Recent trends in remote or hybrid working, shortened attention spans, and navigating a multigenerational workforce has created several hurdles for employers when deciding how best to empower and inform employees. Effective benefits communication during open enrollment and throughout the year is not just important—it’s essential. By providing clear, concise information, employers give employees the ability to make educated decisions and extract maximum value from their benefits. Here are some current trends and innovative tools that HR teams can leverage to elevate the enrollment experience.
While open enrollment is a specific period, employers may achieve the highest rate of engagement when they implement year-round benefits communication. Employers may consider strategies specific to your organization's unique demographic and drive action to meet their specific needs. Be sure to measure the impact year-over-year by reviewing year-over-year utilization and enrollment data.
Achieve a greater impact by diversifying your communication channels. Instead of relying solely on emails, consider implementing a multichannel approach while paying attention to your employees’ specific demographics and their preferred method of receiving information. This could include mailing postcards or letters to employee homes, posters or flyers in the workplace, a monthly outreach to keep employees thinking about benefits, or something unique to your business. Stagger delivery timelines alongside your carriers’ approaches to maximize results.
The shift toward digital communication tools has accelerated. In an effort to effectively communicate with your employees, consider leveraging educational videos, digital graphics to improve email communications, interactive HTML5 flipbooks, and QR codes within materials to make your information more accessible than ever before. These tools provide a more visually appealing experience along with the ability to measure number of views, clicks, and scans.
As HDHPs become more common, consider evolving your library of content to include easy-to-understand language that explains plans costs and benefits. Clear communication about deductibles, out-of-pocket expenses, and health savings accounts (HSAs) helps employees make informed decisions.
Providing employees with a glossary of health benefit terms helps to demystify complex insurance and healthcare terminology. In addition to a glossary, consider adding a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section to enhance employees’ understanding of benefits offerings and address common questions received by HR teams during annual open enrollment.
Understanding the various types of employee leave and the impact that it can have on an organization can be a tall task for an employer. Aside from the compliance perspective of employee leave, there...
In the evolving landscape of employer-sponsored health benefits, the Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) has emerged as a viable option. Designed to offer greater flexibility...
New Medicare rules are making it imperative for employers to ensure that they obtain and report social security numbers and other identifying information regarding all beneficiaries covered under...