The first facet of any communications campaign is simple: audience. For HR, the audience is employees…all of them. But how do you reach them…all? AI and apps are hot right now, but HR has to help all kinds of actual humans understand and enroll in benefits. They’re in varying job roles, at different life stages, with diverse backgrounds and lifestyles, etc. We have some examples of past campaigns that may inspire you.
Yes, Go Digital (but Go Elsewhere, Too)
Sure, emails are definitely part of the communication mix. And, if you have the capability, so are text messages and app pushes. These digital comms are effective, but only if the language is understandable and instructions are clear.
The downside of digital is accessibility. Not all workers have access to their smartphone or the internet during work hours. Plus, you may need to ensure your digital comms are accessible to employees with disabilities. Technology has opened the door for screen readability, meaning PDFs and emails can be designed compatible with software that reads the screen and speaks to a vision-impaired employee.
Pat in purchasing will probably read an email about enrolling in benefits. Taylor in transport probably won’t…because you can’t read an email while driving a truck.
And truck drivers aren’t likely to read a work email once they’re home for the night. They will, however, flip through their snail mail.
Go to Print — Why It’s Still Important
From postcards and posters to mirror clings and table tents, printed comms are a great way to:
- Reach employees who don’t sit at a desk
- Ensure a captive audience (ahem, think posters in bathroom stalls)
- Get materials in front of decision-makers in employees’ homes
- Make it easy to snap a QR code off a poster, table tent, or flyer
Go Audio — Reach Their Ears if You Can
If you have access to these communication channels, your enrollment reminders can be catchy phrases that stick in employee minds:
- Loudspeaker announcements before the store opens or during a factory shift change
- Loud human announcements from HR and management during team huddles
- Radio broadcasts for truck drivers
We have more ideas for how you might reach your people — read about them here, or check out this infographic.
Learn by Example — These Examples
We’ve created hundreds of Open Enrollment communication campaigns and thousands of materials — newsletters, guides, webinars, emails, videos, postcards, posters, mirror clings, magnets, intranet articles, banners, texts, app pushes…and more.
We’ve pulled together a few to get you thinking about how you might improve your communications this year.
