With virtual workplaces becoming the norm, it’s time to examine how we communicate with our teams. If your business is still new to work-from-home, it’s time to take a careful look at your communication strategy. To make up for losing face-to-face conversations, you can support your virtual workplace with video content.
The right video content can simplify complicated information. This is especially important for benefits communication. The complex, jargon-heavy conversations we have about benefits and coverage are already tough, so how can we simplify things?
Benefits are confusing, and emails can be, too.
You might be relying on emails right now to maintain contact with your team. Email communication comes with its own limitations. If it’s challenging to write an email explaining the finer points of a plan or benefits coverage, it can be even more difficult for your employees to read and truly understand the contents of that email.
Then there’s this hard fact: people tend to skim emails anyway. Studies by email marketing firms have found most readers spend less than two seconds looking at an email before they decide if it’s worth digging into, or just destined for the trash. How are you going to ensure your employees get the information they need?
Engaging video content grabs attention and improves comprehension.
The e-learning industry has been studying the impacts of video content on education for years, and the results are in: video instruction is incredibly valuable. In fact, researchers in one study concluded that “in some cases, video can be as good as an instructor in communicating facts or demonstrating procedures.” Additionally, the researchers found, the ability to pause and repeat video had positive benefits for students trying to master tough concepts.
Video content is especially useful for benefits education because many of its technical, dry details can be conceptualized with animation. Psychologists have found that a connection exists between visual clues, memory, and the recall of new knowledge. Strong visual cues, along with narration, help learners absorb, understand, and remember the information presented.
Associating tough concepts with moving and engaging images, rather than the static text of an email, can help employees absorb and recall the important information you’re trying to convey.
Where does video belong in your communication strategy?
Video isn’t a replacement for every other type of communication, but it’s certainly an important part of any employers’ overall communication strategy. Different types of learners will respond to different tools, and written communication is still the quickest and most efficient way to customize important messaging.
The strategic use of video content can be rolled out throughout your benefits calendar, especially in the ramp-up to Open Enrollment. Your employees will find videos are especially useful in explaining the finer points of selecting plans, with illustrated instruction on concepts such as high deductible medical plans, health savings accounts, prescription drug programs, and voluntary life insurance.
Roll them out one by one in a weekly email campaign running up to Open Enrollment, and collect them together in a single video library for easy reference before, during, and after plan selection.
Where can you find video content for benefits communication?
WBD has a full slate of video content that simplifies benefits selection and coverage for employees, with options for both off-the-shelf and customized videos. Get started with educational videos which will give your employees insights into how their benefits options work. Or work with our production team to add customizations like your company name and logo, create fully customized videos which can cover your company’s full range of programs, or even shoot live videos in our studio. Take a look at our demo videos here for details.
Videos can be embedded right into your Benefits Supersite, enhancing your employee’s online shopping experience.
Your communications strategy is more important than ever with the rise of virtual workplaces. A strong video component helps ensure that when it comes to benefits, no employee is left in the dark.