Open enrollment is over, but your responsibility to provide competitive employee compensation and benefits doesn’t end. Throughout the year, you’ve worked with employees scrambling to sign up for health insurance, using their benefits, and you’ve dealt with questions and unforeseen issues that came up. No organization is able to avoid benefits confusion, but you can improve from one year to the next. That’s why, at the end of the year, you should review your benefits communications and use the lessons learned to plan for next year. Take the opportunity to reach out to your employees and get their feedback. Research and explore new communications options as you review your leftover budget and start planning for 2019. For instance, a fun and effective way to ease benefits confusion for your employees is to provide them with informative and helpful digital postcards.
Digital postcards are simple, interactive microsites that HR teams can use to share information about things like healthcare plans, wellness programs, regular reminders (like getting a flu shot at the start of flu season) and other benefits messages. They’re a quick and easy way for employees to access the resources they need to enroll in and utilize their benefits all year. Once employees can access everything they need to use their healthcare benefits and get news and information, you’ll see enrollment rise, engagement increase and communications become more efficient and useful.
Set a Schedule
Consistent communication and the free flow of information between employer and employee is a key aspect of any successful organization. Regularly scheduled digital postcard messages make it easy for HR departments to get ahead of topical and seasonal questions in prepared, broad strokes. When your employees know to expect timely messages on relevant topics—like at the start of the new year when their focus starts shifting to tax season—you’ll solve issues before they become disruptive problems.
A year-end postcard can be used to answer pervading questions you received all year or show your employees what you’re planning for next year. You can welcome new employees, hammer home your company mission, recognize accomplishments, anything you want. Employees appreciate year-end progress reports and most like to be in the loop as much as possible.
Digital Postcards Work
Studies have shown digital postcards work well for improving employee engagement and enrollment in compensation and benefits programs. Average engagement rates for companies utilizing video communications and digital postcards was 76% according to a Flimp study last year. Employees get the information they need to make decisions in one place. Many workers get frustrated and confused by employer benefits information and either don’t make the right decision or make no decision at all.
Digital postcards can be part of your employee communications strategy whether you send them via email or text message, make them accessible through QR codes or embed them in intranets and employee portals. With timely and relevant digital postcards, your workforce will be the most engaged and informed squad in your market.
Bottom Line: Higher Enrollment in HR Programs and Initiatives
Don’t leave your hard-working employees hanging. Communicate regularly, clearly and reach as many employees as you can with digital postcards. Your enrollment and engagement numbers will be proof of your communication strategy’s effectiveness.