MetLife’s 22nd annual US employee benefit trends study, published in March 2024, found that employees who understand and use their benefits were 88% more likely to feel cared for by their employer, compared to 34% of those who do not. This highlights the importance of benefits awareness, which can be boosted with a strong communication strategy built on employee wants and needs gleaned through feedback. So, how can employers involve staff in creating benefits communication?
Designing benefits communications
Employers need an effective communication strategy to provide clear and continuous benefits messaging to their employees. As UK workplaces are multigenerational, understanding communication preferences and actively engaging employees across all age groups with benefits is crucial. Due to the range of groups, communication should be simple to avoid misunderstanding.
Employers should bear in mind that emails can go unread, internal communication platforms may be unavailable outside of work and employees working flexibly may not be able to attend informational sessions during certain work hours, says Jane Hulme, HR director at Unum UK.
“Employers could use awareness days and seasonal promotions to tie in messaging about benefits, and tailor communications relating to specific events, such as promoting a bikes-for-work scheme on Cycle to Work Day,” she says. “It is also worth monitoring any new government policy changes coming into force so they can communicate ahead of time. Line managers can also be valuable benefit champions, so it’s vital that they have all the information they need on what is on offer.”
Employees can be overwhelmed by the amount of communication they receive, so employers should ensure they design benefits that effectively capture attention. By learning the style, manner and channel each generation prefers, employers can tailor messaging effectively.
Chris Andrew, communications consulting leader at Gallagher, says: “Communication channels should reflect a diverse business, as location, working patterns, and whether [individuals] work at a desk, have a big impact. Organisations should think about how to support with bitesize, digital and easy-to-access content. Using employee data to create personalised communications can impact engagement.”
A communication strategy should align with organisational culture, employee demographics and specific needs. A positive tone of voice and easy to understand messaging can help.
Nicola Geeson, communications consultant at Howden Employee Wellbeing, says: “With hybrid working, it’s essential to explore different approaches to ensure everyone is reached. While digital platforms remain crucial, face-to-face interaction is also important, as many employees prefer to talk to someone.”
Involving employees’ feedback
Employees can get involved in the benefits communications process through sharing opinions in surveys, helping to host workshops or becoming benefits champions. These provide the opportunity to confirm how they prefer to receive communications, as well as their priorities, and help drive engagement. It will also ensure benefits and their communication directly respond to needs and reinforces the value of survey participation.
“By gathering feedback, employers can better understand employees and tailor communication methods and channels accordingly, using digital platforms for quick updates or webinars, emails or face-to-face methods,” says Geeson. “This will also identify what is unclear or ineffective, enabling them to simplify messaging, make benefits more relevant and adjust communications timings. By continuously incorporating employee feedback into the process, employers can create a more adaptive and effective approach.”
Employers can maximise their communication strategy by using employee feedback to help them understand the differences and diversities within their workforce. Additionally, using a video, podcast or written story can help employees to appreciate what a particular benefit can do.
“Employers should ensure communication is sufficiently inclusive to reach people from all demographics for equal access,” says Hulme. “Ask employee consultative groups and wellbeing committees for feedback and spread the word through Teams, Yammer or word of mouth.”
Getting the balance right
While employee feedback is important, looking at benefits take-up, claims and provider or HR queries can offer an understanding of staff engagement and whether communication is successful.
“Employee input can help shape the topic, messaging tone, channel and format, but the strategic focus should remain aligned with larger business goals, ensuring that communications support the employer’s strategic objectives around engagement, productivity and performance,” says Geeson.
Employers seeking to attract and retain the best talent should develop personalised, flexible benefit strategies that show they understand who their employees are and what they need. Benefits should be financially viable while supporting long-term employee health, happiness and productivity.
“Employers can get the balance right for benefits communications by using employees’ feedback to help inform their strategy and discover what will have the most impact. It’s important to align benefits with an employee value proposition,” says Andrew.
Involving employees in benefits communication not only helps employers to establish exactly what they need and how to inform them, but also ensures staff feel valued, listened to and supported.
