Employers are failing to give information to staff on their workplace benefits, according to new research.
Around one in three employees (34 per cent of those surveyed) said they wanted more information on the benefits and perks available.
The research, by Canada Life Group, found one in five employees (20 per cent) received information when they first joined the company, but have had no further communications since.
Meanwhile, almost one in 10 employees (9 per cent) said they had no idea which workplace benefits were available to them.
Despite this lack of communication most employees (75 per cent) believe that their employer adopts a positive approach towards their wellbeing.
The research also highlighted which benefits employees valued most. Two fifths of those surveyed said they would feel “more positive about their employer” if they offered an annual bonus.
The next most valuable benefit was private medical insurance, which would make 33 per cent of employees feel more valued by their employer.
In terms of protection products employees would feel more positive about their employer if they offered income protection (31 per cent), life insurance (26 per cent) or critical illness cover (25 per cent).
The research also found that employers need to regularly re-evaluate their communication channels. Over half (56 per cent) of employees would prefer to receive information on workplace benefits via email, followed by face-to-face interactions (29 per cent) and an intranet hub (26 per cent).
Canada Life Group Insurance marketing director Paul Avis says: “Workplace benefits should be a top priority for employers. Not only do they improve employee wellbeing, they are useful tools to attract and retain top talent which will become increasingly important as the war for talent intensifies.”
He adds: “Our research suggests a renewed focus on email updates, face-to-face communication or an internal intranet system is a good place to fully articulate the availability of workplace benefits.
“This will ensure that all staff members understand which perks are available to them and will ultimately improve their perception of their employer.
“Advisers also have a role to play in arming employers with the information and tools necessary to effectively promote benefits within the workplace.”
