The COVID-19 “pandemic”, the civil unrest, and the elections have overturned everyone’s plans this year. So, it’s understandable if you, as an employer, are a little less prepared for open enrollment at this point. But there’s still time to talk to and help your employees enroll into their insurance options with you. There’s no doubt how important it is for both you and your team to get the most bang out of your chosen benefits.
This article will outline a 3-step strategy to ensure your open enrollment is a success even with less than a month left before the season (and 2020) ends.
Keep communications flowing.
Open enrollment is one of the most important times of the year, and it’s even more important now during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between remote work, kids learning from home, sick relatives and potential family job losses, employees may be struggling to stay afloat. Open enrollment is the best time to adjust benefits based on significant life events (such as the need for increased medical coverage).
Consider including the following topics in your emails, notices, zoom calls, text messages, or whatever else you use to contact your staff:
· The importance of considering lifestyle changes and the potential need for additional coverage
· The different plan options available
· Any voluntary benefits that may help during the COVID-19 pandemic
Don’t hesitate to discuss other topics that may be affecting employees, like their workloads or mental health. In fact, encourage your employees to reach out about those types of issues.
Assign a “Point Person”.
The above topics on top of a virtual enrollment process can lead to some pretty intense back-and-forth between you and your employees. To manage this influx of communication, appoint a person who can handle answering your employees on-time and informatively. Include their contact information within all employee communications.
Switch up the Medium of Communication.
People learn and retain information differently, some relying on text, or audio, or video, or all. So email communications aren’t always the best way to go. Instead, mix it up and use some multimedia if possible. For example, attach a PDF flier or video within your email. You can also come up with a creative poster instead of strings of long sentences - pictures speak louder than words don’t they? If time allows, you can host a webinar or conference call over one of the various apps out there right now - this would be the most effective in handling questions as they arise and considerably reduce confusion over the enrollment process.
‘Tis the season to be jolly, so don’t stress out over the details. NY Small Health specializes in all things small-business insurance. For more open enrollment strategies, guidance and employee training resources, talk to the experts at NY Small Health.