Every employer knows it – a good benefits plan can help them compete for top talent. However, research shows that 85% of employees do not understand their benefits. While getting skilled workers in the door is great, many people don’t understand what their benefits are or why they’re important once inside. That lack of benefits literacy could be detrimental to the long-term health of the company and the overall well-being of employees.
Without strong benefits literacy, many employees will fail to get the healthcare treatment they need or sign up for the right insurance plan. Still others could miss out on the valuable tax savings of a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA).
Adopting a well-rounded and easy-to-understand employee education program is a must-have for organizations that want to prioritize their employee engagement and improve overall productivity. At Beneliance, we use highly effective, award-winning materials from The Adventures of Captain Contributor program for our employer groups. Here’s how it works.
Who or What is Captain Contributor?
Launched in 2017, The Adventures of Captain Contributor was developed to educate and engage employees with their benefits. The concept involves a superhero and his sidekick who travel around the country to inform people about a wide range of employer-sponsored benefits, such as FSAs, HSAs, COBRA, and more.
Combining a good dose of humor and benefits information that is light on jargon, Captain Contributor and Betty the Benefactress break down benefits in a way that any employee can understand. The program includes fully illustrated comic books, infographics, videos, social media pages, blog articles, and a website. This lets employees find the information in their preferred format while at home or at the office.
The Adventures of Captain Contributor has been used with organizations in various industries, including education, healthcare, and insurance.
Why Benefits Literacy Matters
Why does benefits literacy matter? Employees have a lot to think about in their personal and professional lives. Having a firm grasp on what benefits are available to them and how they can effectively use them can go a long way toward improving their mental and physical health. For many, not only do they have to take care of themselves, but they may also have a spouse and children to think about.
Among a person’s top three concerns are finances and personal healthcare. A survey found that 44% of respondents ranked physical health as the third most common concern, behind only the cost of goods and services (65%) and the economy (64%).
It’s not surprising then that a 2023 study by MetLife shows that 76% of workers who understand their benefits are happy, and 82% believe their benefits give them a greater sense of stability.
How Captain Contributor Enhances Benefits Literacy
Captain Contributor’s mission to improve benefits literacy can be found in how the material is delivered. Multiple generations in the workplace have different content preferences, and some people prefer certain mediums over others.
For readers and people who like long-form content, Captain Contributor provides monthly blogs. For people who like catchy, fun material with bite-size information, there are comic books and infographics. Interactive quizzes and guides? The Captain’s social media accounts feature those on a regular basis. There is something for just about everyone.
Why is The Adventures of Captain Contributor so effective? One major insurance company implemented the program because it is “clever, engaging, and outside the box.” The simple messaging and engaging format helped them increase participation and satisfaction with their employer groups.
Benefits for Employers
Organizations that invest in employee benefits education can see improved results in several key areas.
First, keeping employees feeling happy and stable can greatly improve engagement because they are focused on work rather than their health or financial situation. It can also keep employees around longer and boost retention rates. Reducing turnover and increased engagement can ultimately result in higher productivity.
Another perk is that the HR team spends less time answering employee questions about their benefits. With multiple channels to choose from, people can seek and find answers on their own, allowing the HR team to focus elsewhere.
Businesses can also reap financial benefits. Companies that score high on employee engagement metrics are more profitable and cost-effective than those with lower scores.
Practical Steps for Implementing Captain Contributor
Beneliance clients who are looking to invest in their employee benefits education can implement the Captain Contributor benefits education program in a few easy steps.
First, identify which areas your employees find hard to understand. Second, create a calendar around specific benefits dates, including open enrollment, start and end dates, grace period dates, and the like. Third, chart out what communications need to be sent and when.
Once that is established, visit CaptainContributor.com to review the types of blogs, videos, infographics, and more that are available. Beneliance clients also have access to additional free digital resources, including fact sheets and comic books, through our website. Captain Contributor is a year-round effort that produces fresh, helpful, and engaging employee-specific content multiple times per month. You can also bookmark the Captain’s social media accounts on Facebook and X.com for inclusion in your regular corporate communications efforts.
Then, measure the results. You can try employee surveys, anonymous comment boxes, or even click rates in your emails. This can help you focus your efforts where employees need them most.
Conclusion
Improving your employees’ benefits education is a win-win. You can help with peace of mind and greater employer satisfaction while seeing a boost in your company’s productivity and retention. Captain Contributor is another reason why Beneliance is your ally in benefits administration. Talk to us today about incorporating this content into your benefits literacy program.
