You’ve heard it before from BTR: “Technology is only as good as the team you have servicing it.”

The saying also applies to the communication strategy employers use around their HR Technology. Communication is key for the varying phases of technology deployment and can make or break the overall user experience. Designing an effective communication strategy for HR technology will support overall business objectives and investment.

Implementation Go Live

The most obvious time to communicate about technology is when it is new! Employers will see wider adoption of their new technology by informing employees about the existence and purpose of the system. BTR generally recommends including flyers, emails, and instructional guides as part of your Go Live communication strategy.

Onboarding

New hires typically require lots of support during onboarding. Designing a communication strategy with new hires in mind will facilitate a positive experience for employees and administrators alike. Applying customized verbiage within the technology itself supports corporate messaging and education. Benefit enrollment counselors also provide a personal touch to new hires as they learn more about their new employer.

Open Enrollment

Renewals are a busy time. Taking the lift off the HR team by leveraging benefit education specialists, call centers, instructional guides, and more are key elements of any Open Enrollment strategy. The most important consideration for employers regarding Open Enrollment communication is the timeline – communicating early, often, and consistently with employees about how to execute their elections for the coming plan year will improve the overall renewal process.

Notices & Trainings

BTR is seeing more and more employers leverage HR technology for employer notices and trainings. Improvements in automation across the market allow employers to fold their company notices into enrollment workflows, with the ability to generate acknowledgment reports on the backend. Employers are also adding links to employee sites within their HR technologies to facilitate easy access to necessary trainings.

BTR specializes in deploying HR technologies, including strategies for communication. If your organization would like to consult with BTR about your HR Technology communication strategy, please email your inquiry to BTRProjects@bentechre.com.

About the Author

Holli Brummett supports BTR as the Business Development Coordinator, focusing on new opportunities and business development for the BTR Extend Division. Holli brings to the team several years of Benefits Administration experience on multiple systems, working with broker teams as well as employers across many industries, including manufacturing, school districts, hospital systems, and more.

“41% of U.S. employees spend 15 minutes or less researching health care benefit options during open enrollment.” Do you remember this 2014 survey stat? It generated a lot of conversation among HR professionals — especially when compared to research that showed Americans spend at least two hours deciding which television to buy. We’re confident that the results would be much the same if the survey was conducted today. Employers are frustrated with employees’ lack of engagement in their benefits.

People are a company’s biggest expense. In the 2020 State of Talent Optimization Report, executives reported that 64% of their total company costs were salary and benefits. The most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that, in the private sector, benefits represent nearly one-third (29.2%) of total compensation. Given these numbers, it’s not surprising that employers are looking for ways to help employees better understand the value of their benefits — especially at a time when “retention” tops the list of many employers’ organizational concerns and HR priorities, regardless of industry or size.

We understand your pain. Every year you invest significantly in employee benefits that you believe will advance your recruitment and retention efforts. But if employees don’t know or understand the value of these benefits, you’re not getting a good return on that investment. The best way to counter this is with the one-two punch of technology and employee engagement.

An industry merger provides an expertise “twofer”

In January, iBenefit Communication (iBC) acquired Benefit Technology Resources (BTR). We brought our companies together into one cohesive team because it is apparent that employers want and need a more integrated employee communication and enrollment solution. Together, we offer:

• Top-of-the-line, best-fit HCM, Payroll and Benefits Administration delivery and consulting on the full spectrum of solutions designed to advance the organization’s people strategy, and
• Personalized employee communication and engagement support to educate employees on the value of their benefits and help them make informed choices using a high-touch approach that builds trust, creates loyalty, and increases retention.

Lean into the human experience to increase retention

The counselor-assisted approach to benefits enrollment is key to building a relationship with employees. Today’s employees want a more personal connection with their employer. Before the seismic shift to remote and hybrid work options, the HR tech market was trending towards greater employee engagement. This new norm only adds to the need to lean into the human experience.

Our combined services represent a total package to leverage benefits as a retention strategy. We’re also happy to assist you with just one (or any combination) of our service offerings, including:

• Benefits administration technology. Pre-vetted, versatile platforms with top-notch implementations and unmatched service and support.
• HR technology consulting. Expertise in HR tech procurement, analysis, and optimization to help you get the most out of your HR technology ecosystem. We’re a trusted advisor, providing independent and agnostic guidance to help you make sense of today’s complex HR tech marketplace and identify solutions to meet your unique needs.
• Personalized education and engagement. One-on-one, concierge-level benefits education and enrollment support with a Benefits Education Specialist for every employee, resulting in more informed employee decisions and a stronger employer-employee connection.

The employee-employer balance of power in the talent market has shifted, and the employee is in the driver’s seat. Employers are responding with better benefits to attract and retain good talent. Your benefit offering is one of your most important recruiting tools. Get the most from your investment with personalized employee engagement and education supported by technology that delivers an enhanced employee experience.

Contact your iBC or BTR representative to learn more and discuss your retention strategy.

Sources:

About the Author

Jamie Hawkins is Founder & CEO of Benefit Technology Resources. She has been in the HR Technology industry for over 20 years and is considered an industry thought-leader on providers, services, and trends.  Jamie serves as the Director of Technology for several well-known broker and consultant affinity groups, such as Benefit Advisors Network, and Assurex Global.  She is also a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and speaks throughout the US on HR Technology trends

About the Author

Phillip Goodrum is Founder & CEO of iBenefit Communication. Phillip has a diverse background leading multiple businesses in the technology, insurance and healthcare sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from The University of Tennessee and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the Jack C. Massey School of Business at Belmont University. Phillip resides in Charlotte with his wife and five children.

On January 7^th, the Supreme Court of the United States heard arguments about the OSHA ETS Vaccine and Testing Mandate for Large Employers with 100+ employees as well as the vaccine mandate for certain Healthcare workers and facilities. After several days of deliberation, the Supreme Court ruled on January 13^th, that the mandate for large employers was too broad, blocking the OSHA ETS from activation—with one exception: the vaccine requirement for certain health care workers in facilities participating in Medicare or Medicaid will take effect.

As impacted healthcare employers scramble to respond to the January 13^th ruling, there are crucial steps business leaders can take to prepare for implementing a Vaccine and Testing tracking solution.

Steps for Healthcare Facilities can take now

• Review your employee handbook and employment contracts to identify changes needed regarding your organization’s COVID-19 vaccine policy
• Enact policies to ensure all required employees are treated equitably
• Establish specific timelines and goals for compliance across your organization
• Consult with legal counsel to ensure procedures and implementation are executed properly and communicated effectively
• Talk with your current technology providers to assess solutions for collecting proof of vaccination, validation processes, confidentiality, etc.
• Determine if the solution is adaptable to changing requirements such as booster shots, reporting needs, etc.?

If your organization finds itself in need of a vaccine-or-testing tracking strategy, BTR can help! Feel free to reach out to us at BTRProjects@bentechre.com to ask questions or to schedule a consultation.

Please note: This publication includes a high-level overview of the federal mandate. The requirements may differ based on specific state laws and may have special application to employers in varying industries. BTR is in no way providing medical advice or guidance on the COVID-19 vaccine or any vaccine or medical diagnosis. If you have questions about whether or not a vaccine is right for you, please consult your physician or go to for more information. Additionally, BTR is not positioned to provide legal advice in any manner, so please consult your ERISA or legal counsel before moving forward with vaccine tracking.

About the Author

Jannette Kresser coordinates BTR’s solution provider relationships and supports operational efficiencies for the Consulting Division. She has over 20 years of experience in project management, contract administration, process improvements, and new technology implementations

The HR technology market boasts a myriad of helpful employee-facing tools determined to make the employee experience magical and easy. HR technology is only worth the investment if employees actually use it.

But how can an organization ensure its people understand how to use the technology, especially if it is new?

Below are practical ways for HR administrators and business leaders to support employee adoption – and keep the workforce engaged – through HR technology.

Try to Break It

System Testing is a foundational element of launching any new technology. Employers should test their new system thoroughly, attempting to “break” the system or make mistakes common amongst employees. The testing phase not only allows for teams to catch errors and make corrections before going live, but also helps administrators become familiar with error messages and codes which in turn improves their user ability. Leverage your vendor partner’s testing materials as a starting point.

Enlist Focus groups

Once your system is tested and ready to go live, employers should enlist small groups of employees to review the system and test for user-friendliness. Focus groups support the endeavor of garnering much-needed feedback as well as adoption of the new technology. Focus groups can also highlight any gaps or needs for user education. Just be sure you actually act on the feedback – it’s their system!

Map out the Employee Experience

It is crucial for employees to know where to go and how to get there. HR teams should walk through the employee experience, so they are familiar with each step. HR teams will want to familiarize themselves with any transition points, such as when a New Hire will need to move from the HCM system to the benefits enrollment system via an API. Consider authoring a “site map” or similar document, complete with FAQs to use for internal education.

Speaking of Education…

We all know that knowledge is power. Educating your employees on the purpose for and opportunities within your organization’s technology can go a long way regarding adoption and utilization. A company-branded instructional guide with screenshots and arrows is a popular way to educate employees. Internal webinars and podcasts also support employee education. BTR also always recommends posting support contacts throughout the system in case employees need to reach out for help.

Customization

Most HR technologies can feature employer logos, colors, and more to make the site recognizable to employees. Company branding within your HR technology empowers employees to have more trust and comfort with executing HR-related tasks in the system. Some systems even allow for customized email alerts, notifications, and confirmation messaging which also support the employee experience.

These are just some of the ways that employers can support their employees’ experiences within HR technology. Making your organization’s technology easy to use and recognizable will support your overall technology strategy and success.

If your organization would like to learn more about BTR services, email BTRProjects@bentechre.com to get started today!

About the Author

Holli Brummett supports BTR as the Business Development Coordinator, focusing on new opportunities and business development for the BTR Extend Division. Holli brings to the team several years of Benefits Administration experience on multiple systems, working with broker teams as well as employers across many industries, including manufacturing, school districts, hospital systems, and more.