Today’s workplaces will certainly look much different as we collectively adjust to the impact of COVID-19. According to Upwork’s “Future of Workplace Pulse Report,” by 2025, 36.2 million Americans will be working remotely, an 87% increase from pre-pandemic levels. Employers will likewise need to get creative when communicating with their employees, especially regarding benefits plans, so they can make smarter, better informed healthcare decisions year-round. This means making benefits plan communications accessible when and where it’s convenient for employees, whether that’s at work, at home or some type of hybrid arrangement.
One way we have seen employers engage with seemingly hard-to-reach employees is through virtual benefits fairs. Here are virtual benefits fair best practices that you can employ to offer your employees unique, engaging experiences that boost awareness and action.
Look beyond open enrollment
Open enrollment is undoubtedly a crucial time for the HR team and/or vendor representative to explain plan options and distribute materials. But then, often from an employee’s perspective, they do not hear about the benefits program until the following open enrollment season. Meanwhile, employees and their families need to make important healthcare decisions year-round. How can employers expect their employees to make these decisions based on information they are receiving in one sitting
Virtual benefits fairs offer an engaging benefits communications approach good for employees and employers. Employees gain the knowledge and context to utilize their benefits plan when they need to at any given point throughout the year. Employers get the benefit of healthier, more productive and loyal employees and can leverage their benefits plan as a key differentiator to recruit and retain top talent in a tight labor market.
Establish multiple touchpoints
Ensuring proactive benefits plan communications are a year-round endeavor requires multiple touchpoints with employees. The more frequently you communicate with employees regarding your benefits plan via virtual benefits fairs, the greater your opportunity to enhance overall employee knowledge and ultimately, participation rates. Many of us are familiar with the “Rule of 7,” which suggests consumers need to hear a message seven times before they consider taking action
Develop a content calendar
A key means for achieving this frequency is to develop a content calendar. Nothing complicated – a simple Excel grid is fine. Your objective should be to plan for any milestones that you can build awareness around. For example, right after the Holidays is a key time to connect New Year’s Resolutions to going to the gym and to ensure employees are utilizing benefits they are already paying for. A content calendar used as part of virtual benefits fairs helps employers shuffle benefits content and messaging to promote specific benefits at specific points throughout the year or target specific results, such as cost savings.
Leverage videos
Communicating more frequently using videos free of jargon is a proven way to boost employee benefits knowledge and appreciation to help them maximize the value of their benefits. Videos will boost knowledge and understanding, AND it is this knowledge gained that will help your employees turn benefits information into ongoing, rear-round benefits engagement. At LearnYour Benefits, our customizable, easy-to-track videos help employees absorb and consume jargon-less benefits plan information so they can make smarter, better-informed decisions about their plan options, healthcare and overall benefits.
Reinforce virtual messaging via multiple channels
Just as many employers are taking a hybrid approach to the post COVID-19 workforce, you should take a similar hybrid approach with your virtual benefits fairs, that reinforces messaging via multiple channels. For example, once you have an employee’s attention, ensure you keep it with materials that encourage non-linear learning such as brochures, one-pagers, flyers; even promotional SWAG that can be used for desk drops or at-home mailings. And, while your social media channels are external-facing, employees also look to them as a source for information. Creating informative, jargon-free content educating employees on your benefits plan and then not sharing it is like the proverbial tree falling in the forest. Leverage Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube to share your content.
You can do this all easily
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 knowledge support tool.
We do the heavy lifting, from open enrollment, to onboarding to all points in between, so you can communicate accurate benefits plan messaging any time of the year – when and where it’s convenient for your employees.
Contact us to learn more.
