COVID-19 creates new opportunities for open enrollment

Employees have faced unique terrain throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and open enrollment was no different.

In any other year, an employee would likely automatically renew benefits during their open enrollment period without a second thought. But the pandemic exposed flaws in open enrollment platforms and procedures throughout the country, and experts say long term changes are in the works for 2021 and beyond.

Read more: How coronavirus is changing open enrollment

In 2020, 56% of employees spent more time reviewing benefits that their employer offered than in years past, according to a survey from Voya Financial. However, 35% said they did not fully understand their benefits, and 66% of employees want more help from their employer when it comes to understanding their benefits.

As employers gear up for this year’s open enrollment, it’s imperative for employers to consistently support their workforce through education and clarity around benefits.

“The challenge now in 2021 — especially among younger workers, like millennials — is providing ongoing support and education to help employees understand how to maximize their new benefit selections to address their holistic needs,” Rob Grubka, CEO of Voya's Health Solutions business, said in a release.

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Half of employees spend 30 minutes or less on open enrollment, according to a report by Unum. Employees seeking more in-depth assistance with their benefits is not just new territory for them, but also for their employers.

“Benefits providers can help employers by providing robust education programs; developing engaging, year-round communication campaigns; and offering innovative digital tools to help their employees understand and maximize their workplace benefits,” Andrew Frend, senior vice president of product and strategy for Voya Financial’s Health Solutions, said in the release.

Keith Kitani, CEO of employer communication company GuideSpark, says companies should be using this time to reevaluate how they connect with their employees. “People are starting to think about communication from more of an employee-centric perspective, and not assuming all employees are the same,” he said.

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As remote work has become the norm, Kitani says employers have had to adjust and replicate their open enrollment experiences to the virtual environment. One way to navigate this transition is to give employees the option of receiving information in increments, rather than in one larger forum.

“As opposed to a single meeting, how do you think of it as a four-week experience or a six-week experience where you send targeted information over time?” Kitani says. “We’ve all sat through a one-hour online session and video, and it’s hard to focus and really engage. The idea of really being able to deliver targeted, relevant, digital experiences is how we’re helping organizations evolve.”