Many companies recognize the value of its human capital. Mix together talented employees, a killer culture and an attractive total rewards package, and you have the makings of a business with lasting power. But, if it's that easy, why are some companies finding that their employees are still not completely satisfied?
I’ll let you in on a secret – there is no one simple quick fix solution, but there are some simple tips that you can consider to get you thinking outside the box on how to truly engage your employees (and eventually, get them shouting from the rooftops on how fabulous you really are):
1. Figure out what makes your employees tick. Understanding your most valuable audience is key. Determine what motivates them and what helps to put a spring in their step as they get up every morning. Know who you are talking to and how to talk to them, to really connect at a level that will actually matter.
2. Understand your employees and how they interact with information. Remember that customer journey research you invested in to design your latest product or solution? Use similar methodology and determine:
3. Break things down and explain effectively. The truth of the matter is, you could be offering a rich total rewards package to your employees, but if you aren’t dedicating time or effort to effectively communicate the value of those rewards, your attempt to impress your employees may be met with blank faces. In many cases, employees are unaware of and don’t really understand the benefits that are available to them, thus contributing to the mysterious black hole that is known as the ‘perceived value gap’. To close this gap, an employee should be taken through a similar journey as a customer making the decision to buy an item. In this setting, the end goal is to get your employees speaking positively about their company and benefits.
4. Give them something to believe in and talk about. If you want employees to be your biggest advocates, give them something to be excited about. You are likely thinking, “but we are!”. This may be the case, but helping them to truly appreciate is a different thing. Through a range of engaging communication tools and tactics, you can educate and inspire employees by showing them the true value of what you are offering them. Take them through a journey to raise their awareness of what benefits are available to them, increase their understanding and clarity on how to make the most of them, give them a reason to believe and finally, give them something to get excited about so they won’t be able to help but sing your praises.
The bottom line is - don’t assume that just by having a brilliant total rewards package in place that your job is done. Make sure your employees understand exactly how the offering make their lives better by providing them with effective and engaging benefits communications that will help to close that big black ‘perceived value gap’ hole once and for all.
Get in touch if you’re interested to understand more about creating an employee experience around your total rewards, or how Mercer is helping other companies with their communication and branding strategy.
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