In addition to the content and presentation of the communications materials themselves, the survey indicates that giving employees enough time to review communications, as well as using a variety of media, are keys to communications’ effectiveness. Employees who had more than three weeks to review benefits education materials were far more likely to say that they had enough time to make informed decisions. And, using at least three different forms of media-such as meetings, printed materials and Web site tools-enhances communication effectiveness because it recognizes different learning styles and helps ensure that the messages sought to be conveyed will be heard by all employees.

These themes from the Unum survey are particularly significant today, because employee benefits communications have taken on increased importance, for a number of reasons-

Employees must make more choices for their benefits today than ever before. In previous generations, employers that offered employee benefits typically provided a health plan, a pension plan, and some life and disability insurance. As health care costs exploded in the 1980s and 1990s, and increasingly shifted to employees, employers introduced multiple health plan options requiring employee choice. Simultaneously, in most workplaces, the company retirement plan morphed from a defined benefit pension plan to a 401(k) plan, requiring employees to choose whether to participate, how much to contribute, and what funds to invest in. Supplemental life and disability options became more available to most employees, along with an array of other voluntary benefits choices (group legal, long-term care, group auto/homeowners, etc.).

Given the array of benefits choices employees now face, education and communication efforts have taken on huge significance, since decision-making that is informed is most likely to result in appropriate choices. While the benefits choices available today do address employees’ individual needs, they also generally pass on to employees more responsibility. This trend first surfaced in the shift from defined benefit pension plans to defined contribution 401(k) plans, in which employees bear the investment risk. More recently, employers’ increasing adoption of consumer-directed health plans takes a similar path. Employees enrolled in these plans shoulder more of the financial responsibility for their ongoing health care costs, in exchange for a lower plan premium. For both 401(k) plans and consumer-directed health plans, education and communications supply the information that is critical to exercising the increased level of responsibility employees bear.

Getting the best value for one’s money is always important, but it’s even more so in a difficult economy. When money is tight-like it has been both for companies and employees lately-we want to make sure we spend our dollars wisely…and information is key to making good and appropriate purchases. Surveys indicate that most people spend much more time on other consumer purchases than they do on employee benefits enrollment-which, for many employees, is among their most significant purchases in any given year. Benefits communications can help employees make good spending decisions about their employee benefits.

• Today’s benefits plans are more complicated than ever before. Consumer-directed health plans, for example, work dramatically differently than plans employees were covered under only a few years ago. These plans offer tax advantages to employees, but this too adds a layer of complexity for employees to understand. Again, effective communications can make a difference in enabling employees to get the greatest benefit from these plans.

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1. Use Communications to Involve Employees in Health Plan Spending Control
2. Communications Are Most Important Factor in Generating Satisfaction with Benefits
3. Making Your Voluntary Benefits Program a Success
4. Perceived Value of Benefits Is More Crucial Than You Know
5. Benefits to Consider as the Work Force Ages
6. You’ve got to communicate!
7. A Look at Healthcare Reform’s Impact on Employers
8. How Healthcare Reform Will Affect You and Your Employees
9. A Look at Healthcare Reform’s Impact on HSAs and FSAs
10. Employees Value Benefits and Job Security the Most

A study by the Prudential Insurance Company looked at a number of variables that affected employees’ perceived value of their benefits, and the effectiveness of communications topped the list. The study found effective communications can have as much an impact on employees’ satisfaction with their benefits as the actual benefits or amount of money invested in the benefits.

Even when economic factors force cutbacks and layoffs, organizations that focus on a strong communications program help their employees not only understand, but also appreciate, the benefits available to them – which contributes toward positive employee morale.

A separate survey from Watson Wyatt Worldwide dramatically shows the impact of benefits communications:

“Companies with above average benefits but ineffective communications had a 25% employee satisfaction level, while those with below average benefits but effective communications had a 76% employee satisfaction level.”

Stated another way, it can be better for a company to provide fewer benefits but explain them well, than to provide an expansive-and costly-package of benefits that employees don't really understand.

Keep the following considerations in mind when assessing your benefit communications program:

• Written communications should be in simple and understandable, yet engaging, language. Employees will respond best to communications that they can directly relate to, so use specific examples or modeling tools to help employees select benefits and understand how the benefits can work for them.
• Recognizing that different individuals learn in different ways, use various communication methods and incorporate visuals along with text.
• Communicate throughout the year, not only during open enrollment.
• Help employees understand how the company's benefits offerings are particularly relevant to them.
• Communicate the full value of your benefit's program by providing regular benefit statements. Reminding employees of their total compensation is a great way improve your employees' perception of existing benefit programs.

If the prospect of embarking on a benefits communications campaign seems daunting, give us a call. We can help you provide ideas and strategies along with actual communications materials to enrich your employees’ understanding of their benefits.

Don’t underestimate the value of communications and education as a way to strengthen your company’s benefits package. As the research above indicates, dollars spent on communication and education can be as valuable an investment as dollars spent on the benefits themselves.

Be sure to take a look at a few of our sample benefit communication pieces online or give us a call today.

Related posts:

1. Communications Are Most Important Factor in Generating Satisfaction with Benefits
2. Clearly Communicate with Employees
3. Making Your Voluntary Benefits Program a Success
4. Perceived Value of Benefits Is More Crucial Than You Know
5. Benefits Communication and Education Grow in Importance
6. This is what we do
7. 6 Reasons – printed benefit statements are a great tool!
8. Use Communications to Involve Employees in Health Plan Spending Control
9. myBenefitStatements – What we’re all about!
10. Employees Value Benefits and Job Security the Most

Employee communication materials like total compensation statements, total reward or benefit statements are great tools to help explain and communicate changes to programs.

According to the 2009 UBA Employer Benefit Perspectives survey from United Benefit Advisors, more than 80% of employers felt employees are at least aware of the health care crisis and the reasons for increased cost sharing or benefit reductions; a little less than 20% of employees themselves said they were upset about the benefit reductions or cost increases that their employers implemented. Since communications can play an important role in bringing employees on board with health plan changes, what steps can employers take to make implementation as smooth as possible? Here are a few ideas, both for plan-change-targeted and ongoing health plan communications-

- Make sure employees are aware of the reality of health care costs. Research and publicize to employees national health care cost data and cost trends. Be specific: for example, contrast the average cost of a hospital stay or doctor’s office visit today with that of five or 10 years ago. Do the same for the average cost of coverage under various types of health plans.

- Share specific cost data from your company’s health plans. Employees frequently think of the cost of the health plan only in terms of what they pay in premiums, and overlook the employer’s contribution. This narrow view hides the true cost of health care coverage, as well as what the employer pays toward the cost of coverage (which, ideally, employees should see as part of their total compensation package).

- Use concrete examples to illustrate how health plan spending can cut into the ability of the company to make outlays in other areas. For example, determine the approximate dollar amount increase in the company’s health plan contribution one year to the next, and compare it to some other company expense. Is the amount of the increase equal to an employee salary? Stated differently, has health plan spending growth prevented a needed hiring? Use this process to show how health plan cost increases can eliminate raises and bonuses, result in the cancellation of company events, delay the purchase of new equipment, and the like.

- Help employees see that when they use their health benefits astutely, they not only save themselves money, but also keep plan costs down as well. For example, when employees use preferred providers, they receive the highest plan benefit, and the plan pays the lower, negotiated preferred provider rate. If employees have begun to understand the point above-how health plan spending can impact salary increases, staffing, investment in equipment, etc.-this can motivate them to use the plan more wisely.

- Use statistical data to show employees how, generally, unhealthy people use more health care, resulting in higher plan costs. If employees accept this, they’re more likely to try to follow recommended preventive care schedules, attempt to change unhealthy behaviors, and overall aim to become more physically fit.

Employers want employees to be active participants in controlling rising health care costs. To-the-point communications can bring employees on board in this effort, resulting in more manageable costs for employer and employee alike.

Contact us to discuss how we can help you to communicate with your employees.

January 31, 2010

Related posts:

1. A Look at Healthcare Reform’s Impact on Employers
2. How Healthcare Reform Will Affect You and Your Employees
3. Benefits Communication and Education Grow in Importance
4. Perceived Value of Benefits Is More Crucial Than You Know
5. IRS Health Care Tax Credit Available for Small Businesses
6. Communications Are Most Important Factor in Generating Satisfaction with Benefits
7. A Look at Healthcare Reform’s Impact on HSAs and FSAs
8. When Management and Employees Work Together, Benefits Costs Go Down
9. Benefits to Consider as the Work Force Ages
10. Show Employees Their Hidden Paychecks

Portfolio format statements are:

Easy to read
Fully customized
Large format
More area for charts and graphs
Full-color
Reinforce corporate identity

Dimensions:

8.5” x 11” pages (unfolded 11” X 17”)

Get a Free Quote

Related posts:

1. Portfolio Employee Benefit Statement
2. Other Format Options
3. Standard Format Employee Benefit Statements
4. Standard Employee Benefit Statements
5. Open Enrollment Forms
6. Open Enrollment Forms
7. Value Employee Benefit Statements
8. Samples
9. Open Enrollment forms
10. What we’re all about…

Multi-page formats are:

• Easy to read
• More area for charts and graphs
• Full-color
• Reinforce corporate identity
• Customized

Dimensions:

• 8.5” x 11” pages (unfolded 11” X 17”)
• 8.5" x 7" pages (unfolded 8.5" x 14")

Value format:

• Easy to read
• Simple format
• Pre-set pie chart
• Pre-set lines of compensation
• Pre-set colors and design
• Full-color double-sided printing
• Lowest price

Dimensions:

• 8.5” x 11” single page (bi-fold)

Related posts:

1. Value Employee Benefit Statements
2. Portfolio Employee Benefit Statement
3. Portfolio Format Employee Benefit Statements
4. Standard Format Employee Benefit Statements
5. Open Enrollment Forms
6. Open Enrollment forms
7. myBenefitStatements – show your employees the value of their benefits
8. Standard Employee Benefit Statements
9. myBenefitStatement – a focus on benefits value
10. Open Enrollment Forms

Standard format statements are:

• Easy to read
• Simplified format
• Two-sided
• Full-color
• Customized
• Lower cost option

Dimensions

• Unfolded 8.5” X 11” or 8.5” x 14”

Folding Options:

• No fold
• Bi-fold
• Tri-fold

Related posts:

1. Standard Employee Benefit Statements
2. Open Enrollment Forms
3. Other Format Options
4. Open Enrollment Forms
5. Portfolio Format Employee Benefit Statements
6. Open Enrollment forms
7. Value Employee Benefit Statements
8. Portfolio Employee Benefit Statement
9. Samples
10. Clearly Communicate with Employees

• Easy to read
• Two-sided
• Full-color
• Customized

Dimensions

• Unfolded 8.5” X 11” or 8.5” x 14”

Folding Options:

• No fold
• Bi-fold
• Tri-fold

Related posts:

1. Open Enrollment Forms
2. Standard Format Employee Benefit Statements
3. Open Enrollment Forms
4. Other Format Options
5. Standard Employee Benefit Statements
6. Portfolio Format Employee Benefit Statements
7. Open Enrollment forms from myBenefitStatements make it easier for you!
8. Portfolio Employee Benefit Statement
9. Value Employee Benefit Statements
10. Introducing Open Enrollment Forms

Employers are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on benefits, but their employees aren’t grasping the value of these benefits.

Total compensation statements show employees the full value of their compensation and can be a highly effective communication tool.

Contact us today for a printed supply of  “9 Ways Benefit Statements Can Help!”, a brochure that shows your clients how benefit statements can work for them. Call (800) 865-4485 or email info@myBenefitStatements.com.

Related posts:

1. Introducing Open Enrollment Forms
2. Open Enrollment forms from myBenefitStatements make it easier for you!
3. You Choose How to Utilize Our Services
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5. 6 Reasons – printed benefit statements are a great tool!
6. Clearly Communicate with Employees
7. Standard Employee Benefit Statements
8. This is what we do
9. Why You Should Work With myBenefitStatements!
10. Contact Us

• Easy to read
• Two-sided
• Full-color
• Customized

Dimensions

• Unfolded 8.5” X 11”

Folding Options:

• No fold
• Bi-fold
• Tri-fold

Related posts:

1. Open Enrollment Forms
2. Open Enrollment forms
3. Standard Format Employee Benefit Statements
4. Open Enrollment forms from myBenefitStatements make it easier for you!
5. Other Format Options
6. Introducing Open Enrollment Forms
7. Standard Employee Benefit Statements
8. Portfolio Format Employee Benefit Statements
9. Samples
10. Clearly Communicate with Employees

–2005/2006 Employee Job Satisfaction and Retention Survey from Salary.com

How many employees did you replace last year? You do the math and then compare the replacement cost with the fee for total compensation statements.

The typical employer can provide a total compensation statement for every employee at a fraction of the cost of replacing just one employee! Why wouldn’t you use benefit statements?

Check out samples of our benefit statements or request a benefit statement services quote.

Related posts:

1. You Choose How to Utilize Our Services
2. Why Total Compensation Statements?
3. Use Communications to Involve Employees in Health Plan Spending Control
4. myBenefitStatements Means Service
5. Show Employees Their Hidden Paychecks
6. Contact Us
7. Portfolio Employee Benefit Statement
8. Why You Should Work With myBenefitStatements!
9. Get Creative with Benefits Strategies
10. About Us

You want a team of creative professionals who understand your industry, your business, and how to communicate with and motivate your employees. You want someone who can customize your benefit statements to meet the needs of your participants while relieving the Benefits Department of unnecessary detail work. You want to partner with an organization that delivers on the expectations it sets, and who keeps the focus on producing the outcomes you need to achieve.

Choose myBenefitStatements and allow our experience and expertise to work for you. myBenefitStatements offers added value to you through personal, professional, and dedicated service at a reasonable cost. We won't stop working until we've achieved the look and feel you desire for communicating total compensation to your employees. Whatever your benefit statements needs, we've got you covered!

Simply pick up the phone right now and give us a call or fill out our online request form and we will contact you! Two easy ways to add a valuable resource to your company benefits.

Related posts:

1. myBenefitStatements Means Service
2. You Choose How to Utilize Our Services
3. About Us
4. What we’re all about…
5. Making Your Voluntary Benefits Program a Success
6. Privacy Policy
7. Benefits to Consider as the Work Force Ages
8. Introducing Open Enrollment Forms
9. myBenefitStatements – What we’re all about!
10. myBenefitStatements – show your employees the value of their benefits