As you plan your 2023 benefits communication strategy, there are some great holidays to note on your calendar. Incorporating these holidays into your plan makes your benefits communications more timely, relevant, and effective.
Frequent communication drives benefits engagement
After employees sign up for their benefits during open enrollment, many of them are left feeling just as confused as they were going into the process. Employees signed up for their new plan, but 55% of them wish they had more benefits information.
Throughout the year, employees will continue having questions about their benefits. Employees engage with their benefits more if you create a strategy that responds to their needs as they arise. If you take the time to plan and educate your employees year-round, they’re 78% more likely to be happy at your company.
Top 2023 holidays to communicate benefits
As you create your benefits education strategy, consider what holidays you can include and how they can benefit your 2023 benefits messaging plan. We’ll get you started with ideas: We’ll tell you what holidays to include and how to use them to improve your benefits communications.
1. New Year’s (January 1, 2022)
In 2022, 23% of Americans set New Year’s resolutions related to health and fitness goals. Additionally, 21% of Americans set intentions to improve themselves personally. Combined, that’s 44% of Americans in total that were committing themselves to live healthier lifestyles.
Unfortunately, excitement around New Year’s resolutions tends to dwindle throughout the year. Around 80% of people fail to keep their resolutions, which is why New Year’s is the best time of year to focus on communicating benefits related to well-being.
Use this holiday to make employees aware of the benefits that will help them reach their fitness goals. For example, if you offer a discounted gym membership, free group classes, or an online fitness portal, send out communications (such as emails) marketing these benefits.
2. Employee Appreciation Day (March 3, 2023)
With this holiday, you have two options: celebrate on Friday only, or honor the whole week (February 27 until March 3). This time is a great opportunity to offer fun, team-building activities; employee recognitions and gift cards; and benefits communications.
The benefits you promote during this holiday should be your most “out-of-the-box” benefits that are unique and extraordinary. Here are some examples:
– Free gym memberships or an on-site gym
– Financial health benefits
– Student loan assistance
– Pet insurance
3. Mother’s Day (May 15, 2023) and Father’s Day (June 18, 2023)
Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are amazing opportunities to promote your benefits relating to parenthood and children. If you have any key benefits that honor parents, now is the time to promote those. These benefits can include:
– Paid parental leave
– Free daycare services
– Work-from-home and flexible hours
– College savings assistance
– Student loan repayment assistance plans
Throughout May and June, market these benefits to employees with children. You can also send information to employees without kids to make it clear that when they do decide to start a family, they’ll have your support.
4. HR Professional Appreciation Day (September 26)
As you build your 2023 communications plan, don’t forget to include yourself and your HR team! Your team works hard throughout the year to make other employees valued, so we recommend highlighting this holiday to honor your HR professionals.
To use this holiday in your benefits communications plan, think of your own struggles as an HR professional. For example, in 2021, an alarming 90% of HR leaders say their stress levels have been rising. “Part of the stress is that, by nature, HR professionals tend to take care of others before themselves,” says Alison Stevens, the director of HR services at Paychex.
HR Professional Appreciation Day is a great opportunity to teach your team about their mental health benefits, as well as the importance of proper stress management and how to achieve it.
5. The holiday season—starting at Thanksgiving (November 23)
The holiday season is essential to include in your benefits communication plan. This is often a busy, stressful time of year for employees, so we recommend using this time of year to encourage employees to use their Paid Time Off.
Many Americans don’t take their time off—in fact, in 2019, 55% of American employees didn’t use their vacation time. This is a problem because failing to take vacation time results in burnout, resentment, and dissatisfaction.
Use the holiday season to communicate with employees about their PTO. Express that taking time off to spend with their families is what PTO is for. Also, teach them a breakdown of the process, so they know exactly how to request and access their PTO.
Holidays: They make your benefits strategy better
By incorporating holidays into your benefits communication strategy, you have more opportunities to encourage employees to engage with their benefits. The more relevant, timely, and personalized these communications are, the more effective they will be.
We understand that benefits communications are challenging and time-consuming to create—which is why we’re offering to build and implement your benefits messaging plan. Save weeks’ worth of benefits messaging work by letting LearnYour Benefits take this off your to-do list.
Schedule a 20-minute demo to learn more today.
