U.S. ops for global retailer breaks new ground with annual enrollment

To drive down turnover and drive up engagement, this retailer reexamined their entire employee value proposition. They needed a steady workforce that understood their business strategy, products, and culture. Their largely hourly workforce wanted affordable benefits, career opportunities, and flexibility to balance work/life obligations. Being a true innovator, they designed a benefits program that delivered it all. In 2009 they introduced a new medical plan with great coverage and low premiums, particularly for families, and a new service-based plan that rewarded employees with better benefits every year.

With lean resources and only three weeks to finalize materials, the Corporate Communications team looked to context for expertise and an extra pair of hands.

Our first collaboration was on a video script. Aware that the benefits changes were part of a larger, ongoing exchange with employees, context recommended that the video contain a central message to shape all future health care conversations: Delivering a great benefits package is a two-way street. The video teed up health care consumer concepts of self-service, informed decision making, and preventive health care. context delivered an informative, engaging, and concise script that allowed filming to begin less than two weeks from the project start.

Delighted with the quick turnaround, our strong grasp of the company culture, and the counsel we provided on building a health care consumer mindset, the company engaged context to create their 2009 benefits guide. Operating under an even tighter time frame, this one-page electronic communication was developed within three days and went straight to layout. The communication drew high praise. Eighty-nine percent of employee respondents said the materials were helpful in understanding and choosing their benefits. Messaging from this piece was also incorporated into manager and employee training materials.

True to their innovative nature, the client jumped at the chance to use Twitter when context and a colleague, Benz Communications, suggested that the micro-blogging platform was the perfect communication channel for reaching employees—and more important, the family members who drive a large portion of the retailer's health care costs. Working together, the client, context, and Benz Communications developed a Twitter strategy that initially communicated annual enrollment information and expanded to now include broader human resources topics.

IKEA's Twitter effort received a 2009 excellence in communication commendation of merit from the Society for New Communications Research
75% of respondents rated annual enrollment a positive experience
89% of respondents rated materials instrumental in helping them choose their benefits
Over 100 employees were following the retailer's tweets within a month (the organization feels this is a good start)

context is currently working with the company's Corporate Information Manager and the U.S. Benefits department on ongoing health and wellness communications.