Legal insurer ARAG has given this situation well over 15 minutes of thought, and offers the following "7 Core Success Factors for Communicating More Effectively" about benefits.

1. Personalize it

One size does not fit all these days, probably never did, when it comes to benefits explanations. Now, we have access to much more generational research that can help customize benefits education programs for the major generations at work: baby boomers, Gen X, millennials. While even this approach makes assumptions based upon age, it's a far better starting point than simply having one presentation mode for the whole workforce.

Another related technique to enhance engagement is to personalize messages to employees when possible. ARAG suggests something as simple as adding a greeting with the employee's first name at the top of each generic message informing them that the enrollment period is now open.

2. Communicate throughout the enrollment period

If you were in charge of planning a retirement party of the founder of your firm, would you simply send out one invitation by snail mail announcing the time, place and suggested attire, and hope that someone would show up? No. You'd have a pyramid of materials to be emailed, mailed – perhaps even sent by text message or placed on the company Facebook page – with a timeline established in advance so that each message was being sent in a well-integrated pattern with the others.

Why not take the same approach to benefits enrollment? You've got an enrollment period, not just one day. Use the time. Here's a list of communications modes ARAG assembled:

• Meetings (one-on-one and group);
• Online (webinars, avatars, presentations);
• Emails (work and home);
• Telephone (toll-free help line, outbound calls to employees);
• Mobile device messaging; and
• External social media.

3. Integrate voluntary benefits into the package

Carving voluntary benefits out of the core package reduces participation in what voluntary has to offer, ARAG research has found. So make them one package.

Explain in your materials, and any verbal communications, that voluntary benefits are a cost-effective way to fill in gaps in the core benefits package. Use examples. ARAG, not surprisingly, uses the example of including the voluntary benefit of legal insurance in the same explanatory section with employer-sponsored life insurance. If one has life insurance, one may want legal insurance that takes care of trust and will issues.

See also: Open enrollment checklist for employers

4. Use rich and varied content to describe options

As enrollment time approaches, ARAG says, employees tend to shift their attention to it. That's the time to use the company newsletter, enews, website and other communications modes to talk in short bursts about various features of the upcoming package. You'll want to highlight any new options, important financial information, perhaps mention options that are no longer included, and voluntary options that should have a broad appeal.

"The content messaging should include the price and two or three key product benefits that provide value to the employees — along with descriptions on how the product gives them added financial security or fills coverage gaps," ARAG counsels. "Over half of employees surveyed say cost and guaranteed issue are major advantages, with 'convenience through payroll deduction' coming in close behind."

5. Placement of information at the point of enrollment matters

The juxtaposition of information about a certain benefit option and the point of enrollment have been shown to influence the selection process, ARAG says. While the relative position of options in a list does not influence selection, putting an option you want to "sell" right before choices are made helps direct employees to that option.

"If available, advocate for placement of content near the enrollment point. Many employees will lose interest if there are too many clicks needed to learn more," ARAG says.

See also: Using tech to make the most out of enrollment

6. Make insurance jargon understandable

This has been said so many times before — so why does it never happen? Make it happen this enrollment season. Go out and find a writer for the masses who can interpret your dense materials and turgid messages – someone who can find synonyms for concurrent payments, qualifying event and point-of-service plan.

And don't just drop a product name into the materials without a clear explanation of what it does for the insured and what the name actually means.

"When employees are presented with different product names, it elicits different — and sometimes negative — reactions. For example, terms like 'group legal insurance' or 'voluntary legal insurance' lead employees to wonder, 'what group is this a part of' or 'what does voluntary mean?'

"Therefore, it's important to simplify the language of benefits communications, including providing clear explanations instead of insurance jargon," says ARAG.

7. Evaluate often

Testing new modes of communications, and tracking their effectiveness, is of considerable benefit to honing the communications process. Try new methods this year and track what works and what doesn't. Analytics exist now for so many devices that gathering data on user patterns can be easily managed by IT and HR.

"In order to achieve success with any benefits program, it's important that benefits information is effectively communicated to employees – and that it's evaluated frequently to ensure it's keeping up with changes."

Communications that work not only help employees make better choices for themselves, but can support the company's cost-control strategy. If employees' share of the package is increasing, how can that information best be communicated? Which options are employees willing to pay for, and which ones don't they want? Where is the tipping point on cost-sharing?

Effective communications with your workforce during the enrollment period can deliver a treasure trove of information and lead to better informed decisions. Or, you can settle for the same old, same old, and get 90 percent auto-enroll.

See also: Should we move open enrollment season?