Nearly a third of employees think their employer’s benefits communications are difficult to understand.
Without clear communication, employees are less likely to understand and utilize their benefits. While communicating benefits is not a new challenge for employers, the COVID-19 pandemic has made this process even more difficult as many businesses are now balancing a remote workforce.
So, what can you do to better assist your employees? Here are some best practices HR administrators and employers can follow to effectively communicate to a remote workforce.
Make sure employees are understanding the basics.
Do your employees understand what copay and out-of-pocket maximum mean? Are they taking full advantage of covered preventative care? When employees understand their benefits and how they operate, including terms, what’s covered, treatments and costs, they are more likely to utilize the benefits available to them.
Utilize a Benefits Administration System.
Do they have easy access to their benefits? When using a Benefits Administration system, employees have access to their benefits 24/7—allowing them to make informed decisions and access alternative care options, like Telehealth, which lead to higher employee engagement. Overall engagement leads to better outcomes, a win-win situation for both you and your employees.
Schedule virtual enrollment meetings.
Are annual enrollment meetings scheduled? The first step to creating informed consumers is to inform them. Before your company’s open enrollment period, be sure to set up virtual information sessions where plan options, including key defining details and specific benefits, are outlined and covered clearly. Depending on your company size, it may also be helpful to offer multiple session dates and times to ensure all employees can attend as well as record the sessions for viewing at other times.
Offer a virtual 1:1 option with HR or a Benefits Expert.
Did you know 80% of employees who have had a 1:1 meeting found them very or extremely helpful? Is HR support available for specific questions? Every employee has a unique situation, and some may need additional assistance to fully utilize their benefits. Offering a one-to-meeting with a benefits expert gives employees time to ask benefits questions and select plan offerings that best fit their unique health and budget needs.
Communicate benefits long after Open Enrollment.
Did you know 7 in 10 employees want to hear from business leaders about their benefits beyond open enrollment? Many times employees forget the perks and programs discussed during Open Enrollment—reminders throughout the year help benefits stay top-of-mind for employees.
OUR TEAM OF EXPERTS CAN HELP When employees understand their benefits offerings, they are more likely to feel valued by their employer. You can start by providing employees with our Understanding the Basics guide.
Let Ascela be an extension of your HR team, and we’ll help you boost employee engagement as well as employee satisfaction. To begin, we’ll make sure your employer clients and their employees get the assistance they need with day-to-day benefits questions.
Contact our team today to learn more.
Sources:
1 https://www.metlife.com/content/dam/metlifecom/us/noindex/pdf/ebts-2021/MetLife_EBTS_2021.pdf
2 https://www.directpathhealth.com/report/2021-consumer-report-all-eyes-on-health-care-but-not-enough-on-health-care-literacy-initiatives