Personal Group: Innovations in benefits communication

Personal Group: Innovations in benefits communication

Foreword by Mark Scanlon, Chief Executive Now, more than ever, companies are committed to getting the maximum return on investment from their benefits programme. As providers we re under pressure to help deliver this return in the most engaging, effective and efficient way. At Personal Group we re proud to be leading the field when it comes to delivering benefits programmes that engage with employees. Personal Group s ipad innovation is just one of the ways we re evolving to keep on top of the needs of employers and employees. It s a solution that will enable us to bridge the gap between an employee s awareness of their benefits programme and their ability to access the savings, products and services that will make the biggest difference to them. With eight out of ten employees telling us that face-to-face is their preferred way to source accurate and up-to-date information we know we re on the right track. But our experience of the benefits industry also tells us that the most effective benefits programmes make the most of every communication channel available. This is where our ipad app so successfully brings a benefits programme to life; it sits firmly at the heart of the benefits programme and its interactive and responsive format lets an employee know what they can save and how their programme relates directly to them. Based on feedback from employees themselves, this report confirms the importance of benefits communication, and outlines ways in which employers can create the most effective communication programme for their organisation. It draws on the success of employers who are already using the ipad app to present best practice advice about how to create an engaging benefits communication programme. Based on feedback from employees and the experience of employers, combined with Personal Group s market knowledge and innovative thinking, employers can ensure they put their name and their resources into a benefits programme that delivers on employee savings, engagement and expectations.

Introduction: The importance of effective benefits communication Benefits communication is widely acknowledged as the critical element of any benefits programme. Regardless of how much time and money is put into creating a benefits offering that ticks every box in every employee s wish-list, unless you get the process of telling them about it right, your time and money is wasted. Yet many companies are still getting this wrong and benefits communication remains at the top of many employers to do lists. Organisations continue to struggle to bridge the gap between employee awareness, understanding of benefits programmes and employees taking action to register for the benefits available to them. Something needs to be done and many employers agree. The latest Benefits Research 2012 (www.employeebenefits.co.uk) confirms the focus many employers are putting on benefits communication. Here, two-thirds of employers would consider increasing staff benefits communication as their key priority in the next twelve months. Alongside this, 65% of employers admit they re committed to increasing staff appreciation of the benefits package and 62% putting increasing staff perception of the value of benefits at the top of their agenda. The pressure to communicate and enable staff to make the most of the programmes on offer is clear. So where to start? The first port of call in getting benefits communication right needs to be a better understanding of your employees and how they already use and access technology in their personal and professional lives. When Personal Group asked a select group of employees about their experience of and preferences for communication channels, the results show a really interesting insight into how employers can best engage employees with their benefits offer. We asked them what their top three sources were to access the most accurate and up-to-date information, employees indicated that face-to-face and printed media were their preferences, closely followed by email. When one considers the sources that employees listed it s interesting that they selected such a significant blend of communication channels that deliver face-to-face, printed and online information. Employees are signalling that there isn t one perfect way to source information. Taking this on board, employers can begin the process of better benefits communication and engagement by not relying on just one method of communicating with employees. What are your top three sources to give the most accurate and up-to-date information? 1. Talking face-to-face (79.4%) 2. Printed media (73.3%) 3. Email (41.4%)

Trends in benefits communication channels When we asked employees about how their employer currently communicates with them about benefits, our findings confirm existing research on this topic. Benefits Research 2012 indicates that benefits are predominantly communicated during the recruitment and appointment of employees. For example, in the offer letter/starter pack for new joiners (85%) and at induction meetings for new joiners (66%). It also signals that benefits communication takes place via leaflets/brochures/ handbooks (63%) and by email alerts (48%). How does your employer currently communicate with you about benefits? Cross-company email (57.1%) Line manager updates (48.6%) Company-wide meetings (45.7%) Staff handbook (42.9%) During recruitment process (37.1%) Pay slip messaging (25.7%) Word of mouth (22.9%) Induction programme (22.9%) Intranet (22.9%) Face-to-face briefing with benefits provider (20.0%) Staff newsletter (20.0%) Corporate website (17.1%) Benefits book (11.4%) Company magazine (8.6%) Total reward statement (5.7%) Annual benefits fair (2.9%) Alongside the recent employee benefits findings, the Personal Group study highlights technology as an increasingly important and accepted area when it comes to benefits communication. This resonates with feedback from employees who want their employer to combine face-to-face, online communication via their mobile phones and home computer (see top right). What s your preferred way for your employer to communicate with you about benefits? Face-to-face (79.4%) Internet on my mobile phone (66.7%) Internet on my home computer (60.0%) These findings compare interestingly with research undertaken by Personal Group in 2010. In the Let s Talk Benefits report, employees confirmed their preferred way for their employer to communicate with them about benefits as follows: What s your preferred way for your employer to communicate with you about benefits? 1. Benefits book / staff handbook 2. Staff newsletter 3. Annual benefits fair 4. = Induction programme 4. = Podcasts or webcasts 6. Line manager updates 7. Company magazine 8. Promotional posters 9. Corporate website 10. = DVDs 10. = Social networking site Personal Group, Let s Talk Benefits (2010) Compared with respondents in 2010, today s employees are much more focused on face-to-face communication combined with technology based solutions. Not only does this reflect the evolving technology trends of recent years but also reminds us that employees are looking for the personal touch when it comes to finding out about and accessing benefits communications. Once again, the danger of relying too heavily on one method of communication to get your benefits message across to employees is apparent.

Engagement and employee benefits technology Technology is becoming an increasingly important force in the workplace and for the delivery of employee benefits. A recent study by Towers Watson confirms that nearly one third (31%) of companies expect to increase their spend on HR technology in the next year, and according to the latest Benefits Research 2012, the same proportion of organisations (32%) do not use technology to deliver their benefits. Such a trend towards technology is also confirmed by Personal Group s own investigations. According to employees, employers are increasingly using less mainstream technology solutions to communicate with employees about benefits. The use of social networking tools and websites, such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as the use of online videos and podcasts, reaffirms that employers are adopting technology to support benefits communication strategies. Does your employer use any other technology to communicate with you? Email alerts (96.2%) Twitter (15.4%) Online video / podcast (15.4%) Facebook (7.7%) According to the employees surveyed by Personal Group, employers are getting their use of technology right when it comes to communicating with them. Respondents to this question pointed to the simple, accessible and easy way that their employers use of technology to communicate with them enabled them to access information. Additional comments from respondents about what employers are doing right when it comes to technology and benefits communication include reports that, You can refer back to email updates whenever you like. Sometimes you forget things that are told to you face-to-face. Another explained, It s relevant and up-to-date and means communication is instant. In contrast to this, feedback from employees about the things they don t like about how their employer uses technology to communicate with them was interesting and supports the argument that the most effective benefits communication incorporates a blend of approaches and channels. One respondent commented that it can get lost all communication looks the same need something to stand out a bit more while another suggested sometimes technology is used instead of face-to-face and face-to-face is more effective and personal. Other themes coming from responses indicated employees consider some technology-based communications as impersonal, I can t keep up with the email updates and sometimes does not explain things clearly. Employees were also asked if they felt their employer should use technology more to communicate with them. Over 60% of respondents said no. It seems that while employees are currently satisfied with the level of technology employers are using, the way in which this technology is used could be improved. For example, taking on board employee feedback about ensuring email communication is clear and accessible could be one way for employers to maximise the effectiveness of their use of technology, as could ensuring it s part of a communication strategy that incorporates a number of communication channels and tactics. Do you like the way your employer uses technology to communicate with you? Yes (74.3%) No (25.7) Do you think your employer should use technology more to communicate with you? Yes (37.1%) No (62.9%)

Delivering the perfect communication blend With eight out of ten employees signalling that faceto-face communication is their preference to source the most accurate and up-to-date information, this communication channel is emerging as one of the most effective solutions. It enables employees to increase their awareness and understanding of the benefits on offer, as well as encouraging their positive and proactive action to register for and begin using the programme. For many years, Personal Group, has led the way in leveraging face-to-face as a solution to add value, understanding and appreciation to benefits programmes to extend their reach and impact across a company. Yet even with a broad reaching and attractive benefits offering in place that is well-supported by a face-to-face communications campaign, an employer might only expect to see 30% of their workforce register for an online benefits portal. There is significant scope to increase programme take-up and, with the findings from Personal Group s most recent employee research, the opportunity to reach employees with a range of communication channels is obvious. Based on this massive opportunity, the Personal Group team started work in 2012 to enhance employee interaction and engagement with benefits programmes. Over the last year they have significantly invested in the concept of using technology to enhance face-to-face employee communications and bring benefits programmes to life. The result has been the development of a new interactive presentation delivered using an ipad application the first of its kind in the benefits industry to support employee communications and enhance employee take-up and understanding of programmes. Steve Mason, Key Account Director at Personal Group explains: The ipad app we ve introduced to support our face-to-face communications programmes physically shows employees what their benefits programme can offer and how easy it is to get involved. It gives them a seamless, simple and efficient way to learn about and register for the benefits on offer, bringing their benefits to life and enabling them to quickly interact and engage with their programme. Personal Group s ipad innovation marks a fundamental shift in the benefits market. Clients who have already experienced the ipad technology as part of their benefits communication programmes have seen a 60% increase in employee online registrations for benefits. One organisation alone saw 50% of employees registering with their benefits programme, compared with just 15% under the programme with their previous benefits provider.

Evolving benefits communication at Manheim The extent to which the interactive ipad presentation has been a success can be seen at automotive suppliers, Manheim. Manheim is the world s largest automotive services company with operations across five continents, selling more than five and a half million vehicles every year. In the UK, the Manheim Group employs around 1,600 employees across a range of defleet, remarketing and retail services. To reward and engage their talented and passionate workforce, Manheim wanted to introduce an employee benefits programme that would ensure every employee could access and take advantage of the latest benefits in the market. To deliver this, they partnered with Personal Group to overhaul their existing benefits offering and ensure that, regardless of an employee s job role and location, they could get hold of the best deals and discounts. Sarah Dawson, HR director at the Manheim Group explains: Although our existing employee benefits scheme was relatively well used by those based in our key office locations, the business recognised that we needed to engage employees who were out on the road and who didn t have regular access to a computer while at work. Manheim s benefits programme, Fulfilling Rewards, was launched in May 2012. A range of core benefits were available to employees, such as a pension, long service awards, an employee assistance programme, childcare vouchers and discounted car auction rates. In addition, employees were offered a selection of voluntary benefits, including high street vouchers, reloadable cards, health club memberships, holiday discounts, a personal finance and mortgage advice service, as well as the Personal Group Hospital Plan. Sarah Dawson continued: The focus of the new programme was to engage all employees with our benefits offer, but in particular raise the profile of the programme with non-office based employees to ensure they could access the same services, offers and discounts as their office-based colleagues. Company-wide access to the benefits programme was underpinned by a bespoke communications programme that brought together a printed benefits book - which acted as a reliable resource and reference from which employees could get a sense of the scope and reach of the benefits available - and an online benefits portal. Alongside this approach, Personal Group utilised their innovative ipad solution to support face-to-face meetings with all employees, regardless of their location or shift pattern. Steve Mason Personal Group s Key Account Director explains: Our interactive ipad presentation supports our face-to-face employee sessions and offers workers a seamless, simple and efficient way to learn about and register for the benefits on offer. It brings the benefits programme to life and enables employees to quickly interact and engage with the programme, tailoring the offers and services to their individual interests, priorities and commitments. The technology lets us introduce employees to the benefits on offer straight away and provides reassurance to many employees about how simple and easy it is to get started. We can complete the registration process for the benefits website with employees and begin the process of saving money almost immediately. It doesn t even matter if there s no WiFi or cellular network as we can complete the presentation and employee registration offline, if we need to. To date, the Manheim programme has delivered real value to the company s employees. Over 50% of the workforce signed up to Manheim s benefits portal within the first two months of the programme launch and during this time have accessed significant savings and discounts. The ipad technology was a key factor in engaging so many of our employees with the new-look benefits offering, comments Manheim s Sarah Dawson. The solution Personal Group offered us presented a completely new way for employees to get a strong feel for the benefits on offer and begin to tailor a package that best suits them.

Creating an engaging benefits communications programme As can be seen through the positive experience of companies such as Manheim, engaging and effective benefits communication can be achieved by incorporating a range of benefit communication channels. Employers simply cannot rely on one method of communication, nor can they expect that communicating with employees only once about benefits will deliver results. Here we look at seven steps you can take to build your own engaging and effective benefits communication programme that will engage employees and encourage them to register for and utilise the benefits available to them. 1. Consider your communication choices Whilst it s tempting to consider communication as another item on your benefits programme to do list, don t ignore it! Appreciate the huge potential you have with your benefits communication activity to engage and support your employees and invest time and resources to plan and prepare accordingly. Look at the employee communication channels you already have in place and that work well within the business. Seek advice from your benefits provider who will be able to advise you on what has worked well in other organisations, what new trends and communication solutions are available. 2. Investigate what your employees really want As part of your communication planning and preparation, it s important to involve your employees. Find out their preferences and opinions of benefits communication by asking them and involving them in focus groups, one-to-one discussions or by informal online surveys. The danger of not investing time here is wasting the opportunity to learn what employees want and how they d like to hear about your benefits offering. 3. Carefully schedule your benefits programme launch Think about the timing of your benefits rollout. For example, it s better to delay the launch of the programme than to be unprepared or for your benefits communication to coincide with a particularly busy time for the business. As part of the launch you could also plan a calendar of benefits communication. Here you could promote a benefit of the month or schedule programme updates or new benefit launches. 4. Use the expertise of your benefits provider Your benefits provider can offer objective feedback on your benefits programme and communication plans, as well as giving you insight into communication tools and tactics that may have previously worked well in your industry. They can also keep you up-to-date with new benefits and communication trends. Try also to take advantage of the marketing and communication tools that many benefits providers can produce for your organisation; these can often be tailored to your benefits schedule, as well as your corporate branding. 5. Make the most of the available technology Developments in communication technology, such as the ipad presentation, are changing the way employers talk with their employees about benefits. But before investing too heavily in technology based communications, make sure they re relevant to your employees and your business. After all, there s no point investing in the latest social media platform if employees can t access it at their desks or are on the road all day. 6. Utilise a blend of communication channels and tactics The most effective benefits communication strategies don t rely solely on one communication method or channel for success. No one single communication method will reach all your employees so, based on the type of people in your organisation, the type of work they do and their location, consider how best you can reach them. 7. Review your progress and performance Schedule regular reviews of your benefits programme, and the way it s communicated - both within your departmental team, as well as with employees and their representatives. This will enable you to see whether it s having the desired impact of increasing benefits take-up, as well as employee awareness of the offer and the potential savings available to them.

Research methodology In September and October 2012 Personal Group conducted research with employees in a range of organisations and sectors about their opinions and experiences of the technology their employer uses to communicate with them about benefits. The majority of respondents (80.6%) were female with most aged between 21 and 40 years (66.7%). 18.9% of respondents had worked for their employer for less than one year and over half (54.0%) had worked for their current employer for between one and six years. Industry sectors of respondents included the public sector, logistics, manufacturing and retail. About Personal Group Personal Group is a leading provider of employee benefits and insurance, established in 1984. The Group primarily provides tailored employee benefits programmes to businesses throughout the UK. These programmes include insurance products such as hospital and convalescence plans; death benefit and income protection plans; lifestyle benefits such as holiday and retail discounts; flexible benefit programmes; a range of tax efficient benefits such as childcare vouchers; and employee assistance programmes. The group generates the majority of its revenue through the underwriting of hospital and convalescence plans. Through its expertise in producing, communicating and implementing successful benefit solutions, the group has helped over 400 leading UK companies recruit, retain and motivate the best people. In total the group provides access to benefits for 1.2 million employees, and clients include 3663, Brake Bros, Northumbrian Water Limited, Pirelli, Starwood Hotels, TNT, UK Mail, Regatta, Road Chef and Vinci Construction. For more information on Personal Group visit www.personal-group.com