Too often, benefits plan administration and costs take up a plan sponsor’s focus—leaving communication efforts to suffer, says Sarah Beech, region director, Central Canada, with Aon Hewitt.
In this BenefitsCanadaTV interview, Beech discusses ways employers can make their benefits plans more engaging, by bringing plans “to a more personal level as opposed to a theoretical level.”
She suggests including employees in the decision-making process, and references Cape Breton University as one employer who has done just that in a particularly creative way. By creating an employee-based benefits committee, the university has turned employees into advocates for their plans, enabling them to better understand costs and plan design.
Beech also says there is a tendency for plan communications to drop off; while there may be lots of communication when a plan is first introduced, that excitement trails off over time, leaving new people who come in later to have minimal—if any—messaging about their benefits plan. She cites newsletters as an effective way to maintain ongoing communication.
“Sustainability of communication has to be a forefront of employers’ minds,” says Beech.
Watch the video to find out ways you can make your benefits plan more personal.