Benefits Communication in a Time of Information Overload

Benefits Communication in a Time of Information Overload
October 20, 2025 5 mins

Benefits Communication in a Time of Information Overload

Benefits Communication in a Time of Information Overload

Conversational, accessible, and personalized communications can increase benefits ROI for employers, while helping employees make the best decisions.

Key Takeaways
  1. Combining face-to-face interactions, digital platforms, and personalized messaging ensures that employees across various environments remain informed and engaged with their benefits.
  2. Person-to-person guidance remains a critical complement to digital and self-service tools, fostering trust and clarity.
  3. Employers need to create a strong benefits brand and foster emotional connections with employees to increase engagement.

Effective communication is at the heart of helping employees make informed decisions about their benefits. Employers must adopt innovative communication strategies that cut through the noise and deliver clear, concise, and relevant messages to their workforce – meeting them in the places they consume information. 

You can’t utilize something you don't know about or understand. Aon’s Employee Sentiment Study exposed vital gaps in communication between employers and their people. Even for commonly placed benefits such as life and disability insurance, results showed that only 38 percent of the employees who consider these benefits important believe that they have access to them.

Adopt a Multi-Channel Communication Strategy 

A diverse approach combining face-to-face interactions, digital tools, and personalized communication maximizes reach and engagement. Employees benefit from the flexibility of channels such as live group meetings, webinars, and on-demand resources.

A Benefits Professor on What He’s Hearing from Employees Today

38%

Only 38% of employees who consider benefits important believe that they have access to them.

Source: Aon’s Employee Sentiment Study

Learn More
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Employers have an opportunity to show employees that they care about them through not only a benefits brand that connects but almost humanizes the company a little bit. Multiple ways to reach employees with information really appeals to preferences that span different ages and demographics.

Kathy Caccese
Communications and Engagement Solutions Leader, Health Solutions, North America

Employees operating in different environments, whether deskless, frontline, or remote, require customized communication strategies to fully understand their benefits. For deskless and frontline workers, mobile-friendly resources, on-site posters, or quick team huddles can be effective in delivering critical information. Remote employees, on the other hand, may benefit more from virtual town halls, email campaigns, and access to a centralized online portal

The Power of Person-to-Person Interactions

Even with the rise of digitization and AI-powered tools in benefits education, one-to-one conversations remain essential. Personalized discussions with a benefits counselor can help build trust, allow for real time clarification of complex topics, and provide an empathetic human connection that technology can't fully replicate. 

Many employees feel more comfortable asking sensitive or detailed questions in person and one-on-one conversations often uncover concerns that digital platforms may overlook. While AI can streamline information delivery, one-to-one interactions ensure that employees truly understand their options and feel supported in making informed decisions about their benefits. 

How a Conversation with a Benefits Counsellor Helped a Dad-to-Be

Prioritize Personalization and Flexibility 

Tailored communication through tools like infographics, employee testimonials, or manager-led discussions, resonates deeply. Effective communication starts with understanding the unique needs of your employees. Neurodivergent individuals, for instance, may benefit from clear, structured, and visually supportive formats like diagrams or succinct written guides. When addressing generational differences, consider that younger employees may prefer digital-first approaches, such as videos or mobile-friendly platforms, while older generations might appreciate in-depth documentation or in-person discussions.

Create a Compelling Benefits Brand 

Establishing a strong benefits brand is essential in today’s consumer-driven environment, where emotional connections lead to loyalty and trust. By humanizing your organization through thoughtful communication designs and tailored messaging, you can demonstrate genuine care for your employees. 

Key events, such as open enrollment, offer critical opportunities to reinforce this connection and highlight the value of your benefits program. A multifaceted communication approach ensures you effectively reach and engage employees across diverse generations and preferences, fostering deeper awareness and appreciation.

Next Steps
  1. Audit Your Current Communication Channels 
    Ensure a mix of in-person, print and digital tools is available. Evaluate which channels resonate most with your team.
  2. Invest in Benefit Education Resources
    Equip your organization with knowledgeable counselors or external experts to guide employees through key decisions.
  3. Highlight Employer Contributions
    Clearly communicate the monetary and non-monetary value your organization offers through its benefits program.
  4. Integrate Interactive Elements
    Host live Q&A sessions, workshops, or town halls to foster two-way communication and boost engagement
  5. Assess Your Benefits Brand
    By prioritizing active listening and data collection, you gain critical insights that enable you to tailor your benefits offerings and messaging to directly address the unique needs and preferences of your workforce. This focused approach ensures that your benefits brand is built on a foundation of relevance and engagement, driving higher levels of employee satisfaction and loyalty.
Quote icon

Benefits are the second largest spend behind payroll for employers on behalf of that employee spend. So being able to give visibility to that spend really demonstrates care in the employee environment.

Dani McCauley
Growth Leader, Health Solutions, North America

Better benefits communication isn’t just about delivering information—it’s about creating meaningful conversations that empower employees. By refining your approach and using new tools you can foster a more informed and satisfied workforce. 

General Disclaimer

This document is not intended to address any specific situation or to provide legal, regulatory, financial, or other advice. While care has been taken in the production of this document, Aon does not warrant, represent or guarantee the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or fitness for any purpose of the document or any part of it and can accept no liability for any loss incurred in any way by any person who may rely on it. Any recipient shall be responsible for the use to which it puts this document. This document has been compiled using information available to us up to its date of publication and is subject to any qualifications made in the document.

Terms of Use

The contents herein may not be reproduced, reused, reprinted or redistributed without the expressed written consent of Aon, unless otherwise authorized by Aon. To use information contained herein, please write to our team.

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