Open enrollment season can be a whirlwind for both HR teams and employees. With so many choices and deadlines, it’s easy for confusion or procrastination to take over. With the right strategy, open enrollment becomes a chance to reinforce your commitment to employee well-being and long-term satisfaction. Here’s how to make this enrollment season count.
What Open Enrollment Really Means for Employers and Employees
Open enrollment is the annual window where employees can review, update, or enroll in various workplace benefits, including health insurance, dental and vision plans, retirement contributions, and voluntary coverages. For most companies, it’s the only time during the year when employees can make changes without a qualifying life event, such as marriage, birth, or the loss of other coverage.
This brief period plays a big role in shaping how employees view their total compensation package. A smooth and informed enrollment process can lead to stronger participation, higher satisfaction, and improved employee retention.
Avoiding the Most Common Mistakes
Open enrollment comes with its share of pitfalls. The most common? Leaving everything to the last minute, assuming last year’s choices still apply, or failing to review plan changes. Even minor adjustments to premiums, copays, or provider networks can impact employees significantly if they don’t read the details.
From the employer’s perspective, failing to communicate to your team early enough or clearly enough can lead to rushed decisions and missed opportunities. Preparing materials in advance and conducting informational sessions can help prevent these issues.
What Employees Are Asking for This Year
Employees’ expectations around benefits are shifting. Health insurance remains a top priority, but workers are increasingly seeking options that support mental health, financial wellness, and work-life balance. Popular benefit requests now include:
- Telehealth and mental health coverage
- Flexible spending or health savings accounts (FSAs/HSAs)
- Expanded paid leave policies
- Retirement plan matching
- Voluntary benefits like accident, critical illness, and pet insurance
Paying attention to these trends can help employers offer benefits that align with what today’s workforce actually values.
HR’s Role in Driving Engagement
Human Resources plays a crucial role in the success of open enrollment. HR professionals are the bridge between complex insurance options and employee understanding. When HR teams take a proactive and hands-on approach by offering benefit fairs, lunch-and-learns, or one-on-one Q&A sessions, participation and satisfaction improve.
Equipping managers with key talking points and preparing FAQ-style communications can further reduce confusion and ensure consistent messaging across the organization.
Why Clear Communication Makes All the Difference
It’s not enough to make benefits available; employees need to understand them. Clear and jargon-free communication is essential. Utilize multiple channels, including emails, digital guides, internal portals, and printed flyers, to reach employees where they are. Visual breakdowns, cost comparisons, and real-world scenarios can help demystify plan options.
Providing tools like online calculators or comparison charts empowers employees to make confident choices, rather than defaulting to last year’s elections without thought.
Make This Enrollment Season Count and Talk to Our Team Today
Open enrollment is a valuable opportunity to foster even greater employee engagement, reinforce a positive workplace culture, and ensure your team feels supported in and out of the office. Our agency can help you design and communicate a group benefits strategy that drives participation and adds real value. Give us a call at (541) 779-6017 and let’s make this enrollment season your most successful one yet.
