Does your organization offer voluntary employee benefits service, like dental, vision, life, disability, long-term care or pet insurance? This is something to be proud of! It shows how much you care about your most important investment: your people.

But are you communicating your voluntary benefits to your employees in a way that encourages them to make the most of their options? If not, the care and effort you put toward your benefit offerings could be going unnoticed or misunderstood.

Employees may be unfamiliar with the options or language associated with your voluntary benefits. As a result, they may be missing out on benefits that could greatly enhance their quality of life. To avoid underutilization of your voluntary benefits, you must learn to effectively communicate and market them.

In this article, we’ll explain how to educate your employees on your voluntary benefits in a way that resonates with your employees.

Start with clear, accessible information

When your goal is to educate your employees about the voluntary benefits available to them, the first step is to make your information clear, accessible, and easy to digest. You can start by offering a comprehensive benefits orientation during onboarding or before open enrollment.

Your materials and delivery should lean on simple language that explains key benefit terms, like copays, deductibles, and coinsurance. Designing a comprehensive orientation can be time-consuming, but it’s worth the effort. Many benefits providers, professional employer organizations (PEOs), and third parties offer their own workshops or webinars. You may consider partnering with one of these providers.

While training may only happen once or twice a year, educational resources like FAQ sheets, videos, or benefit dictionaries can be evergreen. Uploading information to your organization’s digital employee hub allows your employees to review key information when a new question arises. You can also direct them to competent staff if they have questions. This can be someone within your organization or your benefits provider.

Use multiple communication channels

Different people process information differently, and many of your employees may be missing emails, Slack messages, posted fliers, or in-person instruction. Because of this human element, it’s essential to use multiple communication channels. To make sure your information is being seen and heard:

  • Send regular digital communications, like emails and instant messages. Highlight specific benefits, particularly before your open enrollment period.
  • Post always-available information on employee portals.
  • Host voluntary benefit information sessions, Q&As, and refreshers with your HR team or benefits provider.

Don’t assume all employees know the basics

There are many significant barriers to employees fully understanding and utilizing their benefits. One of the most critical is education. Fortunately, it’s also easy to address. Research shows many Americans struggle to grasp key health insurance terms, which can lead to poor decision-making and underutilization of available resources.

A national survey published in the Journal of Health Literacy Research and Practice found that 50% of adults were not confident in their ability to use health insurance effectively, and just 16% knew how to calculate out-of-pocket costs. You can bridge this gap by breaking down complex concepts into straightforward explanations.

Reach employees in a way that feels impactful to them

Getting your employees to understand and appreciate your voluntary benefits becomes a lot easier when you can tune in to their interests. Remember that your employees’ interests and priorities often depend on demographic factors, like their age, family status, and career status.

For example, many younger employees may be more engaged with voluntary benefits like tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment or wellness perks. Mid-career employees may be interested in the convenience of telehealth options and child care subsidies. And older employees might prioritize retirement savings plans or life insurance options.

Regardless of demographic, certain benefits are of interest across all groups. For example, health savings accounts (HSAs) help employees with high-deductible health plans manage their medical expenses.

Demystify the enrollment process

Enrollment processes are notoriously complicated, especially for employees who are new to the workforce. And what’s worse, the periods always seem to come during a busy season at work. The complicated nature of the enrollment process can discourage employees from taking advantage of your voluntary benefits.

To combat this, employee benefits service providers see better results with pre-open enrollment training, virtually or in person. Whether you provide a video tutorial or hands-on support during enrollment periods, a bit of assistance goes a long way. Employers have found success through hosting enrollment assistance sessions where employees can ask questions as they go through the benefits selection process.

In the benefits world, education equals empowerment

Helping your employees understand your voluntary benefits can have tremendous advantages for you and them. When employees fully understand their voluntary benefits, they’re better equipped to make choices that make a difference in their lives. When you improve your current employee benefits service, you enhance employee satisfaction, reduce turnover, and maximize the value of your benefits spending.