You may already be a conscientious and supportive employer by providing your staff with Employee Benefits. However if you fail at an important last step – that of educating your employees about the existence of a comprehensive programme, let alone its details – what you may well end up with is a programme that is unsuccessful, underutilised or inappropriately used.

"I have spent a lot of time, money and effort to provide an Employee Benefits scheme to my staff. Surely I am doing enough! What is going wrong?

Employee Benefits programmes usually constitute one of the largest expenses relating to a company’s human resources. They should be regarded as long-term investments by the employers to attract, motivate and retain employees. Too often, the communications process is overlooked once a benefits programme is implemented. When employers fail in the education process, they in essence fail to maximise the returns of these significant and symbolically important investments. Increased awareness and understanding of a benefits programme have a positive impact on an employee’s satisfaction.

A poor understanding of benefit entitlements can lead to misuse, and if things go wrong as a result of a misunderstanding, you as the employer could be blamed. Additionally, misuse of employer-sponsored benefits will increase utilisation and drive up the cost of your insurance premiums.

An effective communications programme encourages employees to take greater initiative and responsibility in managing their own health. It will contribute to employees being more proactive in optimising their benefits and utilising their medical insurance. You will know that you have succeeded in the communications phase when your employees truly appreciate the value and cost of the benefits you have provided them with. The net effect: greater staff retention and satisfaction.

You will know that you have succeeded in the communications phase when your employees truly appreciate the value of the benefits. The net effect: greater staff retention and satisfaction.

At the bare minimum, employees should be made aware of what they are covered for under the scheme design, the claims process and features that are unique to the programme. Any limitations and exclusions in benefits should also be communicated to avoid any misunderstandings and to ensure that expectations are managed.

JLT’s Employee Benefits team has broad experience and expertise to help you in the final stage of rolling out a successful Employee Benefits programme – the communication process.

Employee Benefits Communications Tools The H1N1 outbreak may have left you wondering about where and how to start in developing a BCM programme. The following are some areas for consideration: Employee Benefits Guide A comprehensive document detailing in very plain terms all the benefits that staff are entitled to. This is a tool that all new employees should be introduced to. Benefits Summary A reference guide that summarises all the benefits for a quick glance. This summary will include important contact details. When benefits change, this summary should be the first to be updated as it is likely to be the document most frequently referred to. Newsletters Ongoing and regular updates to ensure that employees are aware of their benefits. In addition, the newsletter can provide valuable tips on health and wellbeing. Surveys Effective communication is a two-way process. Feedback from your employees is important to gauge the extent to which staff are aware of the benefits, the extent to which they are being utilised and their satisfaction with the programme. This will help you to evolve and improve the programme as necessary.

We will help you design a comprehensive and effective benefits communication plan – one that is customised to the unique requirements of your workforce. Write to us: CompassBenefits@jltasia.com

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