Keeping members aware and informed of their union benefits is the best way to increase utilization.
The Current Benefits Landscape
As benefits have become a more important piece of compensation for workers, many unions and companies have responded by increasing their spending on benefits.
However, the number of workers using these benefits has been lower than expected, despite the value they bring. According to the latest research, less than half of eligible workers took advantage of voluntary benefits1 in the last few years.
Many leaders have been left wondering if the benefits they are paying for are being appreciated. If the need for benefits is still high but actual use is low, the problem often boils down to a lack of communication and awareness about these benefits to employees.
Benefit Professionals Weigh in On Their Communications
Those in charge of managing worker benefits have often struggled to find the time, methods and budget to tell workers about their benefits and provide updates when necessary.
A poll from the Society for Human Resource Management found some statistics that demonstrate how leaders and workers are running into problems:
- Less than 1 in 10 professionals said their employees were ‘very knowledgeable’ on company benefits2
- Just over 50% of employees only ‘somewhat agree’ that their organization’s benefit’s communication efforts are effective3
With both sides openly sharing their frustrations it's easy to see that there is room for improvement.
The problem also extends to confusing or vague onboarding documents and low availability of points-of-contact for company benefits. These factors likely account for the Randstad USA survey that found only 40% of employees said their employer helped them understand their benefits.4
How can leaders like you improve these issues affecting a majority of workplaces?
Improved Ways of Communicating to Your Union Members
Communicating in ways that resonate best with members is critical. Methods that have proven most effective include:
- Emails
- Text messages
- Employee portals
- Physical mail
- Employee apps
- Phone calls
- Benefit packets
Getting your message out to members isn't the only aspect to keep in mind. When crafting a communications plan, you should also make sure that:
- Messaging is clear and understandable
- Communication is frequent enough to keep benefits front of mind
- Messages are tailored to the appropriate audience
- Branding is consistent and recognizable
Growing Popularity of Employee Portals
The convenience and accessibility portals provide when using benefits has sped up the rate that leaders have implemented them. Portals also centralize where information about available benefits can be found and offer an easy solution to keep contact information up-to-date for members.
Additional Tips for Better Member Benefit Participation
Making sure leaders in your organization are trained and knowledgeable about the benefits is also important. Their ability to talk to members first-hand about their benefits and how they can help them improves solidarity and gives a personable experience.
Lastly, surveying employees on their preferred communication methods can help increase the likelihood of benefit utilization. It’s a great first step to make sure you start in the direction that will have the strongest impact.
How Member Resources is Leveraging Communication Technologies and Helping Unions
In addition to the quality and useful benefits Member Resources is proud to help unions provide to their members, we also create and send communications on behalf of union clients to their members. They help increase benefit utilization and inform members on topics relevant to their lives.
- Email and text message communications reach members where it's most convenient
- Handouts create easy reference points for members
- Each custom portal creates a convenient place for client members to see their available benefits at a glance and submit tickets to use their benefits
Learn more about the Member Resources Legal and Personal Protection Plan on our website or book a meeting to see our communication resources firsthand.
1 Employees Want Voluntary Benefits but Don’t Always Understand Them by Stephen Miller, CEBS
2,3 SHRM Research: Communicating and Leveraging Benefits by Stephen Miller, CEBS
4 How to Effectively Communicate Your Benefits to Employees by Tracy Avon
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