How To Build An Effective Open Enrollment Communications Strategy

As we draw towards the end of this year, the time has come for your human resources team to finalize its benefits plans for the new year. In other words, it is time to close the book on open enrollment. Though most managers will want to get through benefits planning as quickly as possible, care and consideration are necessary.

Pay attention to those last-minute crucial details of benefits administration to ensure an effective closing on open enrollment. Here are a few tips:

Announce key deadlines

Communicate all information about any remaining deadlines to your employees. It's always a tad complicated speaking with employees who miss specific deadlines regarding choosing or changing their benefits options. Make sure your employees know that your HR team will not be able to process any applications/requests submitted after the deadline.

Check for any inconsistencies

You have had no deadline issues so far, and the benefit process is going smooth, but a bit of human error is inevitable. Dealing with the benefits of administration for tens or even hundreds of employees is no easy feat, and discrepancies are to be expected.

Be sure to assess any of these by creating a strategic timeline for open enrollment.

Expect last-minute amendments

Even if you have been clear about the open enrollments deadline, there is always a chance that your employees' personal circumstances can interfere with their professional timelines. Make sure your employees follow the necessary steps they should take in the event of an exceptional situation, and how their qualifications work for new dates.

Let your employees know what comes next

Effective business communication covers the before, during and after, and an open enrollment is no exception.

Now is the time to call those meetings, and let your employee know how their benefits work, and how they can be accessed.

If you are collaborating with an employee benefits service like Pennsylvania-based JS Benefits Group, whose HR consultants commit to planning on your behalf, ask for a timeline of the new changes, and ask for guidance on how to manage your employees' questions regarding claims, medical payouts, choosing plans and more.

Break down the enrollment process

What did you observe about this year's open enrollment? What you believed worked and what did not, how your employees responded to new benefits changes, and how you can improve this process next time—all of these details are worth noting down for future reference.

Will be done with a smooth open enrollment, provided you get the right help to optimize business practices regarding employee benefits plans, and enhance growth.

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