The U.S. workforce is more diverse than ever. Hispanic and Latino workers now make up nearly 19% of the U.S. labor force — and that number continues to grow. In many industries, including construction, hospitality, agriculture, and healthcare support, Spanish-speaking employees make up a much larger share of the workforce.

Yet most companies still conduct open enrollment, benefits education, and HR communications exclusively in English.

The result? A significant portion of the workforce is making critical financial decisions — about health insurance, supplemental coverage, and retirement savings — without fully understanding their options.

The Real Cost of Language Barriers in Benefits

When employees don't understand their benefits, the consequences ripple across the entire organization:

Lower enrollment in valuable benefits. Employees who don't understand supplemental plans, HSAs, or voluntary life insurance are far less likely to enroll — even when those benefits would genuinely help them.

Higher claims confusion. Employees who don't understand how their health plan works are more likely to use out-of-network providers, miss prior authorization requirements, or delay care because they're unsure what's covered.

Reduced employee satisfaction. Benefits are a significant part of total compensation. When employees can't access or understand their benefits, they undervalue them — which undermines your investment in your benefits package.

Turnover. Employees who feel underserved or overlooked are more likely to leave. For Spanish-speaking workers who have found an employer that communicates with them in their language, that's a powerful retention factor.

What Bilingual Benefits Communication Looks Like in Practice

Effective bilingual benefits communication isn't just about translating documents. It's about ensuring that every employee — regardless of their primary language — has access to the same quality of information and guidance.

Bilingual Enrollment Meetings

The most impactful change you can make is holding enrollment meetings in both English and Spanish. This can mean:

• Separate meetings for English-speaking and Spanish-speaking employees
• A bilingual presenter who can address questions in either language
• A bilingual Q&A session following an English-language presentation

The goal is to ensure that Spanish-speaking employees can ask questions, get clear answers, and make informed decisions — not just sit through a presentation they can't fully follow.

Translated Materials

Key benefits documents should be available in Spanish, including:

• Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs)
• Open enrollment guides and decision tools
• Plan comparison charts
• FAQs about specific benefits
• Instructions for using the benefits portal

Translation should be done by someone fluent in both languages and familiar with benefits terminology — not just run through an automated translation tool.

Year-Round Support

Benefits questions don't only arise during open enrollment. Employees need support throughout the year — when they're trying to understand an Explanation of Benefits, navigate a claim dispute, or add a dependent after a life event.

Providing a bilingual point of contact for benefits questions — whether that's an internal HR team member or an external advisor — ensures that Spanish-speaking employees have the same access to support as their English-speaking colleagues.

The Business Case for Bilingual Benefits

Investing in bilingual benefits communication isn't just the right thing to do — it's good business.

Higher enrollment rates. Employees who understand their benefits are more likely to enroll in voluntary plans, which improves the overall risk pool and can reduce employer costs over time.

Better benefits utilization. Employees who understand how to use their benefits appropriately — using in-network providers, following prior authorization procedures, utilizing preventive care — generate fewer costly claims.

Stronger retention. Employees who feel valued and supported are more loyal. For Spanish-speaking workers, an employer who communicates with them in their language sends a powerful message: you belong here.

Competitive differentiation. In industries with significant Hispanic workforces, offering bilingual benefits support is a meaningful differentiator in recruiting.

A Personal Commitment

As a Hispanic American benefits advisor who is fully fluent in English and Spanish, I've seen firsthand the difference that bilingual communication makes. I've sat with employees who had never truly understood their health plan — not because they weren't intelligent or engaged, but because no one had ever explained it to them in a language they were fully comfortable with.

Every employee deserves to understand their benefits. If your current benefits program isn't reaching your entire workforce, let's talk about how to change that.