It’s never too early (or too late) to prepare for open enrollment. A clear plan can ease the burden on your team and help employees make confident choices.
Every interaction, especially during open enrollment, influences how employees feel about their workplace. Even with more personalized benefits, 60% of HR leaders say their enrollment process is just "tolerable." That's a sign there’s a disconnect between what’s offered and how it’s delivered. And in today’s talent market, experience matters just as much as choice.
This guide is here to help you make enrollment easier for you and your employees.
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Examine Your Benefits Offering
In isolved’s Voice of the Workforce report, one in four employees say they’ve left a job for better benefits, and 90% of employees say they compare benefits plans when considering job changes.
So what are employees looking for? In a survey of over 1,000 full time employees, here's what topped the list:
- 401(k) matching
- Childcare reimbursement
- Company equity options
- Dental insurance
- Four-day work week
Build a Stronger Communication Plan
Even the best benefits won’t matter if employees don’t understand them. Keeping employees informed throughout the year—not just during enrollment—can turn a stressful moment into a confident decision.
Thirty-five percent of HR leaders say benefit plan details are too vague, leaving employees unsure about what to choose. What should be a helpful process often ends up stressful and confusing.
The solution is to keep employees informed throughout the year, not just during open enrollment. Sharing important dates and providing details about their benefits is crucial to their overall experience. Hosting live and virtual sessions before enrollment begins can also help employees understand the offerings.
Remove stress from Elections
Benefit plans can be confusing to those who work in HR, let alone the average employee. Without a sufficient understanding of their benefits, employees frequently end up paying premiums for offerings they might never or infrequently use, or worse, don’t enroll in benefits they need. This can result in dwindling benefits engagement, decreased utilization, unforeseen debts and squandered assets
Try sharing important questions for your employees to consider before open enrollment begins. Such as:
- Why do I need coverage?
- Who do I need coverage for?
- What are my options?
- Which option is best for my needs and lifestyle?
- How much will this cost me per paycheck?
Connect Tech to Your Enrollment Process
A modular, yet unified human capital management (HCM) platform streamlines basic HR tasks that employees perform regularly, like onboarding, time tracking, pay stubs and learning. When benefits administration and enrollment are part of that system, the experience for the employee (and employer) is simplified, especially when artificial intelligence (AI) is involved.
Here's how technology can help:
- Empower employees to make their own elections
- Provide real-time cost comparisons
- Deliver personalized plan recommendations based on individual needs
Many HR teams are already making this shift. In 2025, 35% of HR leaders plan to invest in enrollment technology. With AI in the mix, it’s easier than ever to guide employees through their decisions.
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Want more information?
Click below the checkmark to the left and you'll find:
- A checklist for meeting with your broker
- A sample schedule to guide your open enrollment planning
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