Engaging employees in your benefits communication

Open enrollment is right around the corner, and as companies begin to make decisions on their insurance benefits for employees, many struggle to communicate these benefits in an engaging manner.

The fact is, good communication about benefits is good for business; employees are more invested in their benefits than ever before. Aflac found that more than half of American workers reported high anxiety about health care costs beyond what their insurance covers.

Coupled with the health scares of the pandemic, rising mental health crises and escalating health care costs, employees view their benefits package as a foundation for choosing a job. Therefore, accurately sharing employee benefits with employees is fundamental to recruitment and retention. Eden Health found that 49% of employees will begin searching for a new job within the year if they’re dissatisfied with the benefits offered.

Despite the known correlation between retention and benefits education, many employer communications are missing the mark, and leave their employees stuck in analysis paralysis. In fact, a survey from LegalShield found that almost half of employees felt unprepared to make informed decisions during open enrollment.

As the director of benefits communication + engagement at MJ Insurance, I have personally seen the transformation of company culture that stems from benefits education. Employers have the power to simplify an employees’ experience with insurance benefits, which will increase the wellness and retention of the team. If you are working to engage your employees starting with this year’s open enrollment period, here is how you can get started:

Keep open enrollment simple.

Many employees sigh when they receive the dreaded open enrollment email. They might feel so overwhelmed that they select the first plan they see, which may not be the best option for their specific needs, and may lead them to feeling discontent with your company’s benefit offerings. You can prevent this. When you let employees know about open enrollment, share only the information that they need to make their decision, and make each piece of information as applicable to them as possible.

I’ve seen many companies make the mistake of sharing endless blurbs of options that make an employee’s eyes glaze over. Instead, bring each plan to life through specific examples, illustrations, number breakdowns and testimonials from other employees. The goal here is to help your employee picture what each plan may look like for them.

Meet your employees where they are.

Stay in tune with your employees and determine what information may be a priority for them. While no one can predict exactly what each employee needs, there are ways for you to customize the information you share. Utilize data from claims usage and demographic analysis to find what resources are top of mind for each company’s employees. This informs what types of wellness topics we include in our monthly health catalog and other materials to keep employees engaged throughout the year.

A key topic for all employers to include in benefits communication is mental health care, as the CDC revealed that more than 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experience mental illness. Despite the proven need, behavioral health benefits are frequently left out of insurance educational materials.

Once you pinpoint what information is valuable to employees, share it in meaningful ways. Circulate reminders and tips to your employees on a variety of topics – base reminder materials around national health observances or common seasonal illnesses, like flu season. These reminders can be in the form of newsletters, postcards, posters with QR codes in the office space, or any other form that makes sense for your employees.

Focus on accessibility.

Communications should not stop after open enrollment season ends. If you want to help your employees make the most of their benefits, it is important to have an ongoing stream of communication throughout the year. Your employees may appreciate this more than you think. LegalShield found that 81% of employees said they would welcome ongoing communication about their benefits.

Start by circulating a comprehensive digital guide or website to promote all employee benefits. Collaborate with your health insurance provider, financial planners and other providers to compile the information into a single location that employees can revisit throughout the year as they need.

Beyond the basic guide for employees to visit as questions arise, you can spark action by having a multitude of communication channels. Some employees may learn best from quick video explainers, some prefer printed flyers, others may give more attention to a text message. Additionally, by providing multiple channels, you can help ensure each person and their family has equal access to timely information regardless if they are working remotely or onsite.

Related: Improving benefit communications for employees

Offering competitive benefits packages is not enough to attract and maintain talent. As an employer, you have an opportunity to truly empower your staff to take ownership of their health and wellbeing and in turn they will feel more supported by the company through your communication.

Kristen Krapf, director of benefits communication and engagement at MJ insurance