Open enrollment (OE) exists to give employees the opportunity to declare their benefit elections. But it also represents an opportunity for employers. It’s a chance for them to showcase the richness of their health benefit offering and help employees appreciate it for what it is: a large component of their compensation.
Achieving that requires a carefully sequenced set of messages. Early communications should draw employees’ full attention to the upcoming OE period, while later messages should follow up with easy-to-understand bits of information, provided as needed. One way to get employees’ attention is to reassure them that they’ll have the support they need when they select their insurance plans, such as the availability of a resource like Eden Health’s Clinical Associates.
Before Open Enrollment
Before diving into plan details, paint the big picture, including the rationale behind any major changes. If there are any elements or “surprises” that employees might consider to be negative, announce them up front. If “bad news” is obscured, employees will find out anyway, and will be upset if they believe you’re not being upfront about it.
Here’s one possible set of pre-OE messages to sequence out to employees over a 1-2-month rollout period. Note: If your OE will feature a resource such as Eden Health’s Clinical Associates, conveying the message up front that employees will have a comprehensive and focused source of support during the OE (and beyond) will set the stage for a successful benefit selection process.
1. Initial announcement that OE is coming up, emphasizing key dates.
2. List the most significant upcoming changes in your plan, and what they mean for employees.
3. Remind employees of which different categories of benefits employees are entitled to.
4. Announce any upcoming presentations about plan changes and the OE process. (This message could also announce the availability of Clinical Associates.)
5. Supply a glossary of benefits terminology.
During Open Enrollment
Messages to convey once OE has begun can include:
▪ A checklist of actions employees must take.
▪ A repeat of the pre-OE list of significant plan changes.
▪ Instructions on how to complete the enrollment.
▪ Direction on who to contact with questions (such as Clinical Associates).
▪ An explanation of the consequences of not enrolling.
▪ Multiple reminders of the enrollment deadline.
After Open Enrollment
Post-OE employee surveys and reports from insurance navigators about the OE experience can provide insights to improve the next year’s enrollment cycle. A platform such as Eden Health’s gives HR professionals data that provides visibility into employee engagement and satisfaction derived from leveraging its services.
