How to effectively communicate new benefits to teams
Picture this: you’ve got your new salary sacrifice car scheme in place. You’ve worked closely with your provider, and all the back-office processes are set up and ready. It comes to launch day and . . . tumbleweed. No questions, no excitement, no sign-ups. It happens. But it doesn’t have to.
A strong communication strategy makes all the difference. Creating buzz, getting buy-in and allaying any concerns can make or break the success of a new benefit among employees.
Tusker looks at the lessons from some examples of best-in-show communications:
1. Make sure the updates reach everyone
For any new benefit to succeed, clear, simple and accessible communication is essential. All employees need to understand what is changing, why it matters, and how they can take advantage of the opportunity.
For Watches of Switzerland Group, effective communication was particularly important as many colleagues working in retail environments are not regularly in front of a screen. The launch strategy needed to ensure everyone had access to the information they needed.
The team used the company intranet to share details of the scheme, helping to reach colleagues across the business and create awareness from the outset. Tusker also supported the launch by providing guidance, answering employee questions and hosting a webinar and an on-site event to help colleagues understand how the benefit works.
The result was a well-managed launch that ensured employees felt informed, supported and confident in engaging with the new benefit. It’s paid dividends - around a year post-launch 19% of employees had signed up, and 30 cars are already being driven by colleagues.
2. Run a multi-method campaign
Some employees like to read email newsletters, some prefer hearing news at an All Hands meeting. Taking multiple approaches to communicating a new benefit is key to getting in front of as many eyes and drumming up as much excitement as possible.
A good example is Evri’s multi-method communication campaign, which aimed to drive awareness and uptake. This included campaigns across digital screens, posters and internal emails introducing the scheme and its benefits, FAQs and step-by-step guides to support employees who were new to salary sacrifice schemes, and interactive webinars hosted by Tusker allowed workers to explore the system and ask questions, with recordings shared for shift-based teams.
Using a variety of methods to reach employees worked. Just four months after launch, the scheme had already delivered outstanding results with 1,000+ colleagues enrolled and over 300 ordering cars - over triple the UK average for new schemes.
3. Nothing beats face to face
Since the pandemic many organisations have relied far more heavily on digital communication, and in-person moments have become much rarer. While the usual digital methods of communications are a crucial step for rolling out a new benefit, if a face-to-face event is possible it can make all the difference.
When Nokia launched its salary sacrifice car scheme, some employees initially pushed back, comparing prices without factoring in the full package included in the scheme.
To address the concerns, Tusker supported communications through running webinars and roadshows to tailor the message and ensure employees fully understood the offer. The in-person roadshows meant that Tusker could speak directly with employees, providing reassurance and answering questions.
After the roadshows more than 100 people have received cars from the scheme and many - even those who were initially sceptical - have commented on how pleased they are with the service.
Events like this give people the opportunity to ask questions, and understand more deeply what the benefit is and why it matters. That direct interaction helps build trust, creates energy around the launch, and makes the benefit feel more real and accessible to the people it is designed to support.
4. Make it fun
Sometimes the easiest way to create buzz around new benefits is just through a little light-heartedness.
In a sector known for its formality, St James's Place (SJP) took a courageous step of reimagining how internal benefits are communicated. Along with Tusker, it has been able to break benefits away from a more traditional corporate tone, instead engaging employees with fun, emotive, and informal internal messaging using platforms like Reward Gateway and SharePoint.
This has encouraged stronger emotional responses from its widespread, digital workforce and achieved significantly higher engagement levels than seen in prior benefit launches. In just six months since the launch, half of its 2,500-strong UK workforce logged in and created an account, and more than 85 employees placed vehicle orders in the first year.
Effectively communicating new benefits to your team is about building understanding, trust, and engagement. By using clear and consistent channels and encouraging conversation, organisations can ensure that employees tangibly see the value of the benefits.
Thoughtful communication turns a simple announcement into an opportunity to increase team motivation and reinforce your commitment to staff. When communication is intentional and considerate, everyone benefits.
Supplied by REBA Associate Member, Tusker
Tusker is the UK’s leader in salary sacrifice cars. Part of Lloyds Banking Group, it has more than 15 years’ experience in offering an affordable way for employees to drive a new, fully insured, and maintained car. Its scheme, which is available to over 1.8 million UK employees, offers a range of options, from pure electric cars to hybrids and even traditional petrol and diesel vehicles. It provides a tailored scheme for organisations’ individual needs.
