Open enrollment is a critical time for employees. It’s when employees make important decisions about their health care, retirement and other benefits that will affect them for the rest of the year. However, confusion about benefits is a widespread issue among employees of all generations; in fact, a recent survey by Business Solver found that 86% of employees are confused about their benefits offerings.
As a result, it’s important to encourage employees to dedicate more time to the open enrollment process. This can help employees understand their benefits options and feel confident in their decisions. It may also lead to increased employee satisfaction and a more engaged workforce overall.
Here are five effective strategies employers like you can use to engage employees in open enrollment:
- Communicate clearly and consistently. Begin communicating about open enrollment well in advance. Use various channels, such as emails, social media and team meetings, to ensure employees are informed about the upcoming enrollment period.
- Create a sense of urgency. Highlight the importance of meeting enrollment deadlines to encourage prompt action. It can also be
helpful to remind employees of the consequences of missing the enrollment period. Yet, be sure to balance this sense of urgency with
supportive messaging to avoid unnecessary stress. - Leverage technology. Tools and platforms can offer interactive and user-friendly experiences. It’s important to provide a centralized
platform where employees can access all necessary information, compare plans and make selections. The aid of decision support tools
can also help employees understand their options based on their personal circumstances and preferences. - Gather employee input before open enrollment. Ask employees about their preferences and the benefits they’d like to see. This will help
them feel involved in the process and ensure their needs are addressed. - Create a user-friendly experience. Enhance the visuals, terminology and icons in your benefits enrollment technology where possible to
create a more user-friendly experience. Include clear instructions and simplified naming conventions to make the enrollment process easier and more intuitive.
By implementing these strategies, you can encourage employees to take full advantage of open enrollment so they can make informed benefits decisions that impact their personal and professional lives.
Contact us today for more open enrollment guidance.
