Fortune’s list of 100 Best Companies to Work For came out last week, and we are thrilled and honored to have three clients in the top 20!
Many people have asked us, what do our clients do with their benefits communication that helps reinforce being a top 100 company? They follow the best practices that we talk about all the time!
Best practices for benefits communication
Focus on employees, their families and their needs. It’s too easy for benefits communication to fall into the trap of emphasizing what “the company” needs. But that disconnects benefits from the lives of the employees and families who know how important these programs are for their own health and financial security. Instead, learn how to be personal, and use language that is simple to understand. Benefits are about your people, not your company.
Branding. Companies invest thousands in consumer brands, and your benefits communication, just like all employee communication, should reflect that overall brand and your company culture—and reaffirm every reason why they would want to work there. Remember, your employees are like your customers. Treat them well, and they’ll show their loyalty.
Put benefits online—and into the hands of families. We can’t say this enough. To get the full value of your benefits, you must have a branded website that employees and their families can access all the time. And don’t forget to optimize your website for mobile phones!
Talk to employees and families year-round. Not only is our news cycle 24/7, we can now access information at home, on the train, in the park, in the car, and every other place imaginable. People are staying connected and in touch continuously with mobile applications and social networks. And guess what? Your benefits communication is competing with all of these channels. Reminding them about benefits once a year during open enrollment is clearly not enough. You should use every channel available to talk with employees throughout the year, including social media like Twitter, or your benefits website and good old-fashioned print.
Invest in new technology. There are a lot of fun and creative ways to get your benefits messages across, including videos and mobile apps. One of our favorites, of course, is social media, which makes communication simpler and more cost-effective.
Not everyone can be a 100 Best Company to Work For, but all companies can make these investments in their benefits communication. The payoff is tremendous!
Curious to know more about social media? Check out our Social Media Starter Kit for Benefits Communication.