Marrying DEI And Benefits For Increased Engagement And Business Success

Here’s how to craft a benefits program and communication strategy that is unique to your company

It is no secret that diversity and inclusion are more important than ever to both employers and employees. Since 2014, there has been a nearly 40 percent increase (Glassdoor) in executives prioritizing diversity and inclusion at their companies. That is because the benefits of a diverse workforce go beyond following a trend or meeting a quota. Embracing diversity in the workplace strengthens creativity, productivity, retention, and engagement. A Gartner survey found that when companies support D&I initiatives, an overwhelming 83 percent of millennials are actively engaged in their work. 
 

Having a workforce comprised of people from different cultures and backgrounds is vital to creating a diverse workplace, but the DEI efforts should not stop at recruitment. There are other ways companies can build a diverse work environment, such as recognizing and celebrating differences, offering sensitivity training, and improving communication. Though, to have a truly comprehensive culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), companies and HR departments should ensure their benefits packages align with their DEI offerings. 

Benefits can be “make or break” for employees; 62 percent of employees (Staples) said they would accept a lower salary in exchange for better workplace perks. With candidates prioritizing diversity and inclusion, companies that offer benefits that mirror their DEI initiatives ensure these principles are deeply woven into their company culture and fulfill employee expectations.  

Taking Stock of Your Benefits Program

The first step in ensuring this type of alignment is auditing the current benefits program against the company’s DEI initiatives. Consider populations that have diverse needs, like single or working parents, same-sex couples who are ready to start a family, or employees struggling with behavioral health challenges as a result of social determinants of health. It’s helpful to create employee personas to highlight needs across their life journeys, and determine whether adequate programs, resources, and tools are in place. Employers can take this one step further by surveying their workforce about their benefits program to determine whether employees feel it meets their needs. This can surface meaningful disparities across factors such as age, gender identity, and race. 

During an assessment, HR and benefits managers should consider how the program offers something for everyone across any stage of life and various personal situations, whether it is growing a family, caring for loved ones, or handling a major life change. Benefits that support employees in their journeys to live their best lives appeal to a wide array of candidates from different economic and educational backgrounds and will become vital to the work-life blend in a post-pandemic environment.

Expanding Your Current Offerings

In diversifying the various health, financial, and lifestyle benefits a company offers, sometimes it is not solely about adding but deepening current benefits. 

For example, consider family planning and coverage. Maternity leave is now accepted as a standard and even expected benefit. However, to enhance parental perks and ensure they support inclusivity and diversity, companies should consider offering paid parental leave for fathers, domestic partners (including same-sex), and adoptive parents. Additionally, companies can offer expanded dependent eligibility packages that cover spouses and biological children and allow employees to cover domestic partners (whether same or opposite sex) and their children (whether they are married or not). 

Furthermore, employers can offer benefits that assist employees in their desire to start or grow their families. Creating a benefits package that offers IVF, IUI, egg freezing, surrogacy, and adoption options can transform traditional parental offerings into inclusive family support programs. And to take it even one step further and be inclusive of all family members (even non-human members), companies can make pet insurance available through employee benefits. 

Another way to integrate DEI into your benefits is to reassess your PTO offerings. Some candidates from underrepresented groups may be specifically looking for unlimited paid time off programs for better work-life balance. These groups may include parents who want to spend more time with their kids or who struggle to find childcare during school closures and sick days, people from other countries who wish to visit their relatives or work remote while abroad, or veterans who often have family and friends spread out in different locations or who may need to handle medical issues as a result of their service. Additionally, some employees may want to use their PTO to volunteer at an organization whose mission is to support diversity and inclusion. 

Lastly, to promote equity and attract high-potential candidates with varying backgrounds, employers should think outside of the box and offer more than just tuition reimbursement, which has become a more common benefit. Non-traditional options can include identity theft protection, providing upfront cash via personal loan programs, and offering professional development courses that can enrich professional skills, even if not directly related to employees’ work (language, coding, public speaking, etc.).

Communicating Your DEI Values

While establishing a benefits program that aligns with DEI initiatives is important, a communication strategy that engages the workforce and conveys these benefits appropriately is equally essential. To be most effective, communication shouldn’t be “one size fits all.” Organizations can tailor messages and resources for different population segments—such as leveraging demographics like generation and gender to address unique needs. 

Life stage communication can be particularly helpful, so employees are able to find “people like them” to help navigate an often overwhelming array of programs and resources. One employee might be interested in growing his family, while another is focused on caring for her elderly loved one.    

There are many other tactics for incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion into benefits packages. As an HR and benefits manager, you know your organization best and understand which benefits will make the most significant impact and best align with your DEI efforts. Do not just talk the talk but walk the walk by crafting a benefits program and communication strategy that is unique to your company and speaks to your company’s values.  

Erika Illiano is a Principal at Strategic Benefit Advisors, part of the Brown & Brown Team. Erika has over 20 years of experience helping her clients address a full spectrum of benefits communication opportunities and challenges.  Visit www.strategicba.com Connect Erika Illiano