Do Your Employees Value Their Benefits
David Carter |
September 19, 2013
Do
Your Employees Value Their Benefits?
Using BenefitWerks’ HR software solutions is a great way to save on benefits
administration. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean the employees you enroll will
fully appreciate their benefits or their access to our software. Employee
benefits represent a big chunk of your payroll. To get your money’s worth, your
employees need to value the benefits you provide.
The 2012 Open Enrollment Survey of the Aflac WorkForces Report showed a
disconnection between employers and workers with regards to effective benefits
communication, according to The Society for Human Resource Management. While
49% of employers felt they did a good job communicating benefits, 52% of
employees said their company hadn’t communicated with them at all about open
enrollment and 65% felt unprepared or underprepared for open enrollment. Here
are some strategies that will help you connect with your employees, so they can
get the value they need from the benefits you provide.
Get
the Data
You need to know what employees know, what they think they know, and what
they don’t know at all. A simple survey can get the data you need to understand
your benefit communication woes.
Quick
Tip: Providing incentives can win employee support and
participation in your survey efforts. A simple giveaway usually does the trick.
Put
it in Writing
You need to communicate the facts about the benefits available to your
employees in writing. The trick isn’t to write like an HR exec or to perfect
your legalese. While those documents are necessary, your initial communications
should be simple and clear.
Quick
Tip: Testing a sample of your writing on a reading-level site will
help determine the reading level of your materials. Most newspapers are written
at an 8th-grade reading level. You should strive for similar results.
Talk
it Over
Whether a direct manager or an HR professional does the job, somebody should
sit down and talk over your organization’s benefits options with employees. A
small group discussion can make the difference between understanding and
uncertainty.
Quick
Tip: Giving employees the opportunity to ask questions and offer
feedback after a presentation can improve communications and prevent mistakes.
Effective communication can make a difference in the perceived value of the
benefits your organization provides. By listening to employees, communicating
clearly, and answering their questions, you can ensure your employee benefits
truly benefit your employees, which can increase morale, productivity, and
loyalty.
Source:
Miller, Stephen. (August 13, 2012.) Employees Perplexed by Benefits Choices.
The Society for Human Resource Management. Retrieved from: http://www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/benefits/articles/pages/perplexed-benefits-choices.aspx.