Benefits Communication: 7 Strategies to Handle New Hires With Care

Chances are, your employee benefits plan is one of the key reasons new hires joined your company. In fact, more than two-thirds of employees said that health care benefits are second only to salary when considering a job offer, according to a study by QuickBooks and Allstate Health Solutions.

So once you’ve acquired new talent, it’s up to you to ensure that they make the most of your benefits package. Otherwise, they could be dissatisfied or be lured away by another offer.

That’s why targeting your benefits communications plan to new hires is so important. Because they’re coming in fresh, they have a lot of catching up to do. At the same time, they’re going through orientation and trying to get up to speed on their jobs, so information is coming at them from all directions.

How do you find a happy medium—helping them make the right benefits choices while not feeling overwhelmed?

Here are seven strategies:

1. Start early. Before new employees start their jobs, they are often winding down their old jobs or taking some time off. This creates a relatively stress-free time to review their benefits and ask questions so they are better prepared to make benefits selections.
2. Give proper attention to benefits communication in orientation. These in-person or online sessions create an opportunity not only for information sharing but also dialogue to help ensure new hires have a clear understanding of their options. Allow adequate time for explanation and questions. According to a 2023 MetLife Employee Benefit Trends report, 61% of employees say they better understand their benefits when they’re explained in person or via live webinars.
3. Create a convenient resource to answer benefits questions. Establish a hotline or dedicated email and respond promptly. According to a survey by LegalShield, 79% of respondents said they prefer to have access to a live representative to answer their questions. 
4. Be proactive and personal. Assign HR team members to reach out to new hires to make sure they understand benefits and enrollment deadlines. Arm them with personalized summaries of each employee’s benefits eligibility.
5. Use a multi-touch communication plan. Employees have different learning styles, so use multiple communications channels including emails, online portals, mobile apps, text messaging and live communication to reach them effectively.
6. Don’t overwhelm. Spread out benefits information over the first few weeks with follow-up emails and even periodic check-ins.
7. Keep it clear and simple. Avoid industry jargon. Use infographics and short videos to quickly communicate key information. At the same time, give employees the opportunity to learn more. For example, interactive benefits portals allow them to explore options at their own pace.

Don’t forget to collect feedback from new employees and adapt your communication strategy accordingly. This will help new team members fully realize the value of their benefits, which will keep them happy, healthy and contributing to your company’s success.