Connecting employees with benefits: Why year-round communications matter

Benefits literacy continues to be a challenge for American workers, with a significant impact on overall employee satisfaction and loyalty.

Only 34% of employees who rate their employer’s benefits communications as ineffective are loyal to their employer, as compared to 74% of those who rate the benefits communication as effective. More than ever before, employers must apply a marketing approach to communicating benefits to drive engagement and encourage behavior change. The more employees know about and understand their choices, the more likely they are to use and value them.

Simplify the employees’ benefits journey

Working with Optavise’s experienced communicators helps you retain employees through effective communications. Optavise’s Benefits Communications Service provides proactive, year-round engagement for multi-generational employees; we develop a journey to inspire your people to utilize their benefits better and make informed decisions.

We listen to your specific challenges and communications needs and develop a comprehensive communications strategy that leverages:

  • Educational content in advance of open enrollment to prepare employees to take necessary actions
  • Year-round campaigns to improve understanding of your benefits offerings and encourage use of cost-savings programs
  • Management and coordination of benefits content across all vendors, reviewers, and platforms
  • Targeted delivery channels based on personal preferences
  • Measurement tools and analytics to determine the effectiveness of content and delivery methods

Understanding the Benefits

Just under half (48 percent) of employees report knowing all the perks their employers offer, and only 40 percent say their employers help them understand the benefits that are available.

  • Brand Strategy

    Heighten benefits awareness and appreciation through consistent messaging.

  • Data-Driven Decisions

    Review utilization and vendorprovided data to drive targeted campaigns that produce results.

  • Personalized, Year-Round Communications

    Educate employees with the information they need to make better, more informed decisions around their benefits.

  • Multi-Channel Experiences

    Implement innovative ways to reach multi-generational audiences through more than one medium.

  • Measurement

    Results and analysis to determine the effectiveness of communications.

Create a connection with benefit - specific branding

Just like your corporate brand draws customers to your product or service, a benefits brand draws employees to your benefits, helping your communications stand out in a world of content overload. We work with organizations to create a unique benefits brand that resonates with employees while complementing your branding standards.

Focus on action and behavior

Optavise helps you educate and engage employees throughout the year to drive better health care outcomes, increase benefits literacy, improve program participation, and nurture a happier, healthier workforce. This includes the development and delivery of content across the benefits lifecycle spectrum:

Year round benefits communications offerings

  • Recruitment

    • Benefit overviews

  • Onboarding

    • New hire guides

  • Separation

    • As-you-leave-the-company guide
    • Separation communications
    • Leave event guidelines

  • Required Compliance Communications

    • Summary plan descriptions
    • Summaries of benefit coverage
    • Legally-required documents

  • Channels

    • Print (postcards, posters, table tents, letters, and newsletters)
    • Electronic (websites, Interactive documents, video, text messaging, email journeys, presentations, webinars)
    • Content Only/Content + Design Options (newsletter content, electronic display content, time reader messaging, email, video scripts)
    • Unique (coffee sleeves, window clings, wallet cards, magnets – wherever you can print, we can make it engaging)

  • Retention/Engagement (Year-round Initiatives)

    • Targeted campaigns (ex. wellness, benefit utilization)
    • Life event communications (targeted or holistic)
    • Total rewards (connecting the value of overall benefits)
    • Ongoing communications (such as streamlining and management of vendor communications)
    • Annual enrollment materials

  • Anytime

    • Benefits marketing collateral (items to highlight your brand and message in unique ways)