Manage HR Magazine | Wednesday, February 05, 2020
While in an open enrollment season, HR teams can enable employees to make the right decisions about the benefits, by proffering them with the right information. Here are tips that can enhance communications every step of the way
FREMONT, CA: It's open enrollment season; it's that time of the year where HR teams must give employees the necessary information needed to make well-informed decisions about their benefits. It is of high priority for the majority of the organization to provide their employees, education about their benefits. At present, not more than 19 percent of the employees have a high level of understanding of the benefits they can avail. To ensure all the employees, especially those in need of benefits, get the right information to have a swift process, some steps can be taken. The five steps that can be implemented to better communicate to employees about open enrollment are listed below
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Workforce Evaluation
As every company and its workforce are unique, the best way to determine the processes of the company is by knowing how the management treats its employees. The first step towards developing an open enrollment communication strategy is by discovering what the employees want. After evaluating which topics can be explored, communication with partners should be initiated, prepare for open enrollment, and made sure that the employees have access to the benefits they want the most.
Take a Multi-Channel Approach
One size does not fit all, and the right approach is only attained by interacting with the employees. Various groups of employees have different behaviors and preferences when it comes to the way they interact. Hence, after the benefits are in place, evaluate how they want to be contacted regarding the open enrollment. Whether through an email, or the company app, it is essential to know how employees prefer their information to be delivered and tailor them accordingly so that communications across different channels are made.
Focus on own Teams Should be Increased
While crafting a communications strategy, it is easier if open enrollment is considered a people-centric process like it already is. For employers to increase engagement and innovate, they have to mainly understand their employees, unique drivers, and their preferences. The goal is to engage employees proficiently and simultaneously prevent communication overload. To achieve this, personalization is essential.
Commence Communications Early
Once the most efficient means to communicate messages to the employee is established, initiate interactions earlier than scheduled, and send out personalized information through multiple channels. By communicating soon, employees have the time to prepare and ask questions in advance, and this is especially important among new hires, who may still not have a grasp on the processes of the company and its benefits. It is easier if new hires are teamed up to give them detailed process orientation and allow them to educate themselves on how the relevant process takes place. By doing so, the enrollment process is accelerated, and the new employees are also made aware of their options.
Invest More in Employee Engagement
Employee engagement should not be the only focus during the execution of critical tasks like open enrollment. As the season comes to an end, it is necessary to collect feedback from the employees to understand which of the processes worked and how the initiatives that are taken can be improved in the next season. Surveys provide the most holistic results that include both qualitative and quantitative metrics to measure performance. After the feedback collection, HR should apply the same steps to increase the engagement of employees and create an organization plan that is informed, aligned, and sorted. Continuous communications with the employees will maintain the consistency, helps keep the motivation high, satisfies the employees, and makes them productive, directly leading to heightened business results. HR leaders should recognize the value of strong employee interactions and invest in tools and strategies that drive engagement in processes like open enrollment, benefits utilization, and much more.
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