A Year-Round Communications Strategy To Enhance Open Enrollment

Open enrollment is among the most critical times on the benefits calendar. Employees make decisions that affect their health, finances and loved ones for the year ahead. And organizations discover the benefits that are most valued and impact their bottom line.

But open enrollment is often seen as a once-a-year event rather than one piece in a broader benefits communication strategy.

When employees are underinformed throughout the year, they tend to be overwhelmed during open enrollment. It’s an all-too-common occurrence. The industry news source BenefitsPRO reports that 43% of employees receive one or no benefits communications each year.

Without consistent, timely information, employees may struggle to understand or use their benefits. This has negative consequences for individuals and organizations. Underutilized benefits can lower employee satisfaction, perceived value and organizational return on investment.

A more effective approach is to treat benefits communication as a year-round cycle. Open enrollment becomes the culmination of your efforts.

Below is a framework you can use to strengthen benefits communication each quarter. The result should be more informed employees and an easier, more effective open enrollment.

First quarter: Support benefits implementation

Focal point: Help employees understand and use their benefits.

Use the first quarter to help employees transition from the previous year’s open enrollment to this year’s utilization.

Once open enrollment ends, many employees need to learn how to navigate the real-world impact of their benefit elections. They may be using new plans, navigating new resources or tools, or understanding payroll deductions.

The greatest impact in Q1 comes from educating employees and answering their questions. Solutions could include:

FAQs and informational documents on a shared site
Print and digital short-form communications explaining benefits offerings
Office hours for in-person benefits conversations
Reminders of where and how to access benefits help
Testimonials from colleagues who have benefited from their selections
Workshops or webinars with a trusted benefits adviser

Your Q1 goal should be to reinforce benefits education and remove barriers. This step pays dividends for open enrollment later in the year. When employees understand and appreciate your offerings, they are better prepared to adapt to changes and make selections that match their needs.

Second quarter: Gather feedback

Focal point: Ask employees what they need and value.

In Q2, employees will have real-world experience with their benefits. This makes it a good time to gather feedback on what’s working, what’s not working, what’s confusing and what would add value.

An anonymous survey can provide insights into employees’ wants. A series of listening sessions can provide greater details into their experiences with your offerings.

Employees value a wide range of benefits beyond staples like health insurance, retirement plans and paid time off. Examples include:

Dental and vision
Life insurance
Family leave
Critical illness and accident coverage
Disability insurance
Pet insurance
Legal services
Student loan repayment assistance
Financial counseling

Your workforce isn’t uniform, and they may want different options. Gathering feedback can help you understand which benefits align with most employee needs.

Employee input can strengthen your open enrollment process. Their insights help you anticipate questions and challenges, refine benefits messaging, and identify the most impactful open enrollment resources. It can also increase employee trust and engagement by demonstrating that your organization is listening and responding to their concerns.

Third quarter: Prepare early

Focal point: Use feedback to shape plan design and communication.

Turn preparation into action in Q3. Based on the employee feedback you received in the first half of the year, you can refine your approach:

Adjust your plan design.
Add or subtract benefit offerings.
Offer voluntary benefits that increase options while containing costs.

The human resources association SHRM recommends finalizing benefits decisions and communications as early as you can. Lack of preparation is a top reason open enrollment becomes stressful and ineffective. When decisions are made too late, education and communication are rushed and employees feel unprepared.

Q3 preparation helps you plan, decide and communicate strategically. Consider elements such as audience, messaging and timelines. Work with your benefits adviser to price different options, clarify trade-offs and ensure compliance.

The third quarter is the time to preview your open enrollment. Communicate potential changes, provide education, and remind employees to start planning their selections around their current and future needs.

Fourth quarter: Communicate clearly

Focal point: Make open enrollment simple, accessible and relevant.

Open enrollment happens in Q4. Clarity is crucial. Employees rely on your education and communication to make informed decisions. Prepared employees make better selections and are more likely to appreciate your offerings.

The most effective strategy in the fourth quarter is to focus on clear, targeted communications.

Highlight what’s changing.
Explain what actions are required.
State deadlines early and often.
Use plain language.
Personalize communications for different demographics.

BenefitsPRO recommends using multiple channels to increase your reach and meet employees’ communication preferences. Examples include:

Emails
Internal websites
Mobile tools
Videos
Newsletters
Benefits-specific meetings
Team gatherings

Make it easy for employees to ask questions through digital and in-person channels. Reducing barriers improves access, understanding and confidence.

When you communicate clearly and consistently all year, open enrollment feels less like a mad dash and more like a victory lap.

Create a continuous cycle

Open enrollment takes place in the fall, but its success is built throughout the year. By focusing on one goal each quarter, you can engage your employees, strengthen benefits knowledge and improve enrollment outcomes.

For more guidance on building a year-round open enrollment strategy, give us a call. We’re happy to help.