How to prepare for open enrollment season

As the season of open enrollment approaches, it’s essential for HR and benefits professionals to prepare for this intensive period that can impact their employees’ perceptions of their benefits packages and their employer overall. This annual event isn’t just a formality; it is a critical opportunity for employers to enhance their employees’ understanding and engagement with the employee benefits they offer.

To ensure a smooth open enrollment experience for you and your employees, we’re sharing strategies to make this period a breeze, including how to leverage communication tools and foster a culture of clear communication.

Understanding the importance of open enrollment communication

Open enrollment is the time when employees make significant decisions regarding their benefits. It sets the groundwork for their health and financial security throughout the coming year. However, studies show that many employees experience regret post-enrollment, often due to confusion about their options and insufficient understanding of their benefits. We aim to help you, as benefits professionals, minimize this risk and enhance decision-making with clear and informative communication.

Step-by-step guide to effective open enrollment preparation

1. Create a communication plan early

Start by devising a comprehensive communication plan at least 4-6 weeks ahead of the open enrollment period.

Outline key messages, timelines, channels, and the frequency of communication. This proactive approach helps employees know what to expect and prepares them for the decisions they need to make – and reduces the workload on your HR team during this busy time.

2. Leverage your insurance broker

Your insurance broker is a vital resource during open enrollment. Engage them early to discuss strategies and tools they can provide to help you communicate benefits effectively. Brokers can assist in creating tailored materials, facilitate educational sessions, and offer insights into industry trends that may impact your benefits package.

3. Utilize multi-channel communication

Today’s workforce is diverse, with various generations and communication preferences. To accommodate these differences, leverage multiple channels to disseminate information. Consider using: 

• Blogs for formal announcements.
• Webinars to explain complex benefits, allowing for Q&A sessions.
• Internal communication channels for deadline reminders.
• Resource hubs for access to resources that can be viewed at any time, including FAQs and decision-support tools.

4. Provide decision-support resources

Offer decision-support tools that guide employees in comparing benefits options or host office hours where you or your insurance broker can help employees make informed decisions. These resources can include side-by-side plan comparisons, cost calculators and glossaries that simplify HR industry jargon.  

5. Foster accessibility with mobile-friendly platforms

Ensure all your benefits communications and enrollments are optimized for mobile devices, as employees are increasingly relying on phones and tablets to digest information on the go at their convenience. This is especially helpful for offline workforces and employees balancing work and family responsibilities.

6. Host educational events

As part of your communication strategy, organize live educational webinars or in-person events leading up to open enrollment. These sessions can clear up common misconceptions, provide thorough explanations of different benefits packages, and create opportunities for employees to ask questions.  

7. Simplify information delivery

While it may be tempting to provide a wealth of information all at once, communicating clearly is essential to avoid overwhelming employees. Segment communications based on themes or topics, providing bite-sized information that employees can easily digest.

8. Feedback surveys

After the open enrollment period ends, leverage surveys to gather employee feedback about their experiences, learning and selecting their benefits. Understanding areas of confusion or frustration can help you refine communication strategies for future enrollment periods. Surveys can be an effective tool for collecting insights on what worked well and what did not. 

As open enrollment approaches, HR leaders and benefits professionals should prioritize effective communication to navigate this busy period successfully. Our Economic Value Study further validated that both desk-based and frontline employees need strong communication to engage with their benefits and connect with their organizations fully.

By establishing a well-structured communication plan and utilizing engagement tools and strategies, including collaboration with your insurance broker and other benefit partners, you can significantly enhance your employees’ understanding and engagement with benefits.

Investing time in the preparation of open enrollment not only minimizes potential regret among employees but also reinforces your company's commitment to their wellbeing and job satisfaction. With careful planning and execution, this open enrollment season can be a rewarding experience – setting the stage for a healthier, more informed, and engaged workforce in the year ahead.

Learn more about how Reward Gateway | Edenred can help your organization thrive through open enrollment season and make your corner of the world a better place to work.