We’ve all heard the saying: “April showers bring May flowers.” As a lifelong Midwesterner, this time of year feels like a new beginning as we trade cool days for warmer weather, flowers start to bloom, lawn mowing commences, and people start spending more time outside. In the budding of the season, the spring colors and excitement breathe new energy into our lives.
Many employers spend this time of year planning for the upcoming year, particularly when it comes to Employee Benefits. The in-depth analysis of financial performance and program utilization trends tells a story of what employees need and want from their benefits program.
Like the boost we get from a fresh spring after a long winter, employers understand the value of creating energy and interest in their benefits. One of the most effective ways to identify and measure the energy of your programs is with employee benefit surveys.
Seeds of Benefit Success
Employee benefit surveys provide insights into employee satisfaction and preferences, enabling organizations to tailor their benefits programs to better meet employee needs and improve retention. By gathering feedback, companies can identify gaps in their current offerings, address employee concerns, and ultimately enhance overall employee engagement and satisfaction.
Here are a few reasons employers find value in benefit surveys.
Deeper Understanding of Employee Values
Employee benefit surveys help organizations understand what benefits employees value most and what they find least useful. As leaders look ahead to the next year, this can be crucial information when considering benefits design and allocation.
Identify Gaps to Improve Programs
Surveys can uncover areas where employee needs are not being met or current benefits are lacking. Employers can make adjustments as needed and activate targeted improvements based on feedback.
Enhance the Employee Experience
When employers take the time to seek out feedback and address employee concerns, it shows how much they value their employees and are committed to taking care of them. This can increase employee satisfaction and their experience every day when they bring their whole self to work.
Attract and Retain Top Talent
By understanding what employees value, it gives employers valuable information to design a comprehensive and appealing benefits package. In this highly competitive market, a strong benefits package can make or break your offers and retention.
Align Benefits with Organizational Objectives
Surveys can help ensure benefits are aligned with the organization’s goals and strategic priorities, such as workforce demographics, industry trends, and company culture.
Strengthen Communication
Surveys can also help communicate information about benefits to employees and address any questions or concerns they may have, building trust and transparency between leadership and employees.
The most important thing employers need to remember when they decide to conduct a benefits survey is to be prepared to take action on the results. Asking for employee feedback and then failing to follow through can negatively impact workplace culture and employee satisfaction. Employers should plan ahead, dedicate time to analyzing the responses, and focus on the actionable takeaways. With thoughtful review and intentional next steps, surveys can become a powerful tool for continuous improvement.
Are You Ready to Grow?
The results of an employee benefits survey reveal key takeaways that can help leaders effectively support, motivate, and engage employees. At Holmes Murphy, we consult with many employers who elect to conduct surveys because we’ve helped them understand the impact it can have on their employee engagement and bottom line.
Don’t let growth only apply to your garden and lawn—our team is here to help businesses looking for new opportunities to grow and energize the employee experience. Let’s chat!
