Two-fifths (40%) of employers have admitted that benefit take-up is left for employees to initiate themselves, according to new research from Group Risk Development (Grid).
The industry body for the group risk sector surveyed 500 HR decision makers from UK employers for its latest research.
In terms of the ways employers currently communicate the employee benefits they offer to employees, it found that 30% of respondents do so in a welcome pack, 28% in a staff handbook, 24% inform employees on day one of employment, and 22% via email campaigns.
In addition, 21% inform staff before day one of employment or in an offer letter and use staff noticeboards, 20% share information via their intranet, and 19% do so before recruitment in job adverts and make use of support from benefit advisors, providers and suppliers, such as running employee benefit days.
A further 18% have staff who are employee benefits or wellbeing champions, and 17% communicate via benefits platforms and apps.
Furthermore, the research highlighted that 71% anticipate that they will struggle with recruitment this year, and 95% said that it will have an impact, in the form of reduced productivity (32%), disruption to business continuity (30%), negative impact on other staff through increased workload (27%) and a lack of expertise in the business (26%).
Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for Grid, said: “We would very much encourage employers not to leave it to staff to take up employee benefits themselves. Proactive communications on health and wellbeing support must be prioritised by employers to help retain their current employees and reduce the challenge of finding and hiring new staff.”
“Proactive, clear, and early communication around employee benefits isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s essential for retention, recruitment, and workplace wellbeing. When staff feel genuinely supported, they are more likely to stay with their employer, so while offering a comprehensive employee benefits package is important, equally important is how those benefits are communicated. In today’s competitive recruitment market, employees increasingly recognise that it’s not just about the benefits on offer, but what they signal: an employer that genuinely values and prioritises the health and wellbeing of its people.”
