Think back to the last time you needed to buy something, it’s likely it was just the other day, or even today.
Assumably, you decided you needed a certain item, identified what store you would buy it from, then you went and found their catalog. You flipped through the catalog and eventually filled out an order form, wrote a check, and put an envelope in the mail.
What is this, 1995? If you still tie your sweater in a knot around your shoulders, you may think we’re being sincere, but of course, we’re joking, there’s no way you bought something like that. You probably pushed two buttons on your phone and the package will be on your door tomorrow.
So, if we’ve moved past this way of shopping for items, why is it still so common when it comes to employees learning about their benefits? Even in 2021, 82% of companies rely on a large catalog of information, given out once a year, to communicate which benefits are available to their employees.
This way of communicating simply doesn’t work and leaves HR teams burdened with questions and employees feeling unsatisfied with their options or misunderstanding their benefits. And at best, misunderstanding and frustration means unhappier employees, at the worst it means detrimental retention rates and a toxic culture.
Continue reading to understand why the catalog method doesn’t work and how you can easily change to one that does.
Why are catalogs ineffective?
Catalogs don’t account for current trends
When you think of the following statistics, none of them justify handing out a giant book to create knowledge and true understanding.
- • The average attention span is now 8 seconds.
- • The average American chooses video: evident by the Nielsen study which found we consume 6 hours of video on average each day.
- • Deloitte found that Americans check their phone 52 times a day (and this study was from 2018 and it’s believed to have increased since then).
Your communications should be consistent with how people prefer to consume information. This means that it’s video based, quick, and accessible to them wherever they are in the world. Following consumer trends will lead to better engagement and understanding.
Catalogs don’t allow for personalization
Each of your employees are unique and your communications should be personalized for their journey. The first-time expecting mother is going to have different interests than the man who’s close to retirement.
Consumers are continuously moving toward expecting personalization everywhere they engage. Whether it’s healthcare or retail, the race is on to personalize each experience, which relies heavily on customized communications. Even having the ability to search for a specific topic instantly provides value to your employees.
Catalogs represent one moment in time
Open Enrollment, when catalogs are handed out, makes up a small portion of the year, yet your employees are making decisions year-round. By utilizing digital communication, you can display campaigns that are timely and changing. It also makes it easily accessible to your employees and their dependents. Instead of having to hand out a new book each time they have a question and have long misplaced or trashed theirs, you can simply send out a link.
Also, what happens when something changes – perhaps a new benefit is added or there is a change to a current one? With a catalog, it isn’t reasonable to print all new ones mid-year. It would incur heavy costs and create tremendous waste. If you’re communications are all digital, you can easily and inexpensively (if not for free) allow for changes.
Finding a better solution
If you’ve been handing out a physical book of benefits but you’re ready for a change, we’re here to help. LearnYour Benefits is an employee benefits communication platform that’s easy to stand up and allows you to instantly start communicating more effectively. Request a demo today to understand how LearnYour Benefits can tailor and elevate your communications.
