The COVID-19 pandemic continues to place a significant burden on employers; particularly, HR teams, and the reality is we shouldn’t expect this to end anytime soon. Already stressed and under-staffed, HR teams need to continue overseeing return-to-work plans; ensure the ongoing safety of employees, and lead recruitment efforts during the current hot jobs market. Now more than ever it’s crucial that you work closely with your employer clients to provide comprehensive benefits education resources and support tools so employees can make smarter, better informed healthcare decisions not only during Open Enrollment but year-round.
Amidst this changed business landscape, your clients will be increasingly looking to you for solutions and open to changing course at a moment’s notice. Here are 3 ways that benefits professionals like yourselves can serve as your clients’ strategic partner.
Listen more than you talk
You ideally want to get to a point with your clients where they consider you not so much a vendor but an extension of the team — one of their own. Granted, this won’t happen overnight but a way to get the process started is by asking a ton of questions and listening more than talking (which, we all know, isn’t always easy for those of us in client-facing roles!) Here are examples of questions to ask:
– What is the age and demographics of the workforce?
– Do employees work virtually, in-person or some hybrid?
– Are you struggling to communicate to your employees? Especially now, given the wide-ranging impact of COVID-19?
– Based on aggregate claims data, are there any specific health challenges that rise to the top?
– Is the benefits plan overall being utilized? What elements are or aren’t?
– What tools and resources have been effective in educating employees on the benefits? Which haven’t worked as well?
The answers to these questions will help you provide recommendations to your clients that ideally will improve employee well-being and employer bottom line.
Demonstrate value
At the end of the day your clients want solutions that demonstrate value. So, with that in mind, think of ways you can make life easier for your clients as they aim to increase and maintain employee engagement with their benefits plans. Consider easy-to-use resources and support tools like videos that can either be customized or used as-is that explain benefits using jargon-free language. And seek out vendors who have the technology platforms that can run virtual benefits fairs to help your employer clients better connect with their employees, increase operational efficiencies and reduce the time needed to plan for and host events — especially during open enrollment. Your clients are overworked and stressed, and the right solutions will alleviate some of this stress.
Differentiate yourself from competitors
Your employer clients don’t necessarily expect you to have all the solutions under one figurative roof; only that you will source them. When seeking vendors to outsource solutions, look for how you can partner with them to differentiate yourself from competitors. For example, determine if there are ways to essentially make the solution yours by putting your own brand front and center via white-labeling capabilities. Truly being your client’s strategic partner means differentiating yourself while also enhancing loyalty by providing them with tools and resources their employees will use and, as noted earlier, demonstrate value.
We can help you be a better partner
LearnYour Benefits is an online employee benefits communications platform. Our suite of video-focused features enables frequent, higher levels of engagement to encourage year-round employee learning and action. We’re your employer clients’ knowledge support tool.
As your virtual, year-round communications partner, we do the heavy lifting for you and your employer clients. From open enrollment, to onboarding, to all points in between, we help you communicate accurate benefits plan messaging any time of the year – when and where it’s convenient for the employees.
Contact us to learn more.
