benefits-guide

Benefits Guide

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Create an employee benefits guide for new hires
• Rewrite complex benefits information in plain language
• Document a new benefits package for your growing team
• Update an existing guide with new perks or policy changes

DO NOT use this skill for benefits plan selection, insurance broker negotiations, or legal compliance documents. This is for communicating benefits clearly to employees.

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Core Principle

IF AN EMPLOYEE HAS TO ASK HR TO EXPLAIN A BENEFIT, THE GUIDE HAS FAILED — WRITE AT AN 8TH-GRADE READING LEVEL WITH CONCRETE EXAMPLES.

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Phase 1: Brief

Required Inputs

Input	What to Ask	Default
Benefits offered	"List all benefits you offer (health, dental, vision, 401k, PTO, remote stipend, etc.)"	Must be provided
Company size	"How many employees?"	5-25
Eligibility rules	"When do benefits kick in? (day 1, after 30 days, after 90 days)"	Day 1 for full-time
Enrollment details	"Open enrollment dates? How do employees sign up?"	Annual open enrollment
Audience	"New hires, all employees, or specific group?"	All employees
Tone	"Formal HR document or conversational guide?"	Conversational and clear

GATE: Confirm brief before proceeding.

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Phase 2: Outline

Standard Guide Sections

1. Welcome and overview — what is included at a glance
2. Health and wellness — medical, dental, vision, mental health
3. Financial benefits — retirement, equity, bonuses
4. Time off — PTO, sick days, holidays, parental leave
5. Work perks — remote stipend, learning budget, wellness allowance
6. Eligibility and enrollment — who qualifies, how to enroll, key dates
7. FAQ — top 10 questions employees actually ask
8. Contacts and resources — who to ask, where to go

GATE: Present outline and confirm which sections apply before writing.

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Phase 3: Write

Writing Rules

• Use plain language — "You pay $50/month for individual coverage" not "Employee contribution for single-tier enrollment"
• Include dollar amounts and specific numbers wherever possible
• Add a real-world example for every complex benefit (especially insurance deductibles and 401k matching)
• Use comparison tables for plan options
• Bold key numbers: costs, dates, deadlines
• Include "What this means for you" callouts after technical sections

Section Format

Each benefit section follows this structure:

1. What it is — one-sentence plain-language explanation
2. What you get — specific coverage, amounts, or allowances
3. What it costs you — employee contribution if any
4. How to use it — enrollment steps, claims process, or access instructions
5. Example — concrete scenario showing the benefit in action

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Phase 4: Polish

Final Deliverables

1. Complete benefits guide — formatted for the stated audience
2. Quick-reference card — one-page summary with key numbers and dates
3. New hire email template — welcome message pointing to the guide with enrollment deadlines
4. FAQ section — answers to the 10 most common benefits questions

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Example 1: Startup Benefits Guide (15 people, basic package)

Health: Company covers 80% of premiums. You pay ~$120/month for individual, ~$350/month for family. PTO: Unlimited PTO with a 2-week minimum encouraged. No accrual, no payout. Learning: $500/year learning stipend for courses, books, or conferences.

Example 2: Growing Company (50 people, comprehensive package)

Health: Choice of two plans — PPO ($150/mo) or HDHP with HSA ($80/mo + $1,500 company HSA contribution). Retirement: 401(k) with 4% company match, vested immediately. Parental Leave: 12 weeks paid for all parents, biological or adoptive.

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Anti-Patterns

• Insurance jargon without translation — "coinsurance," "out-of-pocket maximum," and "deductible" need plain-English definitions with examples.
• Missing dollar amounts — "competitive benefits" means nothing. Show the numbers.
• Burying enrollment deadlines — if someone misses open enrollment because it was on page 47, the guide failed. Put dates up front.
• One giant PDF — break it into scannable sections with a table of contents. Nobody reads a 30-page document cover to cover.
• Forgetting part-time or contractor differences — if eligibility varies, state it clearly per employment type.

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Recovery

• User unsure of benefit details: Ask for their insurance broker contact or benefits portal login page. Work with available information and flag gaps.
• Very few benefits to document: Focus on what exists and frame it positively. Even PTO and flexible hours deserve a clear writeup.
• Benefits vary by location: Create a base guide with location-specific addenda or comparison tables.
• User wants to attract talent with the guide: Shift tone toward employer branding — emphasize total compensation value and unique perks.