In today’s society, technology is just part of the landscape. It permeates almost every aspect of life, from communication with family, friends and colleagues to managing life’s daily activities such as banking and counting calories. Still, there a significant number of small businesses using the old fashioned way of communicating with their employees – printing flyers, posting newsletters in the breakroom or giving out orientation packets to new hires. Unfortunately all of this paperwork usually ends up in one place – the trash can.
So what can be done to change it? Using an HR platform and introducing technology into employee communications is the first step in streamlining messages and giving employees an easier way to receive and access information. A good HR platform will:
- display or distribute employee newsletters
- offer an area for employees to post information and share with their colleagues
- provide a place to post job openings and training opportunities
- contain enrollment features for benefits administration
- be low cost or no cost to your business
Many times an HR platform is offered by your group health insurance broker as a value add. In exchange for your broker of record and the ability to manage your group health insurance benefits portfolio, you can take advantage of powerful HR technology and make communicating with employees a streamlined and less paper-laden process. You’ll save everyone time and make messages more likely to be noticed by giving employees a central place to access HR related information. Handbooks, forms, emergency procedures and company announcements can all be posted for view.
If your current broker isn’t offering an HR platform to manage your benefits enrollment and other HR related responsibilities, it may be time to evaluate your relationship and find one that does.