How to Communicate Your Benefits Plans to Remote Employees
Benefits

How to Communicate Your Benefits Plans to Remote Employees

Before the remote-work revolution, employees could simply walk up to someone’s desk and ask them questions about their benefits options. In preparation for open enrollment, employers held company-wide meetings and invited brokers to present benefits options to their employees in-person.

But now in this new remote world, companies need to adjust the way they educate employees about their benefits options. To help you prepare for your virtual open enrollment, here are a few ways you can reach your employees:

Virtual Info Sessions

Since your employees are working from home with different schedules, you should host several virtual info sessions so that they can all attend at least one. In these sessions, you can discuss which benefits you’re keeping from last year’s enrollment, which ones you’re removing, and any new options you’re adding. At the end of each session, ask your employees for feedback and leave time for a Q&A.

If there are any significant changes in your benefits plan, host breakout sessions about each. For instance, if you decide to offer virtual mental health counseling, host a separate session to explain how employees can access this support.

Even though you can’t hold physical “Office Hours,” reserve time slots on your calendar for employees to sign up and ask you any questions they may have. Maybe they have a question that they didn’t want to ask publicly during an info session or maybe they just want to learn more about a certain offering. Encouraging your employees to take advantage of these “Office Hours” will help them further understand their benefits options.

Different Types of Outreach

According to Mercer’s recent survey, 32 percent of companies are going to use different media and communication channels for this year’s enrollment since their employees are working remotely. From launching text message campaigns to initiating engagement surveys, companies are getting creative with the ways they can help employees learn about their benefits options. 

A recent trend that companies have embraced is sending postcards. Mailing postcards to employees’ homes notifies them, their spouses, and dependents that open enrollment is approaching. This may spark a conversation about benefits in their household that probably wouldn’t take place otherwise.

Virtual Benefits Fairs

One of the most popular ways companies inform employees about their benefits options is by hosting a benefits fair—an event where representatives from benefits vendors visit a company’s office to discuss their offerings. However, with employees working from home, some companies have shifted their benefits fairs from in-person to virtual. According to Mercer, almost 25 percent of companies are hosting virtual health fairs before open enrollment, while 18 percent are hosting virtual wellness fairs. 

Utilizing a platform like Vfairs can help you host a successful virtual benefits fair. Vfairs provides you with a variety of tools, such as chat forums, brochures, and webinars. The platform enables benefits vendors to set up virtual booths, where employees can ask them questions in real-time, and ends every benefits fair with a Q&A.


When your workforce is remote, you’re competing for candidates with companies from all over. So how can you build a benefits package that attracts and retains top talent? Find out in our latest eBook.

Group Wateringflowers

See how Namely's flexible solution will help you streamline your HR processes by having your people, payroll, and benefits info all in on place.

Get a demo

Get the latest news from Namely about HR, Payroll, and Benefits.

CTA Image Rocket
CTA Image Mobile