6 Ways to Improve Open Enrollment

We may be in the 20th year of the “new” millennium, but employee benefits has been left behind in the 20th century. Despite HR tech innovations, the quality of customer service remains lower than almost every other industry. This year, consider these 6 ways to improve your employee benefits enrollment experience—from personalized online enrollment to timely ID cards.

1. Timely Receipt of ID Cards

Starting with the basics, it should be unacceptable if your benefits partners can’t deliver employee health insurance ID cards on time. People should be able to use their benefits as soon as they’re effective—without having to jump through the hoops of calling other people for their own information before going to the doctor or dentist.

2. Better Communication Materials

Bombarding employees with huge packets or an insufferable chain of urgent emails with redundant, confusing and information overload doesn’t help anyone. Employees don’t absorb the information they need and people teams still get saddled with questions and frustrations. If your benefits partner can’t suggest a better way to communicate benefits—run away.

(Side note: check out Lumity's Employee Benefits Knowledgebase. It may come in handy.)

3. Customized Open Enrollment Meetings

If materials must be upgraded, the presentation of that information should follow suit. Most companies are missing the boat by letting bland benefit reps and partners come in and give the same tired presentations to your team. Your company has a culture that should shine through during the open enrollment meeting—enhance that experience for your employees and your brand in 2020.

4. Smart Online Enrollment

It’s the digital age. Even if your team has Gen Xers and Boomers, they have an understanding of simple online interfaces, especially if they regularly perform work on a computer. Online enrollment provides your employees with another avenue for benefits education and also helps them understand their options on their own time.

It’s even possible for your online enrollment engine to recommend the best plan option based on your employee's health needs. Data and technology are beautiful things—embrace them!

5. Actual Benefit Customer Service

So many factors go into someone’s health plan decision from comparing options to a spouse’s plans, to family and lifestyle changes. When people have questions, they shouldn’t have to wait any number of “business days” to get an answer. Get a feel for how your benefits partner offers customer service. We’re in the age of quick turnarounds and enhanced support software—benefits partners should be using them to deliver.

6. Open Enrollment Project Planning

Open enrollment is a big event that can become an even bigger deal if you're changing anything about your health plans. People crave empowerment and want to make informed decisions (especially in the face of rising healthcare costs). Enhance your entire open enrollment experience by planning well from the beginning to make sure you and your partners can deliver on the above things to improve the experience for your employees.

Ready to up your employee experience?

If you could use a hand with your open enrollment strategy, Lumity can help you deliver a better employee experience—while reducing your costs. Check out what we've done for clients such as Bitly, Enjoy, Greenhouse, and Wealthfront. When you're ready to talk, contact us for a free consultation.