Tout Your “Hidden” Benefits with These 5 Tips

New Year’s Resolutions Are the Water Cooler Talk. Join the Conversation.
We know it seems too easy to use this as a hook. But, there truly is no better time to tout your company’s health, wellness and financial programs – those hidden, under-used programs — than at the beginning of the year.

  • Resolutions are top of mind. You have your employees’ attention. They are open at this time to receiving information and engaging in programs that can help them lose weight, save money and manage stress.
  • Resolutions are hard to keep. More than half of us will give up on our resolutions by February, if not already. You’ll be the hero if you have the solution to help employees keep theirs, for once!

5 Tips to Use Today

With each of these communications tasks, remember: Keep it simple. Your communications strategy is to let employees know these health, wellness and financial programs exist. It’s not to give every detail or nuance of every HR and benefit program. But do give clear direction on where employees can learn more.

  1. Create an Email / Newsletter Article – List out the top resolutions (search online for a listing) then direct employees to your company’s specific HR and benefit programs that can help. It may be your EAP, company wellness programs, medical plan wellness programs, 401(k) vendor’s financial advisor tools, or insurance plan’s legal services. Do your research. You may have to remind yourself of what’s available. Then use links within your email to take employees directly to each program website, or where they can go to find more information.
  2. Distribute a Repurposed Flyer – Engage employees who don’t have a desk. Take the email/newsletter content from above and turn it into a flyer that can be distributed at employee meetings, in employee mailboxes, in the company cafeteria or in other meeting areas. Heck put one inside each bathroom stall. Talk about undivided attention!
  3. Set Up a “Tell Me Your Resolution. I’ll Tell You How to Succeed” Booth – Yes a booth…somewhat. Set up within your company cafeteria, general gathering area or at your building’s front door during lunch hours (catch employees on their way to restaurant row). All you need is a table, poster, print outs of program materials (all vendors have information online) and a laptop. You’ll be fully equipped to talk about the relevant HR and benefit programs.
  4. Update Your Intranet/Internet – Be sure the home page of your employee and benefits websites include links and maybe even features of all of your health, wellness and financial programs.
  5. Remember Employees Are Just Like You – No matter the department, title or job responsibilities, we all struggle to keep our resolutions. Use your communication tools and vendor resources to help your employees stay on track. Who knows…it just might help you to stay focused as well!

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