Does your team understand your benefits package?

Many employers believe changes in the work environment have led to uncertainty over what employee benefits are on offer. 

According to research by Towergate Employee Benefits, only 53% of employers believe their team has a good understanding of the various perks and benefits they provide. 

This was attributed in part to people increasingly working on a hybrid basis, as 62% said it’s harder to communicate what support is on offer because many colleagues are working from home either some or all of the time. 

Meanwhile, 64% admitted that they find it harder to ensure communications are always relevant to specific groups within a diverse workforce. 

Nevertheless, employers are still working to make sure that the message gets across to members of their team. 

For example, 76% said they are communicating health and wellbeing support more regularly, while 75% are concentrating more heavily on digital health and wellbeing communications, such as through apps and digital platforms. 

Responding to the findings, Debra Clark, head of wellbeing at Towergate Employee Benefits, said benefits are “effectively wasted” if they aren’t communicated to the workforce. 

However, she noted that it is “clear from our research that employers need some help in doing so, due to the shift in work settings and diverse employee profiles”. 

Ms Clark pointed out that with the emergence of digital platforms, employers now have lots of ways to let people know about the full range of health and wellbeing support that they offer. 

This, she added, can be a “great way to help a benefits package provide value for money and a return on investment”.