Selecting benefits can often be a confusing and stressful time for employees. With a dearth of information, a lack of recommendation and pressure to choose the benefits quick; it can often lead to employees choosing benefits that aren’t suited for them and later regret their decision in a time of need.

Employers must ensure that the time they put in to designing the benefits should somewhat match the time they take to recommend those very benefits. A recent research shows the dire need for employees who must be helped and guided while selecting benefits.

Jellyvision, a distributor of benefits administration software conducted a survey of 2,043 full-time U.S. employees and discovered the following:

55% of the employees said they’d appreciate guidance from their employer while choosing health insurance plans.

49% of employees responded to the survey revealing that choosing insurance plans was “very stressful.”

20% of employees also revealed that they don’t follow correspondence related to benefits, neither do they read information brochures or attend benefits meetings.

Keeping in mind these issues, here’s how employers can help employees in order for them to make meaningful decisions that serve their best interest in the long run.

Tools and Benefits Calculators

Solutions backed up by data can go a long way in guiding employees when it comes to decision-making.

Instead of letting employees put in hours of tedious labor to conduct their own research on benefits, tech-based tools can speed up the process while providing much-needed help for employees.

Some of the tools that can be used are:

  • Benefit-needs calculators:These can inform employees on how much insurance coverage they actually need.
  • Plan-comparison tools:These tools can guide employees on conducting a comparative analysis of different medical plans.
  • Flowchart-style concepts:This system suggests plans based on each employee’s individual needs.

Additionally, companies can use many different communication channels to help employees. These will include:

  • Printed Summaries: These documents can summarize plans in simple language without the use of technical jargon.
  • Decision Tools: Tools such as calculators and flowcharts can be provided on the enrollment portal to aid employees while choosing benefits.

 

  • Call Center:A call centre can be an easy source for employees to access when they need help with last-minute decisions.

It is imperative to let employees know where and how to gain information during the decision-making process. Consistent support from employers is bound to result in employees making benefits decisions that they are happy with and will genuinely serve them in the future.

We at JS Benefits Group pride ourselves for designing effective employee benefits programs that are demanded by today’s diverse workforce. We provide customized employee benefits and wellness programs for hundreds of businesses in the Mid-Atlantic region. Contact us today to learn how our unique and effective approaches can help you and your employees.