As the temperatures begin to drop and kids go back to school, a new level of stress rises in the hearts of HR departments all over the country – its Open Enrollment season. In the midst of all of the decisions and strategies employees have to make this time of year, I wanted to provide a few points of thought that could innovate your strategy this year to make a better impact on your employees and drive engagement to new levels. Especially with millennials continuing to grow the makeup of today’s average workforce, traditional communication strategies of mail are “out” and digital is “in”. Find out more of what I mean with these five tips:
- Shake Up Your Employee Benefit Meetings
Who says that employee benefits can’t be fun and enticing? Consider creating a workplace party or fun event to draw in a crowd at your employee benefits meeting this year. With bean bag toss games, door prizes, or even a raffle drawing – you’re sure to have your message heard and be there in-person to answer any questions someone may have about their benefits. Nothing beats personal interaction!
- Meet Millennials Where They Are
As the Millennial generation continues to grow today’s workforce – expected to make up almost 50 percent by 2020 – their preferences should be taken into consideration when picking your employee benefits communication strategy. The long, lengthy paragraphs of dry content won’t be cutting it for this group, instead consider using interactive quizzes or digital communications to reach them with pertinent information. As a younger professional, they might not have the expertise in life insurance or retirement planning, so introducing some educational tools for them to read would also be beneficial to ensure they are making the right decision for themselves.
- Don’t Try to Guess, Find Out What Employees Want
The best way to truly find out what employees are looking for in the ideal benefits package is to ask them! Conducting a survey prior to Enrollment and asking for feedback afterwards is a great way to show employees that you’re engaged in what they’re looking for, and the feedback after will show you how much progress you’ve made in those directions. A focus on Wellness programs and Consumer Driven Health Plans are all topping the charts in popularity this year.
- Simple is Better
Let’s be honest, fine print is exhausting. Do your employees a favor and outline the benefits and disadvantages of each plan option so there is a clear understanding of expectations, costs, and advantages. Simple charts, engaging videos, and quizzes help to make difficult benefit decisions easier for the average participant and will eliminate the hassle of questions entering your inbox.
- Keep the Conversation Going
After employees have made their decisions and enrollment is complete, the conversation regarding benefits and best practices does not have to end. Consider touching base with your employees every few months with tips and tricks regarding their benefit plans and how to save costs and utilize the tools available. This will not only make the next year’s enrollment easier due to better understanding, but will make employees feel that they are an equal participant in their benefit plan and taking control of their overall health.
I hope these tips will help you to evolve your Open Enrollment strategy this year. To check out more on Open Enrollment strategy, see other helpful articles under the “Open Enrollment” category on www.wexhealthinc.com/healthcare-trends-institute.
