Open enrollment is over.
You experienced record participation rates, due to a well-informed and engaged employee population who received regular communications about important deadlines, details of the coverage offered to them and instructions on how to enroll.
Life is good. But the fun is not over yet! One of the most vital parts of benefits communications comes after your open enrollment period has concluded.
In our open enrollment series, we have covered three of the phases of communications: planning, informing and creating awareness before enrollment, and driving employees to action once it begins. In our final installment, we’ll cover an important, but often overlooked, phase: the follow up.
|Do a post-OE evaluation and start planning for next year
One of the most useful things you can do after open enrollment wraps up is to reflect on how things went. What went well? What do you need to improve upon?
Review the plan you made prior to open enrollment and make adjustments to it while the memories are still fresh.
But perhaps more importantly, ask your employees for feedback.
What may have seemed like a nightmare to you may have been a pleasant dream for employees. A post-enrollment survey can be especially helpful, but you can also learn a lot through focus groups or selecting a few employees and asking their opinions informally.
Armed with this information, you can start planning for next year. After all, open enrollment is now less than a year away! And the sooner you get started on your plan, the better OE will be for everybody involved.
Go mobile
Many benefits technology providers offer a mobile app that employees can use to view their benefits, receive ongoing communications, store insurance cards and important contact info.
If available, encourage employees to download the app and explain why it is useful.
Using technology like mobile apps makes it much easier for you and your employees to manage benefits throughout the year and takes some of the pressure off during open enrollment.
|Send regular updates and reminders throughout the year
Similar to the daily emails and/or texts you sent during open enrollment, regular benefits updates and reminders will help employees understand how to use the benefits they’ve signed up for and what to do if they have a life event that requires a change in their benefits.
You can link to informative videos that explain complex benefits terms and concepts, like this one that covers qualifying life events.
Unlike your communications during open enrollment, you will want to space these out over the course of the year, so employees don’t get overloaded. An email every month or so is probably a good cadence.
|Let the good times roll!
Lastly, don’t forget to celebrate!
You’ve had a successful open enrollment and got through to the other side unscathed. Pat yourself on the back and take a much-needed break. You deserve it!
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