effective benefit communications handout slidee set 03-14 · effective benefit communications 1...

Par cipant Handout

Presented by Julie Adamik, CEBS, CCP, VBP

Effec ve Benefit Communica ons 2014 Mid-Sized Re rement & Healthcare Plan Management Conference

Presented by Julie Adamik CEBS, CCP, CBP

Effective Benefit Communications

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2014 Mid-Sized Retirement & Healthcare Conference Effective Benefit Communications

Julie Adamik CEBS, CCP, CBPClick to Play Intro Loop

Leading specialty retailer that provides the products, services and advice that make it easier for customers to be great pet parents.

Quick Facts• More than 1,500 stores• Stores in all 50 states and Puerto Rico• 25,000 employees• Vision Statement: Healthier Pets.

Happier People. Better World.

A Little Bit About Petco

What We’ll Cover

The case for effective benefit communications11

10 common benefit communication mistakes22

Benefits program branding33

Communications emerging trends44

Case study – Petco benefits program rebranding55

10 keys to better benefit communications66


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Less rich benefits program communicated effectively

Rich benefits program communicated poorly

The Case for Effective Benefit CommunicationsRelationship between communication and employee satisfaction with benefitsRelationship between communication and employee satisfaction with benefits

22%

76%

Source: Towers Watson WorkUSA Study

Employee Satisfaction with Benefits Program

We cover too much information by sending out one communication at Open Enrollment crammed with 15 different messages and a dozen benefit acronyms.

10 Common Benefit Communication Mistakes


We assume all employees absorb and retain information in the same way and prefer the same medium.


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We assume professional sounding language is better than simple “plain speak” in benefit communications.

All I see is blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.


We think employees read their Open Enrollments materials from cover to cover.


We assume employees will act on our messages without telling them why and without asking them to act.

Wait. Why am I doing this again?


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It’s 8 pages long, front and back, in 7 point type and one quarter inch margins… to save on printing costs.


We believe employees take their benefits information home to discuss with family members because the envelope says IMPORTANT on the outside.

What little family time we have, we spend reading about benefits!

What’s a benefit?


We accept management’s premise that a $2,500 communication budget should be adequate to communicate a $15 millionbenefits package.

Let’s see… that should just about cover one paycheck stuffer per employee. Great!


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We let the Legal Department “help” us draft our benefit communications. “Good news! Your 2-page Benefits Summary is now 10 pages

with a lot of legalese inserted like ‘heretofore’, ‘aforementioned’ and other mumbo jumbo to protect the company from employees who claim they don’t understand their benefits.”

Legal Dept.


Yawn… if it’s about benefits, it’s probably boring.

Benefits Program Branding

Why is It Important?

• Increases employee understanding, appreciation, and buy-in of benefit programs and company culture.

• Internal branding is a powerful tool for all aspects of employment, including employee benefits.

• Creates an emotional connection between employees and the company.


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What does it mean to brand your benefits?

Security Partnership

Peace of Mind Healthy Living

Unique Programs

Comprehensive Work-Life Balance

Progressive

Best Benefits in Industry Consumerism

All Stages of Life

FunDay One CoverageEasy

Safety Net

Just the Basics

Low Cost

Range of Choices

Personal Responsibility

Think about a few key values or attributes you want your benefits program to communicate. Here are some examples.


Look for internal company resources.

Leverage your company information.

Spend some time sifting through your company’s marketing information and choose images, words and phrases that ring true for your benefits.

Adhere to your company’s graphic standards.

Including colors, fonts, logos, imagery, etc.

Come up with a program name and consider a tagline.

Work with marketing or corporate communications to leverage the company message into one that applies to your benefits program.

Benefits Program Branding Examples


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PAWS for Health is the name of Petco’s Well-Being Program

Petco Associates Well-Being StrategyPAWS is an acronym for


Why It Works

A dog’s paw print is a recognizable industry icon

“PAWS” for Health… We want our associates to “pause” and think about their own health and well-being.

Benefits Program Branding Example

Barking About Benefits Quarterly Magazine Retirement Savings Issue


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EAP Poster

1 Billionsmartphonesin use globally

1 Billionsmartphonesin use globally

50%of all local searches arefrom a mobile phone

50%of all local searches arefrom a mobile phone

86%of mobile internet users use their device while watching television

86%of mobile internet users use their device while watching television

2014is the year that mobile internet usage will overtake desktop internet usage

2014is the year that mobile internet usage will overtake desktop internet usage

200 Millionmobile YouTube views occur every day

200 Millionmobile YouTube views occur every day

Smartphone Adoption

A Few Facts & Figures

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2010/03/090903-is-mobile.png; http://www.orangesoda.com/blog/wp-content/thumbnails/2410.png; http://searchengineland.com/the-united-state-of-social-mobile-marketing-63511; http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2011/2/comScore_Releases_Inaugural_Report_The_2010_Mobile_Year_in_Review; http://www.morganstanley.com/institutional/techresearch/pdfs/Internet_Trends_041210.pdf; http://www.psfk.com/2011/01/tv-goes-hand-in-hand-with-the-mobile-internet-infographic.html

Sources

Next Slide


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text messages are sent and received everyday

6,900,000,000*

* OMG that’s a lot of messages.



YouTube Statistics• More than 3 billion videos

are viewed each day• 35 hours of video are

uploaded every minute• Base age demographic is

18 to 54.

Online video and multimedia has exploded on the Internet making it a common form of information.

Communication Emerging Trends

At Petco, we are currently developing our Barking About Benefits mobile web with benefits content, forms, tools, videos and other resources accessible outside the corporate firewall.

Barking About BenefitsMobile Web


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Today, we use QR codes on print communications to connect employees to a digital benefits video library which can be viewed on a computer, iPAD, eReader or any web-enabled smartphone.

QR Codes

Scan this QR Code with your web-enabled smartphone to access a short video about Open Enrollment for 2013.


Today, we use QR codes on print communications to connect employees to a digital benefits video library which can be viewed on a computer, iPAD, eReader or any web-enabled smartphone.

QR Codes

Scan this QR Code with your web-enabled smartphone to access a short video about Open Enrollment for 2013.

SCANNING


Benefit videos should be designed for viewing on any web-enabled device… including smartphones. The best videos are short and to the point… no more than 5 minutes in length.

Next Slide


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REI highlights the key features of each medical plan using enthusiastic employee bobbleheadsand short jingles.

Click below to play

Next Slide

www.foryourbenefit-rei.com


The Kaiser Family Foundation created this educational video to explain health care reform in a way that’s fun, creative and easy to understand… and is available for free.

Click below to play

http://healthreform.kff.org/the-animation.aspx

Health Care Reform ExplainedHealth Care Reform Explained


The Kaiser Family Foundation created this educational video to explain health care reform in a way that’s fun, creative and easy to understand… and is available for free.

http://healthreform.kff.org/the-animation.aspx

Next Slide


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Petco Benefits Program Rebranding

Develop a communications strategy to include creation of a new employee benefits brand that’s fun, authentic, easy to understand and connects to elements of the company’s external brand.

…and roll it out with Open Enrollment

Our Challenge

Petco Benefits Program Rebranding

The new employee benefits brand should be:

Use everyday language, be honest

Straightforward

Friendly and approachable

Conversational

Explain benefits like you are talking to someone face-to-face

Engaging

Energetic and fun

Positive

Open Enrollment Communication Touch Points

2Letter to

Employees

10Online

EnrollmentSystem

5Open

Enrollment Poster

3Managers OE

Toolkit

4OE Employee Preview Mailer

6Petco TV

Ads

7Open

Enrollment Guide

8Open

Enrollment Video

9Onsite Open Enrollment Meetings

1Leadership

Summit Handout

11Call Center

Employees

Click on each touch point to see an example. Leadership Summit HandoutLetter to Employees Introducing

Private ExchangeOpen Enrollment Toolkit

for Managers

Open Enrollment Employee Preview MailerOpen Enrollment Posters

Petco TV Ads

Open Enrollment Guide

Open Enrollment VideoOnsite Employee

MeetingsOnline Enrollment System

Call Center

Communication Touch Points

Next Slide


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The Open Enrollment communication helped me

understand the benefits offered by Petco.

The Open Enrollment communication was

easy to read.

The Open Enrollment communication was

useful to me.

93%Agree or Strongly Agree



What We Learned (2,000 Employees Completed a Post Open Enrollment Survey)

What Our Employees Said“The materials were absolutely fantastic compared to previous years. I really understood my choices for once.”

“It’s very refreshing to have a company provide a full explanation of the benefits offered and how it affects my pocketbook.”

“Very nice magazine. Entertaining and informative.”

“I like the new options we have for benefits.Thecoverage is really good.”

“The benefits magazine was informative, understandable and easy on the eyes.”

“The magazine was way easier to read than any other employer’s materials.”

“I love our benefits! I really like the benefits magazine and even showed some of my friends.”

“Our benefits communication rocks! First time I ever wanted to look at an employer’s benefits booklet.”

Employee Perceptions… Trending in the Right Direction

41%

46%49%

60%

43%

45%

53%

30

40

50

60

2010 2011 2012 2013

Petco’s benefits package is comparable to benefit packages at similar companies.Q

DistributionCenters

CorporateOffice


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Clarity of MessageSay it quick and make it stick. Benefits are complicated – keep your messages simple and understandable.

10#

10 Keys to Better Benefit Communications

Audience TypesRecognize different learning styles and communication preferences.

9#10 Keys to Better Benefit Communications

…to stand out, but keep company brand guidelines in mind.

Design with Flair8#



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Excite Your AudienceThe ultimate goal is to excite and engage your employees.


Keep Communications HonestBe open and honest. Dispel fear and suspicion.


Did someone say “chick flick”? 5#

Communication ChannelsAim for multiple touch points using a variety of media –incorporating video whenever possible.



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Explore Social Media Toolsto expand your reach and create new opportunities to connect with your

younger workforce.



3#Listen and ShareDevise mechanisms to listen and gather feedback. Share feedback with your employees.

Improve and EnhanceAdapt communications according to feedback and success.



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And finally, the #1 key to better


(wait for it)

benefit communications is...

Tillman the Surfing Bulldog | www.youtube.com/user/tillmanskateboarding/There’s no rule that says benefit communications have to be boring.


1#

QuestionsJulie Adamik CEBS, CCP, [email protected]

effective benefit communications handout slidee set 03-14 · effective benefit communications 1...

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