Think back to when you were in high school or college. Ever taken a class you didn’t feel confident or interested in? Remember, as the teacher started talking, your eyes glazed over and your mind went elsewhere.
Our minds cannot focus if we’re unable to comprehend the content.
That’s why it’s crucial that your employees understand what you’re offering when it comes to their benefits.
What words would the average employee not know? Skip those unknown terms to craft more effective benefits messaging. Keep reading to learn how to avoid jargon, which will help your employees understand the material.
Jargon is not your friend in workplace communications
Jargon is terminology that only a specific profession or group of people would understand.
One of the top tips when it comes to communicating in the workplace is: avoid jargon. In other words, speak in plain language.
As an HR Professional, benefits terminology is second nature to you, which makes it difficult to determine what constitutes jargon for the majority of your employees.
Here’s four simple ways to avoid using jargon in employee messaging!
1. Avoiding acronyms: a key element of jargon.
Within the HR community, there are acronyms most experienced professionals use constantly. However, many employees don’t know their meanings (and sometimes their significance).
For example: HSA. This one gets thrown around a lot, yet employees might not know what it means.
Avoid assuming employees know what acronyms are. Instead, write out (and say) the full meaning. For example, instead of saying or writing HSA, use its full meaning: “Health Savings Account.” You can even educate your employees and prepare them for when they see acronyms elsewhere by saying: “Health Savings Account (often referred to as an HSA).”
2. Break down acronyms even further.
The first time you use the phrase, you can also break down the acronym even further. The phrase “Health Savings Account” may not make complete sense, whether it’s listed as an acronym or not. Explain what it is, how it might be used, and the perks.
When it comes to further defining an acronym, don’t just copy and paste the definition of an HSA from the government (even though it’s the tempting, easier route).
Just remember hours of work now will save you time later when employees have questions!
3. Translate jargon.
Similar to how you should translate acronyms, translate jargon. Any other phrases that you think might be industry-specific should be described in easy-to-understand, everyday language.
Again, don’t copy and paste hard-to-understand definitions. Remember, it is not “dumbing it down” — everyone appreciates plain and simple content
4. Draft communications to a friend in your preferred method.
Forget what type of messaging you’re “supposed” to develop. Actually, forget about your employees for just one moment. Focus on yourself. What is your preferred method of delivering content? Do you prefer to talk, write, create imagery, or videos?
Create your first draft in your preferred communication style while imagining your message is for a friend. Pretend your friend asked you about the term “HSA.” What would you tell them?
Describe an HSA to your “friend.” For example, if you prefer to speak, record yourself on your phone. If you’re a writer, address a letter to your friend. Avoid looking at your notes as you practice this exercise.
This helps you create messaging that is understandable and concrete. It will have less jargon and abstract, hard-to-understand phrases.
After you have your first draft of content, then you can get it in the form it needs to be in for your final project! Your employees will feel like a friend is speaking to them with their best interests in mind.
Avoiding jargon isn’t easy. We can help!
Avoiding jargon when you communicate benefits to your employees is certainly not an easy task. Especially because it may be so ingrained in you as an HR Professional, you don’t even realize you’re fluent!
That’s where we can come in: LearnYour Benefits will communicate important topics to your employees in bit-sized, simple-to-understand videos so you have happier, more engaged employees — faster.
Contact us to learn more!
