Do people really understand the ins and outs of the Affordable Healthcare Act? Jimmy Kimmel put that question to the test recently. (Take a brain break: Click the video to see Kimmel’s on-the-street interview.)
|
Six of One: Obamacare vs. The Affordable Care Act
|
Amusing, yes, but a bit concerning because the issue is so important.
And what about your employees? Do they understand what the changes mean to your company – and to them? Executives struggling to understand and master the changes can do their companies a favor by helping employees understand what’s going on. Here are some communications tips to help ease the pain for everyone:
- Stick to the facts. Of course you have strong feelings about the Affordable Healthcare Act. Who doesn’t? But that’s not the point here. To your employees, this law has an impact on their health and their money, so they want to know what’s happening that affects them.
- Understand your own key messages. Relevant facts and data should be imbedded in the key messages that reflect the values of your company. For example, if employee engagement, stability and flexibility are important to your company, the content and tone of your communications about healthcare must reflect those values.
- Over-communicate: The subject is confusing and seems to be changing every week, making communication difficult. Because people absorb information in a variety of ways, it’s important to provide frequent updates on what’s changing, what’s not, and how it all affects each individual. Prepare the leaders of the company with talking points to help them explain and clarify points to your employees.
This kind of coaching and consulting with employees is good business. People will appreciate your taking the time and effort. What’s more, it shows that employee welfare is important to you. Tirelessly helping people negotiate a perplexing passage through their healthcare decisions will benefit the health of any company’s employee relations.
