2. Engagement Strategies Survey
Driving benefits engagement: Strategies to optimize employee health and well-being programs
Survey fielded Nov. 28 – Dec. 15, 2017
Participants
300+ Health Advocate clients – HR/Benefits Managers
Respondents were asked about:
Strategies to maximize engagement – what works and what doesn’t
How they measure success of their benefits programs
Platforms and channels available for employees to access benefits
Employers are driven to improve the overall well-being of their workforce, yet they face challenges engaging employees as needed to achieve their goals. Programs that engage employees are more likely to demonstrate value when it comes to improving health, productivity and costs. We wanted to understand where employers’ pain points are and understand which strategies are effectively driving engagement.

3. Key Findings
More than 40% indicated working with multiple partners/vendors creates confusion for employees and lack of utilization
Technology is important, but high-touch support remains critical to driving engagement – 82% of respondents confirmed this increases benefits engagement
Sixty percent agree that a single platform provides employees with a single point of contact, with 46% noting it improves engagement with benefits
Targeted communications are effective - 76% believe they increase engagement, however 46% of participating employers hesitate to take advantage due to fears of administrative complexity

4. Approaches to Engagement
Among approaches benefits leaders currently use to maximize employee engagement in health and well-being benefits, a unified integrated benefits management platform, mobile apps and social media were cited as starting to play a larger role than in previous years.
Current approaches employers are utilizing

5. Multiple Partners, Multiple Challenges
Employers that work with multiple partners/vendors report the biggest challenges with this model
As a means to manage the confusion caused by these factors, some organizations are shifting to having one expert or number to call to help employees navigate all of their benefits.

6. When employees are facing sensitive or complex health issues, they’d prefer to talk to another person versus using an app or website.

7. Technology Plays a Complementary Role in Driving Engagement
Technology can play a key role in driving employee engagement with their benefits, as long as it alleviates confusion and anxiety for employees so they can better focus on their jobs.
The role of tech continues to grow, with more and more devices, program, apps, trackers, etc., being introduced all the time. As shown, 54 percent of survey respondents are using a mix of tools with different log-ins. Yet, this hinders the ability to personalize and simplify the benefits experience for employees. Plus, multiple vendors = more challenges. Integrating tools into a single platform has many advantages.

9. Streamlining Benefits Enhances the Engagement Experience
Single platform is where employees can easily access all of their benefits in one place, whether online or via a mobile app.