Just 39 per cent of employers believe their staff have a good understanding of the full range of employee benefits provided, according to Towergate Employee Benefits.
The research highlights that hybrid working is making communication more difficult, with 38 per cent of employers saying it’s harder to engage employees who work remotely. Meanwhile, 62 per cent now communicate health and wellbeing support more frequently, 43 per cent still struggle to tailor messages to different groups. Due to this, 55 per cent of employers are focusing more on digital tools such as apps and platforms to improve communication.
Employers cite several reasons for using digital benefits platforms with 34 per cent saying it helps employees see all their benefits in one place, 33 per cent saying it improves communication, 32 per cent saying it makes it easier for employees to use their benefits, another 32 per cent saying it provides access at any time, and 31 per cent saying it helps employees make personal choices about which benefits to choose.
According to Towergate, digital tools also support more targeted messaging, allowing employers to send relevant information to specific groups more effectively.
Towergate Employee Benefits head of Wellbeing Debra Clark says: “It’s positive to see that employers are clearly aware that communication of employee benefits is important, however in many cases, the current processes are not sufficient. What needs to happen now is for employers to fully understand the options open to them and to harness the tools to improve benefits communication.
“Employee understanding of benefits needs to be a core priority and this will only come with careful communication. If employees do not know about, and understand the benefits on offer, then they will not make use of them, and the employers will not receive the value for the business.”
