Employers spend significant time and money building benefits packages. But offering a benefit and employees understanding and using them can be two different things.
That gap matters. Recent MetLife research found that only 57% of employees fully understand what their benefits cover, while 72% want employers to provide benefits communications tailored to their needs.
So before considering new benefits, employers should ask whether employees understand the benefits that they already have.
Most employees know whether they have medical insurance and a retirement plan. Beyond those basics, awareness can become less consistent.
An employee may have access to mental health resources but not know how to schedule an appointment. Another may know the company offers financial wellness support but may assume it does not apply to their situation. Someone else may remember hearing about an employee assistance program during onboarding but can’t remember where to find the information when they need it six months later.
Even familiar benefits can be misunderstood. Employees may not fully understand deductibles, voluntary benefits, disability coverage, employer retirement contributions, or resources that can be used outside of open enrollment.
The result is a benefits package that can look robust on paper while portions of it remain largely invisible in employees’ everyday lives.
Open enrollment naturally receives most of the attention. Employees get emails, guides, webinars, reminders, and deadlines. Then January arrives, and benefits communication often tapers off.
But employees don’t experience life on an enrollment calendar. A new caregiver may suddenly need support in March. An employee experiencing financial stress may need a resource in May. Someone considering counseling may remember that the company offers assistance but doesn’t know where to begin.
That’s why benefits education works better as a year-round conversation.
Instead of repeatedly explaining the entire package, HR teams can connect individual benefits to moments when employees are likely to need them. A short message about mental health resources, for example, may be more useful than another link to a 40-page benefits guide.
Better communication doesn’t necessarily mean more communication. It means making information easier to find, understand, and act on.
Employers can:
Consider the difference between saying, “Remember that our EAP is available,” and saying, “If you need confidential help finding counseling, managing stress, navigating family concerns, or addressing financial challenges, your EAP may be a place to start.”
The second message tells employees why the benefit could matter.
Benefits can contribute to employees’ financial security, health, work-life balance, and overall employment experience. MetLife’s 2026 benefits guide is a good example of helping employees understanding the broader value of the benefits available through work.
That makes communication more than an administrative responsibility. It is part of delivering the benefit itself.
Before investing in another program, employers should look closely at the resources already available. The biggest opportunity may not be to add another benefit. It may help employees understand, trust, access, and use the ones they already have.
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August 2026