white
Appeal to applicants by answering their questions before they even ask.
Companies have always sought out the most competent candidates to fill a position, but job seekers are doing their own research, too. Namely, would-be employees are becoming more curious about the ins and outs of corporate benefits—looking for details even before accepting a position.
This phenomenon isn’t just happening in job-searches across the country but also in existing employees. In fact, though benefits have always been important to workers across all generations, a 2024 Forbes article titled "Workplace Benefit Trends By Generation In 2024" highlights a study indicating that Gen Z and Millennials report below-average job satisfaction scores when it comes to benefits (Belle Wong 2024).
Clearly defined benefits can transform a stressed employee into someone who feels fulfilled in their position and compensation. Rather than wait for employees to come forward with questions regarding benefits—which may never happen—why not give them access to all that information before they need to use it?
Though specific questions vary depending on the company, industry, and individual circumstances, we’ve listed fifteen common questions employees have about benefits.
While reading, consider whether you have ever had a similar question regarding past benefits as well. And if you have, think of how much you and your employer would have profited from a succinct, detailed benefit portal for employees to walk team members through how to maneuver the ins and outs of submitting a claim, contributing to a 401k, etc.
Some of the most common questions an employee seeks answers to—particularly in the first stages of the job or job search—are about the health and leave benefits offered by a potential or current employer and how to access them:
Employees also have questions about their career trajectory at an organization. This includes questions regarding remote work, career advancement, etc.
Another area of questioning usually centers on concerns or questions about existing processes. It doesn’t matter whether an employee is new to work in general or a company “lifer” who’s worked in an organization or career for quite some time, everyone has questions about their benefits.
Last, there are all the questions about an employee's “fit” in a company. We all know the term workplace culture and how that can make or break the turnover rate of existing employees, but does your organization openly market your company culture in detail? If not, you might be missing out.
Employee vs. employer ethical debates have flooded the internet, sparking an even bigger culture of not settling for less when it comes to employment opportunities. This heightens the need for companies to showcase and emphasize the benefits they offer to current and potential employees in a clear and effective way.
According to a study by the Harvard Business Review (2017) featured in the article "The Most Desirable Employee Benefits," benefits are a major factor for employees, with 80% indicating they would value additional benefits over a salary increase (Jones 2017).
A lot of companies have turned to human resource information systems to provide technical support for employees and HR professionals in relation to managing benefits. But these HRIS systems don’t necessarily market benefits directly to employees. There is a need for organizations to be more educational and transparent when it comes to marketing the benefits the organization has implemented with the employee’s financial, physical, and mental well-being in mind.
Pendant is a system specifically designed for employees to glean deeper insights into how your employees use their benefits. Not only does the innovative chat feature offer 24-hour support to answer employee questions, but helps organizations discover how well employees understand their benefits and how much they use and like them. An added bonus: this platform is not limited to existing employees; it can also be provided in a simplified form to job seekers interested in a position at your company. This can boost interest in a job posting by increasing transparency about your company’s benefits, with no extra effort.
