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Having outstanding benefits is a good way to attract and retain employees. But in order to capitalize on that, employers must effectively market their offerings to employees and potential candidates. As open enrollment season approaches, employers should consider not only the benefits packages they offer but how to promote those packages. If candidates and employees aren’t aware or don’t understand the benefits available to them, it does the employer little good. Here are some tips to help effectively market an organization’s benefits options.
Year-Round Strategy
Open enrollment season is an important time to ramp up marketing your benefit offerings. However, savvy employers will discuss offerings with their employees through the year. When there is consistent messaging about the value of benefits offered, employees are more likely to appreciate and understand their options. If benefits are only promoted once a year, employees are less likely appreciate the value afforded to them.
Giving employees time to digest benefit information, ensuring that the current benefits meet their needs, and reemphasizing what they get from their benefits are all important components for effective marketing.
Include Benefits in Compensation Communication
When discussing employee compensation, make sure to include benefits in the conversation. This allows employees to see the value of the benefits package available to them, hereby increasing their satisfaction and likelihood of staying at their job.
Analysis of Benefit Usage
Employers may want to consider surveying employees to see which benefits provide the most value to them. Offering certain benefits is only beneficial when employees are using them. Those benefits not being used can be replaced with other options that employees will find more useful and valuable.
Employee Communication Styles
If employees don’t understand the benefits available to them or their value, employers can lose out on an important factor to attract and retain employees. It’s important for employers to understand their audience and how they like to communicate to effectively get the message across. Messaging should be provided in a variety of formats including email, paper copies, digital copies, or in-person information sessions. Providing information in a way that employees understand and consume is the key to help them understand the value their benefits provide.
Conclusion
Benefits are only at their most valuable to employer attraction and retention efforts if employees can understand and use their benefits effectively. Employers should consider evaluating their benefits marketing strategies to ensure that employees see the value in their benefits packages.
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National Insurance Services is not a law firm and no opinion, suggestion, or recommendation of the firm or its employees shall constitute legal advice. Readers are advised to consult with their own attorney for a determination of their legal rights, responsibilities and liabilities, including the interpretation of any statute or regulation, or its application to the readers’ business activities.
