The Quiet Majority: Reaching Employees Who Never Ask Questions

For every employee who emails HR with a question about their benefits, many more stay silent. They don’t attend the lunch-and-learns. They don’t log into the benefits portal. They don’t raise their hand during open enrollment meetings. They’re the quiet majority of the benefits world.

Unfortunately, these employees may be missing out on resources that could improve their health, financial security, and overall well-being.

It’s tempting to assume these employees are simply uninterested. In reality, silence can mask feelings of uncertainty, being overwhelmed, or simply a lack of awareness when it comes to their benefits.

• Maybe they’re new hires unsure of where to start.
• Perhaps they work in shift-based or deskless roles that make it challenging to connect with HR communications.
• Many are juggling caregiving or personal responsibilities, and exploring their benefits is pushed to the bottom of their to-do list.
• Employees in remote or geographically dispersed locations may miss out on the opportunity to learn from peers about available benefits.

Empyrean’s own research and client data show these patterns are more common than many employers realize.

Across industries, we see generational differences in engagement, with younger employees more likely to explore mental health and financial wellness programs, while older employees gravitate toward retirement planning and caregiving support.

In a nutshell: Without intentional outreach, entire segments of your workforce may go through the year without taking full advantage of the benefits your organization is investing in.

Finding the Quiet Majority

The first step in engaging these employees is knowing who they are. This is where benefits analytics become indispensable. By looking at enrollment and utilization patterns, HR and benefits leaders can spot the employees who consistently skip certain benefits, remain eligible but never enroll, or fail to act even after a qualifying life event.

Advanced analytics, particularly when supported by AI, can take this further, predicting who is most likely to underutilize benefits and understanding the reasons why.

• Gallup data reinforces the urgency: organizations with high employee engagement see 41% lower absenteeism and 21% higher profitability.
  
  
• MetLife’s Employee Benefit Trends Study shows that nearly half of employees (49%) say they didn’t use certain benefits because they didn’t think they were relevant, only to realize later that they could have been helpful.

The takeaway: The ability to identify and address disengagement early isn’t just good HR practice. It’s now a strategic advantage.

Meeting Employees Where They Are

Once you know who needs help, the next challenge is getting through to them. For the quiet majority, a general email blast won’t do. They need timely, relevant outreach that feels as though it was created for them.

Empyrean’s AI-powered platform, for example, can deliver a message the moment it’s most useful. If an employee is at a hospital, they might receive an instant notification with their digital insurance ID card and a link to their coverage details. If a claim suggests the arrival of a new child, the app can prompt them to add the baby to their plan and walk them through the process.

These are behavioral nudges — small, well-timed prompts that make it easier for an employee to act.

External research confirms their effectiveness. The Harvard Business Review notes that behavioral nudges, especially when personalized, can significantly increase participation in health, wellness, and retirement programs.

The takeaway: The key is reducing friction so that the decision to engage feels almost effortless.

Turning Silence Into Dialogue

Proactive communications keep the conversation going long after open enrollment ends. That means more than sending reminders; it means creating an ongoing dialogue.

• A mobile push notification about unused FSA funds.
• A text message linking directly to preventive care scheduling.
• A virtual assistant that answers a benefits question in real time, without requiring the employee to call HR.

These prompts aren’t likely to transform these employees into the most vocal members of your workforce overnight. But it will make them more informed, better supported, and more likely to use the resources available to them.

The takeaway: When benefits are communicated via the right channel, at the right time, and in plain language, even the most disengaged employees begin to take notice.

Why This Matters Now

Benefits only fulfill their promise when employees use them. Engaging the quiet majority increases the return on your benefits investment, reduces preventable health and financial challenges, and fosters a sense of security and support that drives retention.

Employees who feel their benefits meet their needs are 2.5 times more likely to stay with their employer. And when HR removes barriers to engagement — whether through data-driven targeting, timely nudges, or multi-channel outreach — those employees are more likely to see their employer as a partner in their well-being, not just a provider of coverage.

The quiet majority may not be asking questions, but they are sending a signal. With the right tools and approach, HR can hear that message, respond effectively, and guide these employees toward better decisions for their health, finances, and future.