"How support will be communicated should be considered upfront as part of the process of selecting benefits."
- Debra Clark, head of wellbeing at Towergate Health & Protection
Of those surveyed (500), 68% of employers believe that most of their employees have a good understanding of at least some of benefits, but only 31% believe their employees have a good understanding of all group benefits available.
Towergate Health & Protection believes that these findings demonstrated that the messages are getting through in some cases but employers should consider why this is not the same universally. The independent intermediary is concerned that employers may be “giving too much emphasis to some areas of support or relying on just one or two methods of communication.”
“Employers will have different ways of assimilating information, with some preferring in-person communications, while other favour written or online messages,” Towergate warned. Instead, employers should implement a wide range of communication methods, and ensure messages are regularly conveyed, so that the details are fresh in the mind of the employee and easily accessible when needed.
Similarly, Towergate believes that benefits providers, suppliers and intermediaries can help communicate benefits alongside employers, and that communication channels need to be considered as soon as employers choose which benefits to instate.
Towergate highlighted that there are now platforms available to ensure all health and wellbeing support can be accessed through a hub so that the employer can be kept up to date with utilisation rates. These platforms often have communication methods built in and help ensure regular and widespread engagement.
Commenting on these findings, Debra Clark, head of wellbeing at Towergate Health & Protection, has said:
“An employee may have awareness of the benefits that interest them now but if their circumstances change, they may not know how to access the best support. For example, they may not take notice of the mental health support in place as they don’t feel it applies to them. If the situation suddenly changes, and they have a mental health crisis, they won’t know where to find crucial help.”
Clark continued: “If employers are investing in health and wellbeing support, then it is vital that they also invest in the communication of this support. A company can offer the best benefits in the industry, but if the employees are not aware of them, then neither they, nor the business will reap the rewards. How support will be communicated should be considered upfront as part of the process of selecting benefits.”
