To ensure a successful open enrollment, employers and employees alike must prepare. Employers must update materials and properly communicate benefit offerings to their employee populations. Employees should be familiar with their health needs in order to properly enroll in the most appropriate benefits.
Employer preparation
Effective communication helps inform employees of new, returning, or changing benefits options during open enrollment. Employers should:
- Inform offerings early to give employees time to process and determine their needs. Having excess time is beneficial and increases the number of employees who feel prepared for open enrollment.
- Be as clear as possible. Health benefits can feel overwhelming and confusing, so new or enhanced benefits must be introduced as clearly as possible. Highlight the most important and relevant information; simplicity is key. When summarizing, be sure to attach or link more detailed documents for those interested in learning more.
- Use proper channels. With a mixture of work models (i.e., in-person, remote, hybrid), employers should consider whether print, digital copies, or a combination of both are most useful for their workforce. Videos, postcards, flyers, text messages, and handouts can be sent as reminders and updates. By using the appropriate media, information can be transferred in the most digestible way available.
Employers can ensure a more seamless transition between plan years by providing employees with benefits offerings in a timely and effective manner.
Employee preparation
To reduce the stress of open enrollment, employees should be cognizant of the needs of themselves and their families in relation to what is being offered. Below are a few helpful ways an employee might gather pertinent information to inform their decisions.
- If you enrolled through your employer last year, review your previous elections and determine how effective they were.
- Make a comprehensive list of your providers including your primary care physicians, specialists, and prescriptions.
- Determine how much you spent last year on total medical costs.
- Be aware of known or planned medical needs in the upcoming year (i.e., surgeries, childbirths).
- Review your new benefits offerings by inspecting all communications and attending enrollment meetings or benefits fairs.
- Create a list of any questions you have regarding open enrollment or the offered benefits.
Determining your wants and needs prior to enrollment will help you make more informed decisions.
If you have any questions regarding open enrollments or benefits offerings, please contact your dedicated Creative Benefits, Inc. team member.