There's so much changing so quickly. As a benefits administrator, it's not enough to keep up on benefits, you must keep up on overall trends and technology shifts to keep your communication to employees relevant. Here's some trends quickly on the horizon to watch:
The Benefits of Working with Benefits
With the state of the economy as it is, more and more people are valuing their benefits as a measure of job satisfaction. The better the benefits, the happier employees are.
If workers don't fully understand what their benefits mean to them and their family, chances are they aren't able to appreciate everything their health, life and other insurances have to offer.
So what does this all mean? Education is a simple step toward effective benefit communication. When employees know what they're getting from their insurance, they appreciate the benefits that come from good coverage. That coverage becomes a central part of their life and a key matter of safety for their family.
Getting Social with your Message
Four out of five adults who are online use social media according to Forrester Research. Forrester Research also found that 35 percent of online adults use social media to look for information about their health and issues related to it.
What makes social media different from normal communications is that it's a two-way street. Imagine social media as two people talking about a common interest, whereas online media is more like one person talking to a room full of people who may or may not be listening.
Social media, especially when it comes to benefits, lets consumers ask questions and share concerns with you in a comfortable, conversational way. Not only will your employees get to know you, but also you'll earn their trust as a person to whom they can turn for advice.
To make the most of this new way of talking with employees, start an internal blog, set up a Facebook account and even use Twitter. Let your employees know about these new resources where they can reach out to you and where you can talk right back to them.
It's For You: Mobile Internet Access
Mobile Internet access is quickly becoming a part of our day-to-day life. When people aren't talking on their phones, they're using them to update Facebook or Twitter and to text their friends. What's more, people are browsing the Internet on their phones. No matter where they are, people are always connected, as long as they have their phone.
To make sure you reach out to those decision makers, take a look at your Website for a few key things:
- Is information organized in simple and easy-to-use formats? Navigation is the biggest hurdle to overcome. If it's too complicated, people will stay away.
- Is there a way for employees to reach out instantly? Try Including Facebook and Twitter links on the home page.
- Can it be viewed from a smartphone? Make it easy for employees to get updates from their mobile phones.
Game On
Casual or simple online games are attracting a bigger audience day by day. And we're not talking child's play here. Games like Farmville and other Facebook games strike a chord with busy people who welcome a fun distraction throughout the day.
For example, Humana has two games available for the iPhone and Android smartphones that are both entertaining and educational. Goldwalker gives players more points and power-ups the more they move. Colorfall is a game of fast thinking and skill in which players arrange tiles in the order of the colors of the rainbow. Both can be found at humanagames.com.
So what does this mean for you? Communicating benefits is all about education. When people interact with a game or program in which their actions result in another action, people remember more from the experience. Through games, employees can be educated about health and wellness, and therefore make better choices.
When you interact with your employees in new and exciting ways, you help them understand the value of their benefits through the use of social and new media. The world of benefits communications is ever changing and evolving. But by keeping pace with the new opportunities it brings, education and communication go hand-in-hand with engaged employees.
