Need to know:
- Despite the volume of workplace messages, employees still feel underserved on pay and benefits information. Employers can fix this by focusing on relevance and clarity.
- A multichannel approach is essential. Use technology tools and channels that reflect how different people work and tailor these to demographic differences.
- Emerging tools like AI-powered chatbots and personalised push notifications enable real-time, tailored communications at scale.
You got mail; a lot of mail. According to Microsoft’s June 2025 Work trends index, the average worker receives 117 emails and 153 Teams messages a day. With people bombarded by messages and notifications all day, every day, it is harder than ever for benefits communications to cut through the noise.
Jennifer Sproul, chief executive of the Institute of Internal Communications (IOIC), says: “Employees are navigating a high volume of information at work, and benefits messaging has to compete for attention. IOIC’s IC index research, published in September 2025, finds 36% of UK employees say they receive too little information about pay and benefits. It is the topic they are most consistently underserved on, ahead of career development and job guidance. That gap is not a volume problem. It is a relevance and clarity problem.”
Employee insights
So, when it comes to making benefits communications land, employers need to ensure clarity, relevance and timeliness. The organisations that do this best understand benefits communication is not just about informing employees, says Sproul. “It is about helping people see themselves in what is being offered, and feel that their organisation genuinely understands what matters to them,” she explains.
That makes gathering and acting on employee insight and people data the vital first step. James Christopher, UK impact team practice leader at Mercer, says: “Before embarking on a communication strategy, firms need to understand their audience, which allows [the employer] to target them with something that resonates. Combining creativity with data-driven insights can transform benefits communications into compelling experiences that motivate action.”
Communication channels
When it comes to technology channels, think about how work gets done in different roles, pushing commsunications to channels people naturally use rather than making them work too hard to access it. That might be email, intranets or collaboration tools for desk-based workers, or mobile apps, on-site posters and handouts or manager briefings for frontline workers.
Demographics should inform approach. Younger employees typically favour mobile and social media with bite-sized content, while older or frontline workers still prefer SMS or printed materials, says Christopher. The IOIC research has found that Gen Z workers are more likely to use SMS or messaging apps for organisational updates, while Baby Boomers are more likely to rely on the intranet than their younger colleagues. Such differences make it clear that a one-size-fits-all approach will not cut it.
And while personalisation can be resource intensive, artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the game in this space. Christopher cites the emergence of AI-powered chatbots and personalised push notifications that enable real-time, tailored communication that meets employees where they are.
Demonstrate effectiveness
Whatever platform an employer uses, storytelling is a powerful, if often underused, technique, says Sproul. “When employees can see how a benefit has made a real difference to someone like them, a colleague who used the financial wellbeing support during a difficult period, a parent who found flexible working changed their experience of returning from leave, it shifts communication from transactional to personal.”
This is an approach Iona Bryson, head of client communications at Perkbox, advocates as well. Technology can enable such storytelling. “Every month, we ask people to share their savings hacks and how they used our platform on a Teams channel,” she says. “There is nothing more powerful than hearing a real story from a peer; you’re much more likely to try it out for yourself.”
Bringing in elements of fun, such as recognition competitions or wellbeing challenges, can boost engagement further, she adds. “[Employers] don’t always have to think of campaigns, tie them into key dates and campaigns run by [their] benefit providers to help bring fresh ideas.”
For a Mercer client, a campaign based around highlighting hidden gems in benefits increased employee awareness and take up by over 30%. “This demonstrates how targeted storytelling and simplicity can transform passive recipients into active participants,” says Christopher.
Consistency is essential. Bryson cites “the rule of seven: someone needs to see or hear something seven times before they take action and understand the value”.
Weave benefits messaging into internal communications plans and cultural initiatives, linked to the entire employee lifecycle rather than viewing it as a series of one-off events. “Benefits communication works best when it is a continuous, joined-up experience,” Sproul explains.
The smart pairing of messaging and technology tools that meet people where they are without adding to the noise can help make that a reality.
