Three dos and three don’ts of benefits personalisation
The process of crafting a personalised benefits package can be daunting, but if you follow this list of simple dos and don’ts you should be well on the way to perfect personalisation.
DO: use the data you have access to
There has never been a one-size-fits-all solution to employee benefits, and with today’s diverse workforce, meeting employee needs has become more complicated than ever. This is where data analytics comes in. When used in business, data analytics are often referred to as HR analytics, as they offer HR departments a unique opportunity to significantly increase the wellbeing of their employees and improve benefits uptake. HR analytics can give HR departments instant insights into what a workforce wants and uses, allowing HR to see which benefits are popular, when they’re most popular and helps them work out why.
DON’T: collect identifiable data
Now more than ever, it is imperative for businesses to understand and respect consumer rights regarding their data privacy. To avoid crossing the fine line between personalisation and Orwellian-ism, companies must respect employee boundaries when it comes to data collection and use it ethically and legally. For example, we always act with caution when handling employee data and never provide data from which an individual’s situation might be deduced. And, if a company we are providing Hapi to has 50 or fewer employees, we do not offer access to the anonymous aggregated data that our larger clients can view.
DO: communicate effectively
Like employee benefits, workplace communications need a personal touch. You can start by checking out the multitude of research around staff communications, but to ensure your communication methods are as effective as they can be, it’s always best to ask your employees directly how they would like to be communicated with. Something as simple as sending a pulse survey sent straight to their mobile phone, showing you care about each employee will make all the difference.
DON’T: stick to one communications method
If you have an internal benefits hub, this would be a very good time to give some serious consideration to the ways you are able to utilise it. A benefits hub, if used well, can be far more than just a home for the services you offer to employees. You can host blog posts from your employees, provide links to old editions of newsletters, and some even allow the use of push notifications to a mobile device, which is perfect for staff who have no email address.
If you don’t have this kind of service, it’s a little harder to keep your messaging consistent, but it can still be done. You can still send e-newsletters to staff, or physical newsletters if staff don’t have a company email address or access to a computer.
DO: listen and adapt
No matter how much data you’ve sifted through, and how many employees you’ve surveyed, there is still a chance that your offering might not be a perfect fit. However, this isn’t the end of the world, just make sure that you keep communications with staff members open and honest. If your employees are aware that you’re trying to give them the best experience possible, they are likely to keep you updated about how things can be improved.
DON’T: hide what data you have
Honesty is the best policy when it comes to data collection. Make sure employees know what data you hold on them and how you are going to use it. This can help dispel any lingering doubts about the Orwellian nature of HR analytics. Some of this responsibility also lies with service providers to ensure that the data they handle is protected, secure and remains anonymous.
The personalisation of benefits is useful for employees and employers alike, employees are presented with a diverse yet useful selection of benefits, while employers can rest easy knowing that their offering is being utilised consistently by their staff.
This article was provided by Personal Group.
Personal Group is sponsoring REBA’s Innovation Day, taking place on 22 November at County Hall, London.
Supplied by REBA Associate Member, Personal Group
Personal Group provides the latest employee benefits and wellbeing products.
