As we have discussed in previous posts, benefit communication is more critical now than ever before due to the changes employers face as a result of Health Care Reform. Expectations for more communication about benefits isn’t just set forth by new regulations (for example, Employees Notice of Exchange Options), in fact, employees expect it too. According to a recent Aflac survey, your employees are expecting more benefits education this year. Three-quarters of employees said they think their employer will educate them about changes to their health care coverage as a result of Health Care Reform, yet only 13% of employers said educating employees was important to their organization.
How can there be such a vast disconnect here? How do we bridge the gap? At the risk of sounding like a salesperson, it comes down to your partners in employee benefits. We know that the more employees understand about their benefits, the more loyal they are to their employer and the more engaged they are in their work. Consider implementing a communication strategy that includes a level of transparency you are comfortable with in order to share how possible plan design changes and Health Care Reform impacts employees.
How will you educate your employees and communicate the changes to their health care effectively? Something to think about…
