The hidden reason your employee benefits strategy may be underperforming

By Jo Jory, consultant

Why communication is the missing link in employee benefits 

Organisations invest significantly in employee benefits to attract talent, support wellbeing and improve retention. From private medical insurance and pensions to wellbeing services and lifestyle support, benefits are designed to deliver meaningful value for both employees and employers. 

Yet many employers face a common challenge: your employees can only benefit from support they know about, understand and can access when they need it. 

Without communication, this means even the most comprehensive employee benefits package can become an underutilised cost to your business rather than a strategic asset. 

In today’s hybrid and remote working environment, where employees expect information to be available instantly, communication is increasingly becoming the factor that determines whether benefits succeed or fail. 

As benefits become more sophisticated, the challenge is no longer simply deciding what benefits to offer. The challenge is ensuring employees actually use them. 

The awareness gap: why employees do not use their benefits 

Research consistently shows that employee awareness remains a significant challenge. 

According to GRiD, 57% of employers believe their workforce is aware of and understands all the benefits available to them. At the same time, 35% of employees say their company doesn’t communicate benefits or cannot remember receiving communications. This suggests many employers may be investing in valuable support that is simply not reaching employees effectively. 

But awareness is only part of the challenge.  

Even when employees know a benefit exists, they still need to be able to find the information they need quickly and easily when the need arises. 

Research from Lucid found that an overwhelming majority of workers spend up to two hours a day searching for information relevant to their role, highlighting the impact fragmented systems and poor information accessibility can have on engagement. 

In the context of employee benefits this creates a clear risk. If employees cannot quickly find information about available support, eligibility requirements or how to access a service, they are far less likely to engage with it. The benefit may exist but from the employee’s perspective, it may as well not. 

The result is a disconnect between employer investment and employee experience. You can offer excellent benefits, but if your employees are unaware of them or cannot easily access information about them, those benefits are unlikely to deliver their full value. 

The business cost of poor benefits communication 

A lack of understanding does not just lead to low engagement. It can actively undermine the purpose of your benefits programme. 

For example, private medical insurance (PMI) schemes often provide access to musculoskeletal (MSK) support or physiotherapy services. These lower-cost interventions can address issues early and prevent them from developing into more serious, and more costly conditions. 

However, employees cannot use support they do not know exists. Without effective communication: 

• Employees may delay seeking help 

• Health conditions can become more complex 

• Recovery periods may be longer 

• Productivity may be negatively affected 

• Costs for employers and insurers can increase 

This represents a missed opportunity, not just financially, but in terms of employee wellbeing and organisational performance. 

“Many employers focus on improving the benefits they offer, when the bigger opportunity may be improving how employees discover and access them. Even the most valuable benefit cannot make an impact if employees don’t know it’s there.” 

Jo Jory, Consultant 

Why traditional benefits communication is no longer enough 

Historically, benefits communication relied heavily on: 

• Benefits fairs 

• Posters 

• Employee handbooks 

• Face-to-face presentations 

• Annual enrolment communications 

While these methods still have a role, they are often based around employer timelines rather than employee needs. 

In many organisations, benefits communications are concentrated around: 

While these remain important touchpoints, the challenge is clear: these moments are rarely relevant to the employee at the time.  

Benefits information is often delivered long before it is needed, with the expectation that employees will remember it months, or even years, later before they need it. 

Today’s employees expect access to relevant information at the point of need, not a reminder to search through old communications.  

How to improve employee benefits engagement through relevant communication 

Effective communication is no longer simply about providing information. It’s about delivering the right information to the right employee at the right time. 

This requires moving away from one-size-fits-all communication towards a more personalised approach.  

A more effective model includes: 

Ongoing communication: Benefits should be promoted throughout the year, rather than relying on annual communication campaigns. 

Targeted communications: Different employee groups are likely to be interested in different types of support. 

Trigger-based messaging: Communications triggered by specific employee circumstances or actions can help make benefits more timely, relevant and engaging. 

When employees receive communication that feels relevant and meaningful to them, engagement is far more likely to follow.  

For example: 

Why life events create opportunities for benefits engagement 

Some of the strongest triggers for benefits engagement occur during major life events, including: 

• Starting a family 

• Buying a home 

• Marriage or partnership 

• Becoming a carer 

• Experiencing a health issue 

These moments often increase an employee’s need for support and guidance. However, they can also be difficult for employers to identify and track. 

Benefits platforms can help bridge this gap. When employees notify the platform of a life event, relevant support and communications can be triggered automatically. 

However, this creates a circular challenge. 

Employees need to know the platform exists, understand its purpose and see its value before they engage with it in the first place. 

This reinforces the need for consistent, ongoing communication that builds awareness over time.

Technology supports communication, but doesn’t replace it 

A modern employee benefits platform can make benefits easier to find, understand and access. It can also help employers deliver more personalised communications based on employee needs, preferences and life events. 

However, technology alone rarely drives engagement. 

The greatest impact comes when an intuitive platform is supported by a clear communication strategy that keeps benefits visible, relevant and easy to access throughout the year. 

Flexcel, Broadstone’s employee benefits platform, helps employers bring benefits, communications and employee engagement together in one place, creating a simpler experience for both employers and employees. 

Learn more about Flexcel 

Accessibility is just as important as awareness 

Communication alone is not enough. 

Even when employees know a benefit exists, they still need to find information quickly, understand what it provides and know how to access support. They should be able to answer three simple questions: 

1. What support is available? 

2. How do I access it? 

3. What should I do next? 

Whether the information sits within a benefits platform, intranet or employee hub, the experience should be intuitive and easy to navigate.  

Employees must be able to: 

• Find relevant information quickly 

• Understand what the benefit offers 

• Know how to access support 

• Take action without unnecessary barriers 

Clear calls to action are essential. The most effective communications do not simply inform. They direct employees towards a clear next step whether that’s accessing a service, speaking to a provider or learning more. 

What does an effective benefits communication strategy look like? 

Leading employers increasingly recognise that benefits communication is not a one-off campaign. It is an ongoing strategic activity. 

Successful organisations typically: 

• Communicate throughout the year 

• Tailor messaging for different employee groups 

• Use multiple communication channels 

• Align communications with employee needs and life events 

• Measure engagement and refine their approach over time 

This shift helps transform benefits from a static offering into a more dynamic, employee-centric experience. 

Turning benefits into value: helping employees use what you provide 

Employee benefits have the potential to improve wellbeing, strengthen engagement and support retention. However, those outcomes depend on more than the benefits themselves. 

In our digital-first environment, employees increasingly expect instant access to relevant information. Employers that achieve the greatest return on investment are those that ensure their employees understand their benefits, can access them easily and receive information when they need it most. 

The question for employers is no longer: 

What benefits do we offer? 

It’s: 

How effectively are we helping employees use them? 

Because the true value of any benefits programme is measured not by what is available, but by what employees actually use. 

Final thought 

If one of your employees needed support today, would they know:  

• What support is available? 

• Where to find it? 

• How to access it quickly and confidently? 

If the answer is uncertain, the issue may not be the benefits themselves. The opportunity could lie in helping your employees discover, understand and use the support you already provide. 

Employers that combine effective communication, targeted messaging and accessible technology are more likely to increase utilisation, improve employee outcomes and maximise the value of their investment.