It’s fundamental to the company onboarding and orientation. Even more, it helps set the stage for the new company culture during a time of transition. After all, benefits are often an employee’s first impression and introduction to the company.
Human Resources plays an integral part in helping employees transition to the new company—and clear, consistent communications that establish expectations and set timelines are essential.
Initial Communications are Important: All will want to know one thing: how their benefits are affected and what that means for them.
Plan for (and Listen to!) Employee Feedback: In the first few months, offer ways for employees to ask questions and provide feedback.
Communications are Key to Success: Your communications directly impact employee morale, which affects productivity and future success.
You play an integral part in helping employees transition to the new company—and clear, consistent communications that establish expectations and set timelines are essential. Particular attention should be given to onboarding new employees during a special enrollment period and ensuring everyone knows what to expect and when.
Then, it’s essential to create a post-merger communications strategy that regularly addresses benefits information and education. At the time of initial benefits enrollment, employees will likely be on information overload.
It’s also important to remember that employees want to feel heard. In the first few months, offer feedback mechanisms that give employees the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback.
Whether you’re surveying your employees or conducting focus groups, be sure to think about your audience, your goals and, ultimately, how these efforts communicate your care and concern for employees—both before and after you gather information.
Employees are passionate about their benefits, so how they are promoted and communicated—particularly during a time of transition—directly impacts employee morale, which, in turn, affects productivity and future success.
HR needs to be involved in the entire transition process—from pre-planning and message development to onboarding and orientation to execution of strategic benefit communication plans.
Your company’s transition success will likely be determined by an effective communications strategy—it can be the glue that holds everything together. Done right, effective HR communications can lessen fears and set the tone for differing work cultures to come together to create a healthy and thriving work environment.
