As technology has evolved, how have you made your Web site more user friendly for customers to do business with you?
For many years, our corporate HR department was using traditional forms of media (printed communications coupled with a mailed DVD) to educate our employees on their benefits package and prompt their participation in our annual benefits open enrollment. However, as technology evolved, we saw a way to streamline our open enrollment process by bringing the communications online so that our diverse employee population could access the information 24/7. We worked with our communications firm to develop BarnesGroupBenefits.com, an interactive portal that allows employees to learn about their benefits options via video, online communications, decision tools as well as downloadable materials. Employees are now given the option to directly access the areas of information that they care most about. The portal also links to an online enrollment feature, making the entire enrollment process seamless.
How has Web-based communications changed the way you communicate with your employees?
Our open enrollment process is now more efficient and cost-effective — plus, we are able to track our employees’ use of the portal to ensure they are getting the information they need to make smart benefits elections.
What is the Web technology level of expectation of your customers or clients and how have you met them?
We believe that employee benefits are highly personal and the information about their options needs to be easily accessible when, where and how our employees need it. We also recognize that making the information available to their family members is also an important consideration in reaching key decision makers. Using web-based technology allows us to educate and empower our employees (and their family members) to make informed benefit decisions to suit their lifestyles.
Is e-advertising something you presently use for your business or see your company using in the future?
Because our communications at corporate HR are internally focused, we do not plan on doing e-advertising. However, we do communicate with our employees through email communications and through our Intranet.
Do you use any social networking sites (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) presently, and do you see any useful business applications for your company?
Right now we do not use social networking sites within the corporate HR function but we are contemplating its use for a variety of purposes in the future as an additional means of connecting with our employees and sharing information and experiences.
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Company name: Barnes Group
Industry: Global manufacturing and logistical services
Web Site: www.BGInc.com
