Why Storytelling is the Secret to Employee Benefits Education
When it comes to educating employees about benefits, the approach you take can make all the difference between confusion and clarity. At brand28, we’ve learned that storytelling is the key to making complex benefits information relatable and understandable. Why? Because stories stick.
Instead of overwhelming employees with dry, lecture-style content, we focus on telling stories from their perspective. When employees see themselves in a scenario, the information becomes personal, relevant, and memorable. And we’re not alone in this approach—research shows that storytelling is one of the most powerful tools for education.
Why Stories?
Humans are wired for stories. From childhood, we learn about the world through narratives, and this doesn’t change as we grow older. According to a Stanford study, stories are 22 times more memorable than facts alone. This is because stories engage both the cognitive and emotional parts of the brain, helping us form connections with the content.
When employees hear a story about how someone like them navigated open enrollment or chose the right health plan, they aren’t just absorbing information—they’re relating to it. This relatability fosters clarity, and clarity leads to better decisions.
How Stories Increase Understanding
The challenge with employee benefits is that the subject matter can often feel dry or overly technical. But when you wrap those facts in a story, suddenly it feels like a real-world scenario they can relate to. Imagine telling employees about deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses with a long list of definitions—it’s easy for eyes to glaze over. But if you show them a relatable story about a family choosing the right plan for their budget, the concepts click.
In fact, a study by the London School of Business found that people remember up to 70% of the information presented in story form, compared to just 5-10% from lectures or data-heavy content.
Storytelling Enhances Engagement
One of the biggest hurdles HR professionals face is employee engagement, especially during benefits open enrollment. According to Gallup, 85% of employees worldwide are not engaged at work. However, when you introduce stories into your benefits communication, you’re tapping into an entirely different level of engagement.
Employees become invested in the outcome of the story, which keeps their attention and ensures they absorb the critical details. This leads to a deeper understanding of their benefits and more informed choices.
Real-World Relevance Drives Action
At Brand28, we focus on building stories around real-life scenarios. We ask ourselves, “What challenges do our employees face? What questions do they have? How can we make this content meaningful for them?” This approach puts the employee at the center of the story, ensuring that they see themselves in the narrative.
When employees feel that the content is made for them, it resonates on a personal level, making it more likely they’ll take action, whether it’s signing up for a health plan or choosing additional benefits.
The Data Proves It
There’s no doubt that storytelling is a more effective way to communicate complex information. Consider these statistics:
65% of people are visual learners, meaning that a story told through video can help them grasp concepts much better than reading through documents or attending lectures.
Stories lead to an increase in engagement by up to 300%, which is critical during benefits open enrollment when every click and interaction matters.
50% of people are more likely to act on information when presented through a relatable narrative rather than a list of facts.
See the Power of Storytelling in Action
At brand28, we use storytelling in every one of our employee benefits videos. Our goal is to create clarity, increase engagement, and empower employees to make informed decisions. And it works—our clients consistently see higher participation rates and greater employee satisfaction.
But don’t just take our word for it. Check out some of our most popular videos below, where we use storytelling to explain complicated topics like health savings accounts, insurance coverage options, and retirement planning.
Are you like Omar?
Understanding Your Health Savings Account
Life is a Little Easier with Telemedicine
Maximizing Your 401(k) Contributions
By watching these videos, you’ll see firsthand how we transform dry, complex information into compelling stories that resonate with employees.
Ready to take your benefits communications to the next level? Let brand28 help you tell the stories that matter most to your employees. Watch our videos and see how storytelling can simplify the complicated.
