Improving communications around employee benefits can result in a dramatic boost in engagement and much more. Discover the six key reasons why you should give your communications a boost.
Employee reward and benefit schemes are a key pillar of employer value propositions. Too many schemes still fall flat though, either because employees are unaware of what the value is for them or that the scheme exists at all. In these circumstances, it’s not uncommon to see usage of schemes fall well below 50% of the workforce.
If this is the situation at your organisation, it’s time for a rethink. Employee benefits programmes are important. Not just because they drive loyalty, but because they also support a raft of other initiatives - from mental and physical health programmes to financial wellbeing support and more. All your people need to know what you offer.
With this in mind, we’ve put together the most important reasons of why raising awareness of benefits is such a positive step forward. Combined, they provide a clear case for why better benefits communications should be a key part of your people strategy.
For more on how to create a communications strategy that works read this advice from our communications experts.
Six reasons to give your benefits communications a boost
1. You can double adoption rates
First things first: the results can be spectacular. in one of our recent case studies, successful communications saw the number of people logging in to an employee benefits scheme rise from 41% to 71% in just 12 months, a near 100% increase in engagement.
2. You’ll boost recruitment and retention
Communicating benefits effectively is not just good for employees – there are significant benefits for employers too. When people are searching for a new employer, an attractive and clearly articulated reward and benefits package is one of the first things they’ll notice. Driving uptake through communications is good for retention too. Research shows that 75% of employees are more likely to stay with their employer because of their employee benefits package.
3. You can support wellbeing
We all know how important it is to support people with their wellbeing. Consistent communication of your wellbeing benefits (such as gym memberships and health screenings) can help to reduce stresses and support people to do their best work. The best benefits communications programmes keep up promotion of these throughout the year – not just during a one-off intervention such as wellbeing weeks.
4. People get together!
Live benefits roadshows – where people learn about the benefits on offer – are on the way back after a few years of virtual events. Aside from being a useful way to drive take up, such events can be a catalyst for enhancing company culture and bringing people together for moments that matter. No one wants to come into the office just to sit in on a Teams meeting.
5. You can support culture, purpose, and values
Better communication of benefits is not just a means to drive take up of specific benefits – it’s also an opportunity to support your company’s purpose, vision, and values. For example: If you are pushing a Cycle to Work scheme, it’s an opportunity to weave in and loop back to sustainability values. For further reading on this topic, read our case study on how E.ON is delivering on its ESG and inclusive agenda through its employee benefits programme.
6. You can help people make savings
With the cost-of-living biting hard, effective communications can also help make people more aware of opportunities to save that can make a big difference to their monthly spend. Find out more about the range of Edenred solutions on offer that can improve financial wellbeing.
