Canadian plan sponsors, administrators and providers give clear communication and plain language around benefits, pensions and other HR programs lip service, but few make any serious effort to put the principles of plain language into practice. Even fewer have formal quality assurance processes to monitor their application.
In fact, in a world in which plan sponsors are increasingly willing to invest in a wide array of online tools to help reach members and reduce “communication risk,” the fundamental principles of plain language seems to have fallen off the radar.
Part of the problem, it seems, is that certain myths about plain language continue to persist—despite repeated debunking. First among these is the belief that plain language means “dumbing down” the content. As lawyer and plain-language advocate Joseph Kimble notes in his paper Answering the Critics of Plain Language, this criticism typically comes from subject-matter experts who believe that plain language leads to oversimplification, misinterpretation or imprecision.
Not as easy as it looks
Another reason our industry has been slow to embrace plain language is the lack of expertise to put it into practice. Writing simply and directly only looks easy. It takes skill, hard work and a commitment to clarity. Only the best writers can cut through the superfluous language of a legal or technical document and present the information in a way that’s precise, concise and easy to understand.
Moreover, creating plain language materials isn’t just about simple words and short sentences. It involves using and understanding specialized communication tools and techniques—and there are dozens of them. Everything from knowing your audience and organizing content, to choosing meaningful examples, applying appropriate graphic tricks and testing the outcome with your end users.
Because of all these factors, few plans in Canada have the in-house expertise needed to produce high-quality, plain-language materials. Those employers that rely on their service providers for materials tend to accept what’s given to them on the assumption that it has already been tested and proven to be effective.
Before: Make sure that the member’s name on the account is the same as the name of the member to whose account the transaction should be attributed. After: Make sure this transaction is for the right member.
Getting it right
When you assess your member communications materials, be honest about the knowledge and literacy levels needed to and understand the content. If in doubt, test it on a representative group of members to make sure they can read it—and grasp it—without difficulty. If your materials don’t pass the test and you’re not sure where to begin, start at square one—with your booklet. While it may be true that no one actually reads your booklet from cover-to-cover, it does serve as an important reference document.
Whether print or electronic, your booklet should form the cornerstone of your communications program. Getting the language right in your booklet is the key to consistency across all of your media, including forms, statements, online tools, presentations, newsletters—and even frontline staff.
Plain language ROI
It’s easier and faster to read so employees will get more out of it. People will be more likely to read it—and understand it, making it money well spent. You’ll end up with fewer mistakes and complaints and higher member satisfaction. Need I say more?