How Benefits Administrators Can Communicate Effectively with Employees About Benefits

At Selerix, we work closely with our clients to help with employee engagement and communication about their benefits. Our Engage platform makes benefits communication simple. We often hear from benefits administrators that communicating effectively with employees about their benefits can be a challenge. After all, insurance is complex, but benefits are a major part of your employees’ compensation package, and they need to understand what they’re entitled to in order to make informed decisions about their health, financial, and retirement security.

It’s important to use the right strategies to communicate with employees about their benefits. Here are some tips for communicating effectively with employees about benefits:

1. Start by understanding your audience. What are your employees’ needs and concerns? What do they want to know about their benefits? Once you understand your audience, you can tailor your communication accordingly.
2. Use clear and concise language. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that your employees may not understand. Use simple language that is easy to understand.
3. Be specific. Don’t just tell employees that they have health insurance. Tell them what the plan covers, what the deductible and copays are, and how much they will have to pay out of pocket.
4. Be personal. Don’t just send out a mass email about benefits. Take the time to talk to employees one-on-one about their specific needs. This will help them understand how the benefits can benefit them personally.
5. Be responsive. If employees have questions about benefits, be sure to answer them promptly. This will show them that you are committed to helping them understand their options.
6. Use multiple channels. Don’t just communicate with employees about benefits through email. Use a variety of channels, such as intranet, social media, and town halls. This will help you reach all employees, regardless of their preferred communication method.
7. Make it a year-round process. Don’t just communicate about benefits during open enrollment. Benefits administrators understand that communicating throughout the year helps deepen understanding.
8. Make it easy to access information. Provide employees with easy access to information about benefits. This could include a website, a mobile app, or a call center.
9. Get feedback. Ask employees for feedback on how you are communicating with them about benefits. This will help you improve your communication efforts.
10. Use visuals. Visuals, such as infographics and images, can help break up your text and make it more visually appealing. They can also help employees understand complex concepts more easily.
11. Tell stories. Storytelling is a powerful way to communicate information and connect with your audience. When you tell stories about how benefits have helped real employees, you make the information more relatable and memorable.
12. Personalize your communication. Address employees by name and use examples that are relevant to their lives. This will make your communication more engaging and relevant.
13. Use humor. Humor can be a great way to make your communication more light-hearted and memorable. However, be sure to use humor appropriately and avoid anything that could be offensive.
14. Be patient and understanding. It may take some time for employees to fully understand their benefits. Be patient and be sure to answer any questions they have.

By following these tips, you can effectively communicate with employees about benefits and help them understand their options. This will lead to a more satisfied and engaged workforce.

In addition to the tips above, here are some specific things that benefits administrators can do to communicate effectively with employees about benefits:

• Create a comprehensive benefits guide that explains all of the benefits offered by your company. This guide should be easy to understand and, if possible, available in multiple languages.

• Host regular benefits workshops where employees can learn more and ask questions about their benefits.

• Create a benefits hotline where employees can call with questions.

• Use social media to communicate about benefits. This is a great way to reach both employees and family members.

• Send out regular benefits updates. This is a good way to remind employees about their benefits and to let them know about any changes.

By taking the time to communicate effectively with employees about benefits, you can help them understand their options and make the most of their benefits. This will benefit both your employees and your company.

If you’d like to know how Selerix can help benefits administrators with not only benefits administration, but also employee engagement and benefits communication, contact us to learn more about our Engage platform.