4 ways to make open enrollment better

4 strategies to make open enrollment better

November 4, 2021 2:00 PM

It’s no secret that employees don’t love open enrollment. The annual task of selecting benefits can feel more like a nuisance than an opportunity to find support systems and benefits offered by an employer. But that’s a missed opportunity for businesses and their workers.

According to Aflac’s 2020-2021 Workforces report, 93% of employees pick the same benefits each year rather than choosing new options. And according to a survey from Voya, 35% of workers don’t fully understand the benefits they sign up for. That can lead to low utilization — and wasted dollars.

How can employers give benefits education and open enrollment a much-needed makeover without completely overhauling their processes? Tiny changes can create a big impact. Start with these four shifts in approach.

Make communication constant

Rather than emailing staff a few weeks ahead of open enrollment, keep those communications flowing all year round. Periodic communications and informational blasts about things like HSAs, supplemental health insurance and life insurance benefits will keep options top of mind for workers, and help them gradually build expertise and understanding.

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Strategies to simplify and personalize open enrollment for employees

Over-explain options

When it comes to benefits, don’t assume that your employees know, well, anything. That’s not a slight to your staff — it’s just in recognition that benefits can feel like a complicated web of options, often hiding behind countless acronyms and medical speak. Break benefits down to the simplest terms, and explain the details, even if you’re certain all the folks on the Zoom call already know what you’re talking about. Chances are, at least one person doesn’t.

Embrace new tech tools

Both the healthcare and tech industries have been working to make open enrollment simpler for employers and employees alike. New platforms that streamline offerings and allow employees to navigate the full roster of available benefits in one place can keep employees from feeling overwhelmed, and make the selection process simple.

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Managing open enrollment in a hybrid world

“We want to support employees beyond open enrollment, making sure they are reminded of their benefits and actively stay engaged with their healthcare throughout the year,” says Frank Jennings, SVP and chief sales officer at Castlight Health, which recently introduced a one-stop-shop platform in partnership with Businessolver.

Pay attention to your own team

Years ago, the corporate team at American Eagle Outfitters noticed that most of its workforce was enrolled in a PPO — one that probably wasn’t the best plan for the bulk of its team. So, according to a report from the Society for Human Resource Management, the retailer partnered with Benefitfocus to create a platform that analyzed workers’ recent medical claims and pointed them to health plans that might better suit their needs.