Effective communication has always been vital in the workplace. Now, with many workforces currently working from home due to COVID-19, communication has become even more critical.
In recent years, communication in the workplace has advanced at incredible speeds. In the first half of 2018 alone, $1.33 billion was invested in HR Technology, surpassing the total spending of 2017. And that was just for new technologies, not upgrades to existing systems.
Today's leading organizations understand the importance of adopting a mobile-native mindset. Technology has given employers the ability to reach their workforce anytime, anywhere, and on any device, including the communication of employee benefits.
Here are five examples of how technology is doing just that:
1. Employee Benefits Platforms
In addition to reducing HR administration through automation and creating greater employee self-service through the enablement of digital enrolments, benefits platforms have revolutionized employee experience, including communication.
Whenever employees log in to their personalized benefits platform, they can read company messages and see announcements posted on their welcome page. The welcome page is the perfect place for administrators to post messages about new benefits or changes to existing benefits.
If you're using a benefits platform with its own integrated communication engine, you can also automate the delivery of messages, automate reminders about enrolment dates, and automate invitations during specific life events, such as work anniversaries.
2. Reach Your Entire Workforce via Smartphone
What would we do without our phones? According to research, the average adult spends 3.15 hours per day on their mobile phone (not including voice calls). Other studies show that the average person checks their phone every 12 minutes, with 10% checking their phone every four minutes.
With approximately 80% of workers globally said to be "deskless", being able to communicate to your entire workforce on the one device that's always with them gives today’s employers unparalleled reach.
Send push notifications to communicate new benefits, exciting offers, reminders about enrollment dates, or changes to existing enrollments directly to your employees' phones.
3. Personalization Through Targeted Communication
Today, we are all bombarded with information. The only way to cut through the clutter and to get your message through is through personalization.
Using the communication tools inside your benefits platform, you can use targeted communication to create a unique and personalized communications. Targeted communication allows the sender to adapt the content of the message and then send variations of the message to specific target groups so that it is personalized.
With the help of different filters, you can send your message to specific individuals, groups, departments, and even countries. For example, if you have a new benefit that is only relevant to specific employees or specific regions, you can send your message to only those who it concerns. You may also wish to communicate changes to a benefit and, therefore, only want to send the message to those who are enrolled in the benefit.
4. Multiple Channel Reach
Different generations have different communication preferences. Today, employers can use multiple channels to communicate with their workforce based on employee preferences.
Employers can use collaboration tools chats like Slack or Microsoft Teams to communicate information about benefits with their workforce immediately. Most collaboration tools also allow for the creation of channels and sub-channels so you can send specific messages and updates to specific groups.
Using a benefits platform with an inbuilt communication engine, platform administrators can use self-service communication tools to post in-platform messages, send e-mails, or send push notifications to employees' phones, all from one source.
This way, employers send the right message to the right person through the right channel.
5. Engage Your Global Workforce Virtually
With workplaces everywhere currently working from home in connection to COVID-19, video and virtual meeting platforms such as Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams have become an essential part of every company’s communication.
Set up virtual company-wide meetings monthly or quarterly where you inform all employees - wherever they may be located - of important benefit enrollment dates, changes to benefits, new offers, and much more.
Additionally, record video messages or record webinars to communicate your benefits and then post the videos on the welcome page of your benefits platform, intranet, or even company social media channels.
Today, employers need to use all the communication tools they have available to reach their employees where they are, and to increase both benefits awareness and appreciation.
Be sure to download our whitepaper, An Employer’s Guide to Effective Communication, including tips on how to communicate during times of uncertainty.
