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.

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.

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.