PEBA
Communications Survey
May, 2003
The Communications Survey was developed and analyzed by the PEBA Survey Committee. The survey data was collected through PEBA’s web based survey software. The survey was sent to PEBA’s employer companies. 64 companies participated. An executive summary is attached. The information below is a question by question analysis. For more information about this or other PEBA surveys, call (215)735-9435.
Q 1. What is the nature of your company's business?
|
Mean: |
8.2 |
||
|
Standard Deviation: |
2.7 |
||
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
|
Chemical |
0 |
0.0% |
|
|
Consulting |
2 |
3.1% |
|
|
Computer/Data Services |
0 |
0.0% |
|
|
Education |
6 |
9.4% |
|
|
Financial Services |
6 |
9.4% |
|
|
Professional/Consultancy |
0 |
0.0% |
|
|
Healthcare |
10 |
15.6% |
|
|
Manufacturing |
11 |
17.2% |
|
|
Law |
3 |
4.7% |
|
|
Pharmaceutical |
3 |
4.7% |
|
|
Other |
23 |
35.9% |
|
Q 2. What are the total number of employees at all locations?
|
Mean: |
3.8 |
||
|
Standard Deviation: |
1.8 |
||
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
|
Fewer than 100 |
6 |
9.4% |
|
|
100-499 |
17 |
26.6% |
|
|
500-999 |
5 |
7.8% |
|
|
1000-2499 |
12 |
18.8% |
|
|
2500-4999 |
7 |
10.9% |
|
|
5000 or more |
17 |
26.6% |
|
Q 3. How many employees does your company have in the Delaware Valley?
|
Mean: |
2.9 |
||
|
Standard Deviation: |
1.5 |
||
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
|
Fewer than 100 |
10 |
15.6% |
|
|
100-499 |
24 |
37.5% |
|
|
500-999 |
10 |
15.6% |
|
|
1000-2499 |
9 |
14.1% |
|
|
2500-4999 |
6 |
9.4% |
|
|
5000 or more |
5 |
7.8% |
|
Q 4. What is the approximate make-up of the employee population for your entire company?
|
Responses |
Mean |
|
Non-exempt hourly |
42.5 |
|
Exempt salary |
35.5 |
|
Salary supervisory/managerial |
14.0 |
|
Executives |
5.6 |
Q 5. What percentage of employees have access to a computer at work?
|
Mean: |
3.2 |
||
|
Standard Deviation: |
1.1 |
||
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
|
0-25% |
6 |
9.4% |
|
|
26-50% |
12 |
18.8% |
|
|
51-75% |
9 |
14.1% |
|
|
Over 75 % |
37 |
57.8% |
|
Q 6. How often do you communicate health and welfare benefits (medical, dental, life & disability) benefits to employees?
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
Continuous availability via intranet site |
27 |
42.2% |
|
Weekly, monthly, or quarterly newsletter |
21 |
32.8% |
|
Once a year during the open enrollment period |
46 |
71.9% |
Q 7. How is open enrollment administered?
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
Intranet/Internet site |
25 |
39.1% |
|
1-800 number - Interactive Telephone System (IVR) |
16 |
25.0% |
|
Paper-based process |
46 |
71.9% |
Q 8. Are any of your open enrollment functions outsourced?
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
Intranet/Internet site - skip to question 10 |
13 |
20.3% |
|
1-800 number - Interactive Telephone System (IVR) |
15 |
23.4% |
|
Paper-based process |
6 |
9.4% |
|
None |
43 |
67.2% |
Q 9. If open enrollment is not available via intranet, are you planning to move to an intranet/internet site:
|
Mean: |
2.9 |
||
|
Standard Deviation: |
1.0 |
||
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
|
In 2004 |
3 |
7.3% |
|
|
Within 3 years |
15 |
36.6% |
|
|
More than 3 years out |
8 |
19.5% |
|
|
Not planning to move to intranet/internet |
15 |
36.6% |
|
Q 10. How are employee health & welfare questions answered throughout the year?
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
Internal HR - phone, email, in person |
61 |
95.3% |
|
Internal HR - intranet |
18 |
28.1% |
|
Outsourced benefit administrator |
18 |
28.1% |
Q 11. If you offer retiree health benefits, how is open enrollment handled?
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
Intranet/Internet site |
3 |
4.7% |
|
1-800 number - an outside vendor |
7 |
10.9% |
|
Paper-based process |
24 |
37.5% |
|
We don't offer retiree healthcare/NA |
36 |
56.3% |
Q 12. How are retiree questions answered throughout the year?
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
Internal HR - phone, email, in person |
30 |
46.9% |
|
Internal HR - intranet |
1 |
1.6% |
|
Outsourced benefit administrator |
10 |
15.6% |
|
We don't offer retiree healthcare/NA |
33 |
51.6% |
Q 13. Do you send employees/retirees a benefit confirmation statement?
|
Mean: |
1.5 |
||
|
Standard Deviation: |
0.5 |
||
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
|
Yes |
35 |
54.7% |
|
|
No |
29 |
45.3% |
|
Q 14. If you offer a defined benefit (DB) / cash balance plan, how often do you provide benefit statements?
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
Annually |
23 |
35.9% |
|
Monthly |
0 |
0.0% |
|
Quarterly |
2 |
3.1% |
|
Weekly |
0 |
0.0% |
|
Daily |
1 |
1.6% |
|
We don't provide benefit statements/NA |
22 |
34.4% |
|
Other |
15 |
23.4% |
Other responses:
|
Response |
# of Times Given |
|
Not offered |
9 |
|
On demand by internet |
1 |
|
DB – only as requested |
1 |
|
Continually available on the internet, once per year paper |
1 |
Q 15. If you offer a defined contribution (DC) plan, [401(k), 403(b), 457, profit sharing] how often do you provide benefit statements?
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
Annually |
1 |
1.6% |
|
Monthly |
3 |
4.7% |
|
Quarterly |
43 |
67.2% |
|
Weekly |
0 |
0.0% |
|
Daily |
2 |
3.1% |
|
We don't provide benefit statements/NA |
6 |
9.4% |
|
Other |
9 |
14.1% |
Other responses:
|
Response |
# of Times Given |
|
Quarterly plus online |
3 |
|
On demand by internet |
1 |
|
Quarterly plus employee may request one at any time |
1 |
|
Continually available on internet , once per year on paper |
1 |
|
Quarterly statements provided by investment manager |
1 |
|
Bi-weekly |
1 |
|
Provided by agency |
1 |
Q 16. If you offer a DB / cash balance plan, how are participants' questions and benefit projections handled?
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
Everything handled internally - company provided |
15 |
23.4% |
|
Everything handled externally - outsourced administrator |
6 |
9.4% |
|
Questions handled internally, projections handled externally |
12 |
18.8% |
|
Questions handled externally, projections handled internally |
0 |
0.0% |
|
Other |
31 |
48.4% |
Other responses:
|
Response |
# of Times Given |
|
Not offered |
24 |
|
Projections both internal and external |
2 |
|
Both, do both |
1 |
Q 17. If you offer investment education for your DC plan, through what media is it available?
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
Intranet site |
7 |
10.9% |
|
Internet - vendor site |
38 |
59.4% |
|
Newsletter |
24 |
37.5% |
|
Workshops |
29 |
45.3% |
|
We don't offer investment education/NA |
14 |
21.9% |
Q 18. If you offer investment education, how are education materials prepared?
|
Mean: |
2.3 |
||
|
Standard Deviation: |
0.7 |
||
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
|
Internally |
7 |
10.9% |
|
|
Externally |
32 |
50.0% |
|
|
Both |
25 |
39.1% |
|
Q 19. Do you offer retirement planning workshops?
|
Mean: |
2.3 |
||
|
Standard Deviation: |
0.9 |
||
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
|
Yes - covering company plan(s), Social Security and personal savings |
17 |
26.6% |
|
|
Yes - covering company plan(s) only |
8 |
12.5% |
|
|
no - (skip next question) |
39 |
60.9% |
|
Q 20. Who leads the workshops?
|
Mean: |
2.2 |
||
|
Standard Deviation: |
0.7 |
||
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
|
Company personnel |
5 |
20.0% |
|
|
Outside consultant |
11 |
44.0% |
|
|
Both |
9 |
36.0% |
|
Q 21. Do you offer investment advice?
|
Mean: |
1.9 |
||
|
Standard Deviation: |
0.5 |
||
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
|
Yes |
10 |
15.6% |
|
|
No |
48 |
75.0% |
|
|
No, but planning to add in the future |
6 |
9.4% |
|
Q 22. How is information regarding the annual compensation programs communicated?
|
Mean: |
2.3 |
||
|
Standard Deviation: |
1.0 |
||
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
|
Company-wide communication |
19 |
29.7% |
|
|
Department-wide communication through manager/supervisor |
18 |
28.1% |
|
|
Individually communicated to employee |
18 |
28.1% |
|
|
Not communicated at all |
9 |
14.1% |
|
Q 23. What media is used to communicate the compensation programs?
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
Intranet |
16 |
25.0% |
|
Paper-based |
40 |
62.5% |
|
HR meetings with managers |
27 |
42.2% |
|
HR meetings with all employees |
12 |
18.8% |
|
Manager to supervisor |
31 |
48.4% |
|
Other |
12 |
18.8% |
Q 24. Is the employee's salary increase communicated:
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
During the performance review |
33 |
51.6% |
|
At a separate time |
26 |
40.6% |
|
Other |
5 |
7.8% |
Other responses:
|
Response |
# of Times Given |
|
Have not had any for 2+ years |
1 |
|
May of each year |
1 |
|
HR requests the manager hold 2 meetings: 1 for performance and 1 for salary. |
1 |
|
Both |
1 |
|
October 1 |
1 |
Q 25. How much information regarding salary grade structure is available to employees?
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
Grades, minimums, maximums are available to all employees |
29 |
45.3% |
|
Grades, minimums, maximums are available to managers/supervisors only |
24 |
37.5% |
|
Other |
11 |
17.2% |
Other responses:
|
Response |
# of Times Given |
|
None |
6 |
|
We do not have a grade structure |
3 |
|
Grades and complete ranges to mgrs./suprs.; grades only to all employees |
1 |
|
Employees are given % range for increases |
1 |
Q 26. Do you share information about overall budget for salary increases?
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
Salary increase budgets are available to all employees |
12 |
18.8% |
|
Salary increase budgets are available to managers/supervisors only |
47 |
73.4% |
|
Other |
5 |
7.8% |
Other responses:
|
Response |
# of Times Given |
|
Have not had for 2+ years |
1 |
|
Collective bargaining agreement |
1 |
|
Not shared |
1 |
|
Mixed in different subs |
1 |
Q 27. Are company goals related to the compensation strategy communicated to employees?
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
Goals are set at the beginning of the year and employees are provided with periodic updates. |
29 |
45.3% |
|
Goals are set at the beginning of the year with no further communication until compensation is set. |
17 |
26.6% |
|
Other |
18 |
28.1% |
Other responses:
|
Response |
# of Times Given |
|
N/A – no goals |
5 |
|
Not communicated to employees |
3 |
|
At this time, not tied to performance |
1 |
|
Given at performance review |
1 |
|
Goals are set at the beginning of the year and managers are provided with periodic financial updates on the company's progress. |
1 |
|
Minimal communication to employees regarding compensation |
1 |
|
Determined by department |
1 |
|
Not in any meaningful way. It’s a focus for next year. |
1 |
|
Bonus plans are communicated to selected employees. |
1 |
Q 28. How are benefit and compensation benchmarks communicated?
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
Company-wide communication |
23 |
35.9% |
|
Department-wide communication through manager/supervisor |
13 |
20.3% |
|
Individually communicated to employee |
8 |
12.5% |
|
Not communicated at all |
29 |
45.3% |
Q 29. Do you attempt to measure employee understanding and appreciation of benefits and compensation?
|
Mean: |
1.7 |
||
|
Standard Deviation: |
0.5 |
||
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
|
Yes |
21 |
32.8% |
|
|
No (skip to question 31) |
43 |
67.2% |
|
Q 30. How is measurement performed?
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
Employee questionnaires |
17 |
68.0% |
|
Employee focus groups |
3 |
12.0% |
|
Other |
5 |
20.0% |
Other responses:
|
Response |
# of Times Given |
|
Employee satisfaction surveys |
1 |
|
Not measured |
1 |
|
Human Resources Report Card |
1 |
|
both |
1 |
|
It is not |
1 |
|
Feedback from Mgrs and HR field Directors |
1 |
Q 31. Do you solicit employee feedback on the materials/media used to communicate the compensation and benefits package?
|
Mean: |
1.6 |
||
|
Standard Deviation: |
0.5 |
||
|
Responses |
Count |
Percent |
|
|
Yes |
25 |
39.1% |
|
|
No |
39 |
60.9% |
|