Unum research finds effective education key to a more satisfied,
engaged workforce
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Employee morale remains well below 2008 levels, but benefits education
continues to be a reliably effective way to boost workforce
satisfaction, according to research from Unum (NYSE:UNM).
The third annual survey of workers, done most recently following the
2010 benefits enrollment period, finds that 63 percent of employees
think their employer values their work, down from 70 percent in 2008.
The survey, conducted online by Harris Interactive in December among
1,712 employed adults, also found that even fewer, 56 percent, feel that
their employer cares about their well-being – a 7 point drop since 2008.
“In this difficult economic environment, there may be many reasons
employee morale has not bounced back,” said Bill Dalicandro, vice
president at Unum. “But our research shows that benefits education can
be a highly effective, low-cost way to boost engagement.”
In an environment where nearly 30 percent of employees have seen
colleagues laid off and one in four has experienced a salary freeze,
employers should be spending more time communicating about benefits with
their employees so that they feel valued.
But the research shows they’re not.
Employers continue to focus on other areas of their business affected by
the economy, spending less time and fewer resources on employee
engagement, particularly in relation to benefits education:
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Unum’s research finds that nearly one-third of employees said the
benefits education provided by their employers is insufficient.
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Only about half of employees said they received printed information or
brochures, down from 70 percent in 2008.
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Just over a third of employees were offered a chance to attend an
information and question-and-answer session about benefits, down from
52 percent in 2008.
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The percentage who had access to online materials fell from 51 percent
in 2008 to 36 percent in 2010.
Unum’s research shows just how big an impact a good benefits education
program has on workforce satisfaction.
In this most recent survey, 80 percent of employees who rated their
benefits education highly also rated the employer as an excellent or
very good place to work. Conversely, only 31 percent of employees who
rated their benefits education poorly also said their employer was an
excellent or very good place to work.
And some 77 percent of those who rated their benefits education highly
said they would choose to stay with their current employer even if they
were offered the same pay and benefits elsewhere.
“People are the lifeblood of any successful business, and in this
challenging economy employers need to work even harder to demonstrate
their concern for employees and their well-being,” said Dalicandro.
“Everyone benefits when they do.”
About Unum
Unum (www.unum.com)
is one of the leading providers of employee benefits products and
services in the United States and the United Kingdom. Through its
subsidiaries, Unum Group paid approximately $6 billion in total benefits
to customers in 2010.
Harris Interactive Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of Unum
from December 6-8, 2010 among 1,712 adults 18 and older who are employed
full- or part-time.
About Harris Interactive
Harris
Interactive is one of the world’s leading custom market research
firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform
relevant insight into actionable foresight. Serving clients in over 215
countries and territories through our North American, European, and
Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms, Harris
specializes in delivering research solutions that help us – and our
clients – stay ahead of what’s next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.
Source: Unum
Contact:
Unum
Brian Baker, 423-294-7839
bbaker4@unum.com