Effective Ways to Get More Engagement During Open Enrollment
Open enrollment is an important time of year for businesses and their employees. Unfortunately, though, it can also create a substantial amount of work for HR departments. This is especially the case if, going into this time of year, adequate preparations haven’t been made to keep HR teams and employees on task.
However, by being more proactive when managing open enrollment, you can ensure employees have the information they need to make quick but informed decisions about their benefits and minimize delays in completing the required paperwork.
Here are some practical strategies to increase employee engagement during open enrollment and streamline the entire process for everyone involved.
Proactive Communication is Key
Proactive preparation is key to increasing employee engagement during open enrollment. This means giving your business ample time to prepare and organize all business tasks. This is especially critical for knowing their legal reporting requirements and meeting any obligations set out by state or local governments. This includes meeting important deadlines.
Once these obligations are clearly outlined among HR teams, early and clear communication of associated responsibilities is important. Employees need sufficient time when contributing to open enrollment periods and should know exactly what’s required of them in advance. HR departments should set defined timelines and use a good mix of communication channels months before open enrollment begins to ensure no one is caught off guard.
Simplify and Personalize Information
Some employees find benefit offerings tricky to navigate, especially when trying to understand coverage limitations or eligibility requirements. Also, some may be entering open enrollment for the first time and not know exactly what is required of them. Offering these individuals one-on-one support can be incredibly helpful when streamlining necessary open enrollment tasks.
Instead of overwhelming HR teams by walking employees through every aspect of their benefits options, a benefits call center can be a great alternative. These call centers have trained professionals who can guide employees who need more guidance through all their options.
This not only helps employees feel more supported during open enrollment, but it also takes added pressure off HR teams, allowing them to focus on other important tasks while still ensuring employees get the individual attention they need.
By making benefits easier to understand and providing the right support, employees are able to make the best choices for themselves and their families while helping HR teams meet their critical deadlines.
Empower Employees with On-Demand Resources
Open enrollment can be particularly confusing for younger or newer employees who may be going through the benefits selection process for the first time.
To address this knowledge gap, consider offering a range of educational resources that employees can access at their convenience. Best-in-breed benefits administration platforms can offer a number of on-demand tools that allow employees to better appreciate the value of their benefits while weighing different ways to configure their coverage.
For example, online calculation tools can help employees estimate potential premium costs against out-of-pocket medical expense savings, helping them choose the most optimal health insurance plan. Comparison charts are another great resource that clearly illustrates how deductibles, copays, and out-of-pocket expenses impact their finances throughout the year.
All of these resources provide self-service support to employees that can help them minimize delays when completing their open enrollment assignments.
Incentivize Participation and Make It Fun
Even though open enrollment is an important component of running a business, this doesn’t mean the process needs to be a dull experience. There are many different ways organizations can add a bit of fun to the process to help get employees more engaged.
One effective approach is introducing different incentives or rewards for employees who finalize their open enrollment procedures within established periods. You could consider offering gift cards or other small perks for early submissions or adding more interactive elements like quizzes or games during open-enrollment training sessions. This can help employees to look more forward to their involvement in the process each year.
Maximize Your Open Enrollment Efficiency
Open enrollment doesn't have to be a chaotic period for your organization. With proactive planning, transparent communication about administrative procedures, and helpful employee resources, you can optimize open enrollment periods for your business and ensure ongoing employee engagement during the process.
