Avoid the use of should 

And other writing tips for Financial Wellness Benefits 

It’s generally accepted that ‘financial literacy’ is having the knowledge, skills and confidence to make responsible financial decisions.  

The challenge for HR lies in writing for employees who have different ideas and understanding of financial literacy. When writing and preparing employee benefit packages, try these tips to increase understanding and help employees maximize their financial wellness benefits.  

Use language the reader uses

For example, the average employee doesn’t “allocate contributions to their employer sponsored CAP Plan” yet they do wonder if or how much they’d be able to save by joining the company savings plan. 

Make it easy for the reader

When you don’t have the budget for video clips, consider separating the content into bite-sized chunks. Rather than an all-inclusive and very daunting 24-page Employee Benefit Booklet, a self-serve library of benefit-related topics may encourage reading and understanding. 

Writing style & conventions  

• Plain and simple language  

• Short sentences  

• Short paragraphs 

• Active voice  

• Contractions are ok! 

• Punctuate to highlight ***important stuff*** 

• Repetition helps the reader remember  

• Include a lexicon of terms/acronyms – it will help your reader absorb the new information 

Be clear about intent

Let the reader know right away if the info applies to them. When it does, they’ll pay attention. When it doesn’t, they’ll appreciate the heads-up.  

As a writer your copy will help or hinder the outcome you want. Choose words thoughtfully; ensure each word/sentence has a reason to be there. And lastly, edit, re-edit and edit again.