Tip of the Day: Say it with me, "Comm-yoo-nih-cate"

I received a Watson Wyatt release yesterday that literally made me scratch my head and say, “What the …?”

Let’s recap: Employers know that having employees who possess a firm understanding of their benefits makes good business sense, and even know that conducting in-person meetings helps them gain that understanding.

However, not only do employers seem okay with letting them maintain a middling understanding of their benefits, the latest from WW reports that the majority of companies have no plans to increase their benefits communications – in the middle of a recession, no less, just when every penny counts and workers need to be more informed than ever.

Over the next 12 months, only 27% of companies plan to increase communication to employees about benefits, a WW survey finds.

As if that weren’t puzzling enough, the survey also finds that senior leaders are more likely to communicate to ease employee stress (49%); corporate communications execs and line managers are most likely to focus their efforts on improving employee engagement (49%); and even HR pros are primarily focused on communicating to manage change (38%). 

Correct me if I’m wrong, but wouldn’t more comprehensive benefits communication achieve all of those objectives?