You promote company benefits to attract new talent as part of your recruiting strategy. What about your retention strategy? You may be surprised to learn that employees may not have a good understanding of the benefits offered to them. Educating your employees about your benefits package is an important part of building employee trust and loyalty, promoting transparency, and employee wellness.
As millennials become a larger portion of the workforce, your company should also consider that not every employee wants to receive information the same way. Some younger employees may prefer learning about their benefits by using a website, a visual presentation, or through a personal consultation. Traditional methods may also still be needed for those employees who prefer to read through printed materials in detail before making important decisions.
Posters: Using simple, easy-to-read posters or flyers is a quick way to get employees in the mindset for benefits and remind them that Open Enrollment is approaching. Include your meeting date and time so employees can prepare their schedule, your email notification may have been forgotten in their inbox.
Screensavers/TV Tickers: Employees are already stuck in front of their computers for long portions of the day, utilize this space by updating screensavers with seasonal tips, did-you-knows, and announcements regarding your benefits package.
Company Newsletter: Do you already send around a monthly or quarterly company news email? Leverage this existing promotional space to showcase important aspects of your lines of coverage. You could also use the newsletter as a way to survey your employees about which benefits are working well for them, and where they need more knowledge.
Presentation Recording/PowerPoint: A visual representation of benefits can be helpful to your employees. Have your presentation recorded for the benefit of new hires, or for anyone who needs a refresher. A corresponding PowerPoint presentation can also be helpful for quick reference and is easily shared on a company intranet or reused for onboarding. Your Austin team can create a custom PowerPoint for you, and also offers in-person presentations!
Social Media: Are your employees engaged in your company’s social media platforms? You can promote company benefits easily by sprinkling in general reminders into posts to benefit current employees and also to show appeal to potential recruits.
Integrate with Wellness Programs: If you are offering a wellness program to better support your employees’ health goals, make sure they have a good understanding of how their benefits work in tandem. For example, if you offer a benefit for smoking cessation, check if your medical insurance has any free counseling programs and promote 100% covered preventive services that assist in this area. If you’ve added one of Austin’s healthySOLUTIONS wellness programs, we can help you with the promotion and integration of your insurance benefits and wellness offerings.
Fun Gifts: Sometimes your employees may need a break from the seriousness of benefits. Lighten the mood by inviting them to informational sessions or give them a reminder about using preventive services with a small gift. For example, to remind about preventive services or a financial wellness meeting, hand out monopoly dollars or coin shaped candy with a message about helping them save money.
We hope these ideas can help you better support your employees with year-round benefits education. Remember that your Austin team can always help your employees with questions and concerns by contacting your dedicated Account Manager or our service specialists. If you’re looking to work with an advisor who can also be your partner in benefits solutions, contact us today for a consultation!
