Help Staff Get the Most Value From Employee Benefits

Posted on January 25, 2024 in Insurance

Why do employers offer benefits?

For some companies, benefits are offered to stay competitive when recruiting staff. For others, it’s about taking care of your most valuable assets — your employees. By offering health, dental and vision insurance as employee benefits, your company can take an active role in strengthening employee health and well-being while also improving workplace productivity.

Did you know that 75% of medical costs are from preventable conditions? An employee dealing with health issues may have lower job performance, spend more days away from work, and have a higher likelihood for stress-related impacts. But as an employer, you’re in a position to help employees thrive and using their employee benefits is key.

Clear and Ongoing Communication

Each fall, employers increase their communication about company benefits as they approach annual enrollment. This is a very important time to let employees know about their plan options and how each can benefit them.

But, communicating about employee benefits after enrollment is often just as important because employees may forget about the plans they’ve signed up for. If employers continue benefits conversations throughout the year, they can bring greater awareness to issues around employee health and wellness.

Here are some tips for improving your employee benefit communications: 

• Tailor messages to specific groups of employees for greater impact
• Send communications in a variety of ways — email, meetings, posters, webinars, newsletters, etc.
• Keep the message simple — avoid jargon and use graphics when possible
• Incorporate a variety of voices — send messages from leaders, peers, and vendors

The Importance of Prevention

A critical message to share with employees is about the importance of preventive care visits provided with health, dental and vision plans. Preventive care can help foster a healthy workforce, reduce overall healthcare costs, and improve employee morale. When you feel good, you’re able to give your best efforts. 

Employees who maintain good dental and vision health, for example, may experience improved confidence, better quality of life, and increased positivity throughout the workday. They will also avoid painful emergencies, lower health risks, and save money by avoiding costly procedures. Discussing the importance of preventive care will show employees that you care for their overall health and well-being.