New research from You at Work shows that integrated communications are the key to driving take-up in benefit options. You at Work surveyed two thousand employees to investigate the ‘communications gap’ between company benefits programmes and perceptions amongst employees. The survey revealed that most employees cite time pressure as the number one reason for not visiting their company benefits web site and that an integrated communications strategy combining work e-mail and mailings to the employee’s home are the most effective.
You at Work asked employees why they had not visited their benefits web site. 37 percent responded that they simply didn’t have time to engage with their employee benefits: highlighting the trend of competing demands on workers’ time.
The survey also explored preferred communications channels amongst employees. The preferred communications method for employee benefits was to a work e-mail address, with 79 percent of respondents expressing that as a preference. Interestingly, the second most popular method of communication, chosen by 53 percent of respondents, was a letter to their home address, followed by face-to-face briefings, selected by 19 percent of respondents. On average respondents chose two preferred communications messages each.
Dorian Hannington, Head of Client Implementation, You at Work commented:
“This research highlights some interesting points in the battle to get the message across to employees. The importance of using mixed media is clear, not only to repeat and reinforce the message but also to appeal to the preferences of all the segments in your workforce. In addition, the research confirms that communicating to people at home has real impact. Benefits are a personal thing, so talking to people in the right context (for example at home, with the right information to hand and without any work distractions) can give employee benefits programme a real boost.”