It’s been over a year since organizations around the world were met with a completely unprecedented “new normal", yet staying flexible is still at the top of most employers’ minds. As COVID-19 restrictions slowly lessen and the country starts to open back up for business, many workplaces will need to adapt their workplace to accommodate remote and in-office employees. 

In a recent PwC survey of US executives, nearly one-third described their approach to post-pandemic work as "going with the flow." While being agile is an admirable employer quality, it’s still helpful to have plans and procedures in place and communicating with your employees what to expect.

Tags: Employee Communications, HR Communications, Employee Engagement, internal communications, communication strategy, Employee Marketing, COVID, 2021

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), offered by 79% of today’s employers, are more than just a resource for mental health services. They also provide a unique level of benefits-driven support that can help employees achieve a better work-life balance.

In this piece, we’ll take a look at the many benefits of EAPs, some commonly overlooked EAP services, and how to promote EAPs to encourage employee participation and share information that helps them access the right assistance for their needs.

Tags: Employee Communications, HR Communications, Employee Engagement, internal communications, communication strategy, Employee Marketing, 2021, Employee Assistance Program

With the ongoing financial uncertainty that stems from the COVID-19 pandemic, employees' retirement savings needs could fluctuate over the coming months and even years. The challenge for employers lies in their ability to deliver clear and approachable retirement planning communications that stay consistently aligned with their priorities. 

Even in times of economic ease, retirement planning can be an intimidating topic. But when employees are feeling the strains and stresses of financial uncertainty, they can become so overwhelmed with financial decisions, they fail to take action at all.

For retirement planning to really resonate with employees and motivate them to act, the onus is on employers to deliver targeted communications that are appealing and accessible to the audience, easy-to-understand, and personalized to reinforce empathy and ease.

Tags: Employee Communications, retirement plan, HR Communications, Employee Engagement, internal communications, communication strategy, Employee Marketing, retiree communication, 2021, financial wellness

Rolling out a well-received financial wellness program requires employee communications that engage employees and call them to action. These programs are best designed with increasing employee knowledge as their main priority—educating employees on every option to assist them in their overall decision-making process.  

Today’s workplaces typically feature a diverse mix of employee demographics and populations, each with their own unique financial goals, future interests and timelines in mind; from the Millennials paying down student loan debt to the older generations focusing on retirement. 

Tags: Employee Communications, HR Communications, Employee Engagement, internal communications, communication strategy, Employee Marketing, 2021, financial wellness

For many of today’s employees, financial uncertainty in the wake of Covid-19 has become a major source of stress, affecting their ability to focus, both at work and at home. Several may seek guidance or assistance from employers to reach their short- and long-term financial goals. And, in the “new normal,” proactive employers will be poised to deliver financial wellness initiatives that keep their employees on track for their goals, de-stressed, and better able to concentrate on their day-to-day work.

Tags: Employee Communications, HR Communications, Employee Engagement, internal communications, communication strategy, Employee Marketing, 2021, financial wellness

For many employers, the challenges and changes of 2020 are carrying a familiar sense of employee uncertainty into 2021. And while some have come a long way in effectively mitigating crises and helping remote employees feel connected, a significant number of today’s employees are still feeling worried—and it’s taking a toll on their overall health and well-being.

According to the October 2020 Leading Indicator Systems Workforce Listening Study, since May 2020, U.S. workforces have witnessed:

• A 38% increase in employees being worried about their own mental health.
• A 45% increase in employees being extremely worried about their ability to take care of family.
• A 140% increase in employees being extremely worried about their own vulnerability to addiction.
• 75% of employees find it challenging to work under their current conditions.

Tags: Employee Communications, HR Communications, Employee Engagement, internal communications, communication strategy, Employee Marketing, 2021

If we’ve learned anything from 2020, it’s that a well-strategized internal communication plan can make the difference between employees feeling confused, anxious and disconnected or integrated, prepared and able to adapt to any organizational changes that come their way. And while internal communications are becoming increasingly digital in today’s “new normal,” they’re still a vital way to ensure employees are engaged, aware of the company strategy, and confident in their role in carrying it out.

Tags: Employee Communications, HR Communications, Employee Engagement, internal communications, communication strategy, Employee Marketing, 2021

From recruiting and hiring to onboarding, benefits management, employee relations and more, the traditional components of the HR infrastructure have been dismantled by Covid-19. And as organizations look to 2021 with deeper context about what happens next, a redesigned approach to compensation communications will be a crucial part of year-end planning.

With unprecedented numbers of employees working remotely and limited plans to return to in-person work, dynamic compensation communication strategies that are inclusive to all employees across a patchwork of geographic locations and circumstances will be essential in 2021.

In a time of overwhelming economic uncertainty, having a deliberate and comprehensive compensation communications plan could make the difference between your employees feeling financially secure or left out in the dark.

Tags: HR Communications, Employee Engagement, communication strategy, total rewards, benefit package, compensation statement, 2021

Fostering inclusion in the workplace has been a priority for HR since long before COVID-19 began. And as the global workforce continues to withstand unprecedented challenges from the ever-changing pandemic, a strong and sustained focus on organizational belonging is becoming more critical than ever.

With many employees experiencing an influx of stress as a result of extensive social isolation, cultivating an inclusive remote workplace can help bridge the disconnect between HR and employees and enable targeted efforts to bolster empathy and vital support.

Tags: HR Communications, Employee Engagement, communication strategy, culture, 2021

In our latest Spitfire Speaks video, one of our Account Executives, Karen Scattergood, discusses social trends to consider using for employee communications. She offers some easy, effective tips on how to engage your employees in a medium many are already quite familiar with: social media.

Tags: Employee Communications, Employee Engagement, social media, communication strategy, 2020