Over the past decade, we’ve seen a trend of HR departments diversifying their benefits vendors in an effort to mitigate rising costs and give their employees the choice and flexibility they crave. This diversification definitely provides value, but it also leads to significant communication challenges.

Here are five common mistakes HR departments make when communicating HR benefits and some tips for avoiding them:

1. Open enrollment, open season

HR teams frequently send out a deluge of benefits information once a year, right around the time of open enrollment. The overwhelming amount of information can seem daunting to employees who put it in a drawer, or worse, in the trash, instead of perusing it carefully.

A more effective approach is to break that information down into more digestible chunks and dole them out regularly over the course of the year. Whether studying for a mid-term exam or reading up on healthcare plan options, people absorb and retain information better this way. The human brain can only take in so much at a time.

HR teams should forego the “cram session” model and provide ongoing learning opportunities. For example, by providing your employees a one-stop-shop portal accessible via the Web and their mobile phones, employees can receive information about their benefits throughout the year. Furthermore, an effective customer relationship management (CRM) system that’s part of a health management platform can be extremely helpful in that it can automate ongoing communications to your employees.

Request an Organization HR Needs Assessment. An HR specialist will help identify your needs and  tailor specific solutions for your company.

Nicole Bellow

Smarter HR Solutions

Article courtesy of HRMorning.com