If you talk to any Reward Manager they will tell you that they understand the importance of communicating employee benefits and recognition schemes – after all, if a programme isn’t communicated, how will anyone know anything about it? But there is a big difference between communication and effective communication. Putting up a poster or sending out a group email just doesn’t cut it anymore. As technology improves (along with your competitor’s benefits!) so should your communication efforts.
If your scheme isn’t promoted effectively it won’t be utilised – leaving you with little return on your investment. Your employees may not understand the scheme or how it benefits them. They may not grasp how it works, or how to use it. And if the rewards on offer aren’t communicated, employees can’t be motivated by them. However, if you succeed in producing engaging communications even the lowest budget can deliver fantastic results.
Communication methods vary, dependant very much on the target audience. What is your participant demographic? What have they responded well to in the past? The safest option is to opt for a range of communication methods. Even an email can seem old fashioned these days, and they are often left unread. Perhaps a mix of online and offline tools could be most effective? An e-shot with a complimentary animation on your intranet, alongside tangible teasers and posters around the office is a tried and tested method. This ensures a wide demographic range can be targeted, maximising the communication potential.
Finally, it is worth thinking about the message you want to hammer home. Does it fit with your desired company image and brand values? If you are positioning yourselves as an innovative and modern company your communication efforts should always reflect this.
