EXCLUSIVE: 47% cite budget as barrier to improving employee engagement

EXCLUSIVE: Almost half (47%) of employer respondents cite budget as a barrier to improving employee engagement, according to research by Employee Benefits and Xerox HR Services.

The Benefits research 2016, which surveyed a total of 338 employer respondents, also found that 44% point to the lack of time and resources as an impediment to enhancing staff engagement.

In addition to practical and financial constraints, a lack of support from senior management is also viewed as a key barrier to facilitating improvements in this area (31%). For 20% of respondents, the fact that employee engagement is not seen a priority issue that needs to be addressed serves as an obstacle to enhancing engagement levels.

However, organisations are utilising a range of methods to drive employee engagement with the benefits available to them and to communicate the value of packages to staff. More than two-thirds (68%) of respondents are taking advantage of digital communication methods to improve employee engagement with benefits, and more than half (59%) use face-to-face communication, such as benefit roadshows and seminars.

More traditional forms of communication also remain popular, with 45% of respondents making use of printed communication materials to boost engagement with benefits.

Employers are also turning to technology to enhance engagement, with more than a quarter (29%) utilising technology platforms and 9% using apps. While there has been an increasing focus on the potential role of gamification methods within the field of employee benefits, just 2% of respondents are currently using gamification as a means of improving staff engagement with benefits within their organisation.

Tune in to EB TV at 10am on Thursday 7 July for Employee Benefits Wired: the changing shape of the employee benefits market, where an expert panel will discuss the key factors influencing employers' benefits strategies. Tweet your questions for the panel using #EBWired.