Benenden Health (UK), has successfully increased member engagement among its 870,000+ members by 845% since 2022. This case study explores the strategies and initiatives that contributed to this significant achievement, focusing on the implementation of new democratic processes and the launch of an online community platform.
Introduction
In 2023, Benenden Health, a UK-based affordable healthcare provider, overhauled its democratic structure and undertook initiatives to increase engagement among its 870,000+ members.
The previous structure, where members belonged to local ‘branches’, each with its own committee with elected representative delegates who voted at the annual Conference, meant only those who were able to physically attend a branch meeting could participate. As a result, only 0.4% of members participated in decision-making.
This formal structure felt increasingly out of date and unattractive to members. Once a year, members were invited to a meeting at their local branch. The meetings had a formal agenda based around branch business (committee elections, finances etc) and formal conference business. Some branches invited guest speakers, which proved to be popular with the those that attended, however, the majority of members did not get involved and feedback was that the meetings were not appealing.
Participation didn’t reflect the wider membership, with decisions at Benenden Health’s annual Conferences being taken by a very small minority of members, largely the same members year-on-year. This sentiment was echoed by the organisation’s active members.
The solution
Benenden Health formed a working group of members and began discussions on how it could improve its democracy. Feedback from the group led Benenden Health to form a new democratic structure, built around Direct Member Voting, its Conference (equivalent to an AGM) Member Communities, including its Online Community, and its Member Council.
For the first time, all members were invited to vote on resolutions, as well as board elections. This initiative marked a departure from the previous ‘branch network’ system, which had only engaged 0.4% of the membership. At Benenden’s June 2023 Conference, nearly 4% of members voted, an 845% increase from 2022.
In addition to the increase, Benenden Health achieved an 8.9/10 satisfaction score from its members and a 26% increase in engagement with its services in 2023, a significant rise during a period when access to the National Health Service (NHS) was at its lowest. This increase in service use underscores the effectiveness of the new engagement strategies in meeting member needs and enhancing their overall experience.
      Published August 2024
Online member community
As part of the strategy to increase engagement, Benenden Health also introduced an Online Community platform in the same year with the aim of encouraging a diverse member voice by giving all members the opportunity to have their say. This in turn would help the organisation to focus its strategic direction, enabling quicker decision making.
The timeline for the project was 12 months and began with holding a tender process for the Online Community supplier. Once appointed, Benenden Health worked with its chosen supplier, Standing on Giants, for over six months, developing the platform. This included cross functional activity, seeking input from key areas across the business, in particular member engagement, marketing and IT teams.
Staff were brought along on the journey through regular updates and Benenden Health’s monthly business update sessions. These sessions, held online, have attendance of over 250 colleagues. During the sessions, updates were given on the progress of the new democratic structure, and the development of the Online Community. Once the launch date drew near, the online community supplier was invited into the offices to conduct training workshops for representatives from every department at the organisation.
A minimal viable product was launched with a view to continually improve the Online Community based on member feedback. A communication was sent to every member to confirm the new democratic structure was in place, and the Online Community was up and running. Members were then invited to log onto the platform and see it for themselves. Since its launch, the Online Community has been advertised on the Benenden Health app and in the organisation’s member magazine, BeHealthy and the community has grown to over 5,500 members within the first nine months.
The platform offers several key features:
- Member connections: members can connect with others in their local area and across the country.
- Latest news and announcements: the platform provides access to the latest updates from Benenden Health.
- Organisational discussions and polls: members can participate in discussions and give their view on organisational matters.
- Event participation: members can RSVP to face-to-face ‘Member Meetups’.
The platform also integrates ‘Community Representatives’ from each region, who are volunteers who receive training on all of Benenden Health’s products and services. The representatives are responsible for ensuring that members’ voices are heard and for posting region-specific content.
In the first 18 months since the new structure, a significant number of members who were active in the previous structure became Community Representatives, providing continuity and retaining the longstanding knowledge from among volunteer members. Benenden Health has advertised the opportunity to volunteer through its website and BeHealthy magazine, inspiring over 30 members to volunteer for the first time. During this transitional period, any member can step forward as a volunteer representative, while the ultimate intention is for representatives to be elected by fellow members.
Member feedback and measuring success
Feedback from members comes from several sources: regular surveys, member panels, face-to-face member events, and through the online community. Work is carried out across the business to identify trends, which are then considered by the Membership Committee, a subcommittee of the board of directors. The Member Council also provides feedback, considering member suggestions and deciding whether or not they should be recommended to the board of directors.
One example where this feedback has been implemented is through improving navigation on the Online Community. Initially, the site has one section per regional community, however this meant that members were limited to their own community's section, missing out on other contributions. These sections have now been merged into one, bringing all members together, regardless of where in the UK they live.
An increasing number of meaningful member interactions have been observed on the Online Community. This has been helped by volunteer Community Representatives who are regular visitors to the Online Community and respond to member queries. The Member Engagement Team regularly check in and Benenden Health is also helped by a Community Manager from Standing on Giants, who has full oversight of the online member community. The organisation has found that very little moderating is required, as members are very friendly, knowledgeable, and appropriate.
Benenden Health is measuring success through the numbers of members registered to the platform, which is currently nearing 9,000 members. The organisation is pleased with this number as it has grown organically. One real indicator of success is repeat visits to the Online Community, and Benenden Health is working with the supplier to develop KPIs to measure this and other aspects of engagement in more detail.
Lessons learned and future plans
The process of developing the Online Community has been a lesson in patience and managing expectations. Building a new platform is a time-consuming process and staff are working every day to continuously improve it for members.
Benenden Health acknowledges the importance of an online presence, an essential insight gained during the pandemic, and the new platform is crucial for ongoing member interaction and involvement. The healthcare provider is enthusiastic about the innovative ways members can now engage with the organisation, and the potential for fostering meaningful relationships within the community.
The long-term vision is for members to use the Online Community to discuss any aspect of their Benenden Health experience, and to understand the view of other members. The organisation’s next challenge is to encourage repeat visits to the site, through exciting discussions and exclusive content. It has great potential to help members learn more about their membership, feel part of a community, and enables them to make a difference.
About Benenden Health
Benenden Health (UK) was founded in 1905 to provide treatment for postal workers suffering from tuberculosis. Today, it provides affordable healthcare to over 870,000 members. As a not-for-profit organisation, Benenden Health is proud to be part of a community that cares deeply for people's health and strives to support its members every day through its services.
