offered to employees and their dependents,
- Clearly outlines vital information about how and when to enroll in coverages, and
- Ensures that all employees stay current on any important changes or improvements to their employee benefit packages.
We also demonstrated in a variety of surveys that employee benefits plays a critical role in a person’s choice of employment and their decision to stay or move on to another place of employment. With the complexity of today’s employee benefit programs, proper education and communication of the company benefit package ensures that employees are fully aware of the value of the benefit program being offered to them.
The Result
We became the benefits consultant on this case three months after our presentation and immediately began implementation of an employee communication program. The customized approach we utilized ensured that all employees were able to better understand the value of their benefit package and according to the HR staff, the subsequent open enrollment was an enormous success with tremendous employee satisfaction.
One of the biggest challenges employers face regarding their employee benefit program is knowing how to best educate their employees to make more informed decisions. We can help. Contact us now so we can demonstrate in more detail, our effective employee benefit communication solutions.