Employee Benefits
First impressions that last: Optimising onboarding and benefits communication
04.03.25
In today’s dynamic work environment, first impressions are more critical than ever. And work is no different; nearly 70% of people believe their first impressions of others are accurate.
Effective onboarding and benefits communication are crucial for attracting and retaining top talent. By understanding the challenges and leveraging the right tools and strategies, companies can create a seamless and engaging experience for new hires, ensuring they feel valued and supported from the very beginning.
The importance of benefits communication
The onboarding process has evolved significantly. Pre-pandemic, it was predominantly an in-person experience. Today, with 60% of onboarding occurring digitally, remote onboarding is a primary challenge for 37% of HR professionals.
Despite these challenges, 85% of employees now say their experience at work is more important than it was a year ago. A business may have excellent people, culture, and benefits technology, but if they don’t make potential hires and new joiners aware, they’re putting themselves at a disadvantage in an increasingly competitive market.
Employees are placing greater importance on benefits when deciding on new roles. Research shows 71% of employees negotiate more on benefits when joining a company, and 59% consider benefit provision very important when choosing an employer. This underscores the need for clear and consistent communication around benefits from the very first interaction.
But how to go about it?
Create a consistent pre-hire experience
First impressions start long before the first day on the job. Potential hires form initial opinions from job advertisements, websites, and the recruitment process. Onboarding new employees costs an estimated £5,000+ – this increases for management positions. Providing an exceptional candidate experience through all the pre-hire stages – recruitment, interviews, offer and their notice period – is crucial to attract top talent.
Top tip: Empower your key stakeholders. Much of the candidate experience may be out of your control and owned by Talent Acquisition, managers or HR. But you have the power to ensure they’re equipped with the information they need to showcase benefits. For example, a robust digital pre-hire solution can solve a multitude of problems, while templated communication ensures a consistent experience for all potential hires, regardless of location.
Effective onboarding strategies
Onboarding is a busy time for new hires and their managers. But statistics show 69% of employees are more likely to stay with a company for three years if they experience great onboarding. Getting it right is key.
Managers are pivotal in this process, with 58% of new hires considering their manager the most important source of information during onboarding. However, in an increasingly globally diverse world, we often see managers with team members in multiple locations, making this even harder to do well. Equipping those in management positions with the information they need will go a long way to providing a great onboarding experience.
It’s also been shown consumers are 131% more likely to buy from a brand immediately after they consume educational content; a principle that overlaps in the world of employee benefits communication. Better benefits literacy is linked to greater engagement and value perception of benefits, so educational content for new hires is pivotal in getting them to act.
Top tip: Cut through the noise. Amid an influx of learning and tasks a new joiner will have to do, benefits can so easily get lost on to-do lists. Taking a creative approach to benefits during onboarding, such as branded welcome boxes and swag, can help overcome barriers to engagement and embed a culture of benefits appreciation from day one.
Maintaining momentum post-onboarding
Momentum is essential. The knowledge your recent hires hold about your onboarding experience is key to enacting change and driving continuous improvement. And don’t underestimate the power, and want, for more regular, targeted communications to help employees understand and appreciate their benefits. Our own Benifex data shows 68% of employees prefer at least quarterly communications. We regularly see direct, positive behaviour change as a result of year-round campaigns, leading to higher ongoing engagement.
Top tip: Request regular feedback from recent hires. These people are now your experts and will provide you with the greatest insight. Whether it’s a quarterly survey or half-yearly focus groups, there are different ways to gather this data to inform your approach and make sure you’re investing in the right areas.
We work with our customers every day to support them in these areas – get a glimpse of the work we do or discuss your challenges with a member of our communications team.
For more insights into the new hire journey, watch the full webinar ‘Welcome aboard: Mastering the new hire journey and benefits communication’ on demand here.
Jessica Bull
Global Communications Lead, Benifex
04.03.25
