Although technology has spawned multiple methods ofcommunication with employees on benefits, that doesn’t mean they’re solving allthe problems in conveying information back and forth betweenemployer and employee.

In fact, generational and demographic differences, varyinglevels of comfort with a range of communication methods and the complexity ofinformation all mean that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution inworkplace benefits communication.

A study from West’s Health Advocate Solutions finds employees’expectations cover a wide range in benefits, health and wellnessprogram communication. As a result, human resources and benefitsmanagers have to dig more deeply in finding ways to conveyinformation to employees.

One finding which may surprise them is employees preferlive-person conversations, although some do prefer the option touse digital communication channels in certain benefits scenarios.And 41 percent of employees say their top complaint about employers’ benefits programs is thatcommunication is too infrequent.

The top choice of employees for communicating about health carecost and administrative information is directly by phone (73percent) with a live person; second choice was a website or onlineportal (69 percent), while an in-person conversation was the choiceof 56 percent.

For information about physical wellness benefits, 71 percent optfor the website/online portal, while 62 percent want to talk tosomeone on the phone and 56 percent wanted an in-personconversation. Interestingly, 62 percent of men and 44 percent ofwomen prefer in-person conversations.

For personal/emotional wellness issues, 71 percent want thatchat with a person on the phone, 65 percent want an in-personconversation and just 60 percent want to interact with awebsite/online portal.

When it comes to managing a chronic condition, 66 percent preferto talk to someone on the phone, 63 percent would prefer thewebsite/online portal option and 61 percent want an in-personconversation. Sixty-seven percent of men, compared with 53 percentof women, prefer in-person conversations, while 35 percent ofwomen, compared with 18 percent of men, prefer mobile apps.

And there are generational differences, too, with millennialswanting in-person interactions more than either Gen X or boomercolleagues. But they all want multiple options, and the ability tochoose the one they prefer, rather than simply being restricted toa single method.