4 Ways to Simplify Open Enrollment

This year, prepare and plan for the easiest open enrollment ever –  both for you and the employees.
It’s that time of year again, the dreaded enrollment season where HR professionals have to make important decisions about the company benefits for the upcoming year. Traditionally, HR departments are under great stress this time of year, with an increase in tasks and no additional staff to shoulder the work. And with the rising cost of medical coverage, employees are dually under pressure to manage the decisions about their health and dental insurance.

1. Know who you’re dealing with. Today’s workforce is a combination of Baby Boomers and Gen Y workers all under one roof. This means you might need to alter your communication style accordingly. Boomers, for example, might prefer webinars, print or face-to-face communication. Gen Yers, on the other hand, will probably respond best to electronic communications.

2. Get personal. When employees are handed those thick envelopes filled with paperwork concerning their benefit plans, they have a hard time knowing where to start, who to ask and what they need to know. When you’re breaking it down for them, make it relevant. Provide real-life examples that explain the differences between plans and why, for example, an employee with a family would be better served by Plan A than Plan B.

3. Keep the communication simple. Benefits jargon can be complicated and hard to decipher for those who don’t understand the benefits language. And it doesn’t make matters any easier that benefit plans just keep getting more complicated. It’s important to use everyday language people can understand and absorb. Convey the same message by publishing information in different formats. Repetition through blogs, print materials and visual presentations will help clear up communications and provide a more solid comprehension of coverage options.

4. Make it relevant. Healthcare reform and other matters at large shouldn’t have a place in your discussion. Keep the focus on immediate behaviors and habits that can impact what matters – like their pocketbooks. Talk about wellness programs, preventive care and cost-cutting practices such as using the prescription mail order program to reduce pharmacy costs. Highlight the advantages of contributing to an HSA and FSA, actions that can help save and reduce medical spending down the road.

Employee benefit administration can be a complicated, daunting and costly task. AmCheck makes it simple for companies of all sizes by tracking eligibility, verifying employee information, handling enrollment needs and more. See which AmCheck HR solution is right for you.