Open enrollment season can feel like a marathon sprint, but successful HR professionals know the secret: it's all in the preparation. With about three months to go, here's a roadmap to an organized, stress-free enrollment period that engages employees instead of overwhelming them.
90 Days Out: Foundation Setting
Vendor Coordination: Contact benefits providers now to confirm renewal rates, plan changes, and new offerings. Request all marketing materials, enrollment guides, and system updates. Don't wait for vendors to reach out, be proactive about getting what you need.
Budget Planning: Work with finance to finalize contribution strategies and communicate premium changes to leadership. If you're implementing new benefits or changing cost-sharing, leadership needs time to understand the impact and messaging.
Technology Check: Test your enrollment platform, update employee data, and ensure IT has addressed integration issues. Schedule system training for anyone who will be supporting enrollment.
60 Days Out: Content Creation
Communication Strategy: Develop a multi-channel communication plan. Plan for emails, intranet posts, flyers, and town halls. Employees need to hear benefits information 7-10 times before it sticks, so plan accordingly.
Decision Support Tools: Create comparison charts, cost calculators, and "typical employee" scenarios that help employees understand their choices. Many employees make enrollment decisions in under five minutes so make those minutes count with clear, actionable information.
Manager Training: Brief managers and supervisors on changes and key messages. They're your front line for employee questions and can either reinforce or undermine your communication efforts.
30 Days Out: Launch Preparation
Soft Launch: Consider conducting a limited rollout with a small employee group to identify issues before the full launch. This is your chance to catch problems while you can still fix them.
Communication Blitz: Begin your communication campaign. Send save-the-date messages, preview major changes, and start building excitement rather than anxiety about enrollment.
Support Infrastructure: Schedule extra coverage for a benefits hotline, prepare FAQ documents, and ensure you have adequate staffing for the enrollment period rush.
Launch Week: Execute and Adjust
Daily Monitoring: Track enrollment rates, common questions, and system issues. Be prepared to adjust your communication or extend deadlines if needed.
Real-Time Problem Solving: Create a rapid response protocol for technical issues or employee questions that weren't anticipated.
The Secret Ingredient
Throughout this 90-day countdown, remember that benefits enrollment isn't just about compliance; it's about helping employees make informed decisions that protect their families and financial futures. When employees understand their benefits, they use them more effectively, feel more satisfied with their total compensation, and are more likely to stay with your organization.
Start your countdown today. Your future self (and your employees) will thank you when enrollment season arrives and you're ahead of the game instead of scrambling to catch up.
Benefit Allocation Systems (BAS) provides best-in-class, online solutions for: Employee Benefits Enrollment; COBRA; Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs); Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs); Leave of Absence Premium Billing (LOA); Affordable Care Act Record Keeping, Compliance & IRS Reporting (ACA); Group Insurance Premium Billing; Property & Casualty Premium Billing; and Payroll Integration.
MyEnroll360 can Integrate with any insurance carrier for enrollment eligibility management (e.g., Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Aetna, United Health Care, Kaiser, CIGNA and many others), and integrate with any payroll system for enrollment deduction management (e.g., Workday, ADP, Paylocity, PayCor, UKG, and many others).
This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal, tax, or benefits advice. Readers should not rely on this information for taking (or not taking) any action relating to employment, compliance, or benefits. Always consult with a qualified professional before making decisions based on this content.
