How can you educate and inform employees about their payroll and benefits options?

1. Personalized Communication Builds Trust: Tailoring information to individual preferences fosters trust and demonstrates a genuine concern for employees' well-being. 2. Prevents Costly Mistakes: Addressing specific concerns and pain points proactively reduces the likelihood of errors in payroll and benefits, saving both time and resources. 3. Empowers Informed Decision-Making: Aligning communication with learning styles empowers employees to make well-informed choices about their compensation, leading to higher satisfaction. 4. Boosts Engagement and Satisfaction: Recognizing and accommodating preferences shows a commitment to employee welfare, resulting in increased engagement and overall job satisfaction.

Educating employees on payroll and benefits is crucial. Host workshops detailing payroll intricacies and benefit options. Digital platforms with tutorial videos can simplify complex information. One-on-one sessions can address specific concerns, while periodic emails update on any changes. Encourage open dialogue, ensuring every employee understands their compensation and benefits fully, promoting trust and transparency.

Finding the right method of communicating with your employees is key! In my experience this conversation is best had at the delivery of the payslip. This is where you will see the highest engagement. So choosing a method of delivery that is clear and resonates with the employee is crucial. With improved technology in this area you can make the payslip more interactive and educational, this in turn should reduce queries and admin. Employees financial literacy will often vary dramatically, so offering easy to digest help guides/ articles to make them more informed could also be really useful.

Some of our clients have utilized surveys to gauge interest in a menu of benefits In the survey it also asks them what they are most concerned about now as it could be finances, health or mental health. More times than not, in my discussions with HR, we already know what the top issues are and work to find benefits to help the employees. Using a well-rounded menu of voluntary benefits we can help meet the individual needs of their team members.

Lunch and learns are a great way to inform employees about benefit options because they provide a relaxed and interactive setting. This can result in better-informed choices and more satisfied and loyal employees. The informality of a lunch and learn session fosters engagement. People tend to absorb and retain information better when they're relaxed and not in a formal, high-pressure environment. Because of this employees are more likely to remember and utilize the benefits presented during the session. Also, employees are more likely to ask about benefits they might not understand in such a setting, reducing the likelihood of misunderstandings and missed opportunities.

This is true as we have diverse employees who need be educated on their choices in a way that is comfortable for them. QR Codes for techies, Paper kits for those who may not be tech savvy, Face to face for those who prefer the "old fashioned" approach :) .

This is so true, Unfortunately, in my business many brokers and presenters get too "insurance-y" and tend to fly through a presentation. Keeping it more of a conversation without jargon and acronyms makes it more enjoyable for everyone so you are not looking at a sea of blank stares. I do find it helpful to have a slide available if using PPT, or at least explain what the basic insurance terms mean such as deductible, copay, exclusions etc., so in the future they will at least have an idea of what they are.

Recorded videos of the benefits, how to access accounts, contacts, and other frequently asked questions can help support HR teams. Sometimes these questions come after hours too! It also offers leadership an opportunity to get engaged! Make a fun video with the CEO or HR team.

What is exciting in this space, is the deployment of AI driven bots who can answer any questions. And if not satisfactory, you can always follow up with a real life interaction. I have written many knowledge articles & FAQ about payroll hoping to avoid too many questions. The fact is, people just like to ask the question rather than looking for the answers. Let's accept that and adapt - put the employee experience at the heart, and design your process around it. Understand the needs and tech access of your workforce, too.

Benchmarking premiums, deductibles, copays, and max out-of-pocket expenses are a must these days! Gallagher's National Benchmarking Survey has been a great tool to put in the hands of leaders and decision-makers.

Lean on your broker(s) to help inform employees too. Sometimes they have tools like benefits calculators that can help show things like projected 401K balances, or presentation material for open enrollment. Schedule a townhall and consider having your broker attend to help present information.