The benefits provided by anemployer are only valuable if employees choose to usethem.

Don't you hate it when the only time you hear from a productvendor is when they want to sell you something? In some ways,that's one of the market realities keeping voluntary benefitslocked in a box that says "enroll."

It's time to redefine "voluntary" when it comes to benefits.Why? Employers provide benefits to employees because they meet theemployees' economic needs and because they help the employerattract and retain employees. The employers' benefit package makesenrolling easy for employees.

Related: Why voluntary benefits are good foremployers

Marty Traynor is anOmaha-based consultant in the benefits field.

But the benefits provided by an employer are only valuable ifemployees choose to use them.

That's why there are two kinds of voluntary in today's benefitsworld. One is familiar: the traditional voluntary enrollmentprocess. The other, which should be growing as an area of focus, isusing benefit-related communication programs to encourage employeesto actually use benefits. There are many examples of products thatwill help employees and employers, but employees need to understandthem more clearly. Three examples are telemedicine, financialwellness and employee assistance programs.

Telemedicine may be a relatively new service toemployees, and may seem logical to some, but many others wonder ifthey should trust the service or may consider the local emergencyroom a better answer. It's time employees and their covereddependents understand that this is not an experimental service.Many responsible providers can deliver adequate, accurate medicaladvice with the convenience of immediate service through a simplephone connection.

Telemedicine is good for the employer, too. It's much morecost-efficient than emergency room visits in most cases, and it maysave on absenteeism, as employees no longer have to take time offfrom work to seek care.

We have covered financial wellness before, but to recap:Well-designed financial wellness plans can help employees make themost of their paycheck while serving to reduce employee and familystress. They help employers cut down on stress-related presenteeismand absenteeism and help employees and their families make goodfinancial decisions. Employees need to be made aware of thefinancial wellness resources, and they need to understand how easyit is to access those services.

Employee assistance programs (EAPs) also helpemployees mitigate stress. EAP counselors have expanded their scopeto help people overcome both traditional stress sources such asmarital difficulties, substance abuse and depression as well asmore recent stress sources, such as social media anxiety orviolence at the workplace, and an increasing number of naturaldisasters. All too often, those who should be using EAP servicesare unaware of how much help they can provide.

The two kinds of voluntary have one common denominator:communications with employees. We need to move beyond theperception that benefit communication programs are focused onenrollment. We need to have year-round benefit communicationsfocusing on the uses of employer-provided benefit programs andeducation about how easy access to these programs can be.

Let's help employees understand that when they hear from abenefit provider, it's a valuable service, not just a salespitch.

Read more: 

• Make it easier to integrate voluntary benefits intoclient plans
• Most employees don't 'get' voluntarybenefits
• The voluntary status-quo isn't acceptable,either