The phrase “open enrollment” has different connotations, depending on whom you ask. For brokers, those words likely bring to mind a few months filled with teetering towers of paperwork, a flood of questions and phones ringing off the hook. But at least there's a silver lining: It's good for business.
For consumers, the words have even fewer pleasant associations. Despite concerted efforts by carriers, employers and long-suffering HR departments to shift these stubbornly negative views, open enrollment season remains … less than popular.
A recent VSP survey shows just how much people dread it. (HR managers, you might want to cover your eyes.)
When asked their preference for seven different seasons, 73 percent of respondents listed the holiday season as tops. No surprise, right? Other seasons faring relatively well were bathing suit season (48 percent) and back-to-school season (28 percent). Unsurprisingly, tax season was cited by only 20 percent; but what about open enrollment? Turns out, just 15 percent of respondents listed it. Yes, open enrollment is officially less popular than tax season. On the bright side, it beat out allergy season (9 percent) and cold and flu season (8 percent). Hooray?
One-third used the words “annoyance” or “dread” to describe open enrollment. Just 16 percent used the words “excitement” or “eagerness.” (While I'm glad to hear there are some glass-half-full types out there, I can't say I'd want to hang out with them at a party.)
Only 10 percent described themselves as “confident” in their enrollment choices once the forms were in. Sounds like there's still a lot of work to be done.
Not that lots of work is anything new for brokers. While open enrollment season is still an especially crazy time, I'm hearing from many of you that the craziness is spreading. Traditionally slow periods have become endangered (or are they already extinct?).
We asked readers to share their tips on surviving enrollment season. Yes, more than one mentioned alcohol, but another common theme was the fact that enrollment season now spans the entire year.
“There's so much pressure to keep clients informed year round that open enrollment season has become January through December,” said Justin White, a benefits consultant at Brock and Spencer Benefits.
Or, as Sozon Vatikiotis, CEO of Alltrust Insurance put it, “Every season is open enrollment season now. Each day seems to be increasingly difficult, with more complexities to manage.”
For more responses on how your peers are handling the ever-increasing workload, see page 48.
In the meantime, hang in there and (HR managers, please cover your eyes again) sounds like you may want to consider swinging by the liquor store on the way home.
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Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson is the editor-in-chief of BenefitsPRO Magazine and BenefitsPRO.com. He has covered the insurance industry for more than a decade, including stints at Retirement Advisor Magazine and ProducersWeb.
