You’ve selected the plans. You’ve negotiated the rates. Now comes one of the most underrated parts of open enrollment: getting your employees to actually understand and use their benefits.
Poor communication leads to employees missing deadlines, making uninformed choices, and later blaming their employer when something isn’t covered. Here’s how to do it right.
Start Early
Don’t announce open enrollment three days before the deadline. Give employees at least two to three weeks to review their options, ask questions, and make decisions. Many employees need time to consult with spouses or family members.
Explain the Changes First
Employees don’t need a detailed explanation of every benefit feature — they need to know what changed from last year. Lead with: “Here’s what’s different this year.” That immediately answers the question most employees are asking.
Use Plain Language
Insurance has a lot of jargon — deductibles, copays, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximums, HSA, FSA. Don’t assume employees know what these mean. A simple one-page glossary can dramatically improve enrollment decisions.
Hold a Q&A Session
Even a 20-minute group meeting (or Zoom call) where employees can ask questions improves outcomes. When people understand their options, they make better choices — and they feel more valued by their employer.
Follow Up
Send a reminder one week before the deadline, and another 48 hours before. People are busy and deadlines sneak up. A simple email reminder dramatically reduces the number of employees who miss enrollment.
Let Your Broker Help
At Garden State Benefits, we support the entire open enrollment process — including employee communication. We can create plain-language benefit summaries, attend your all-hands meeting, and answer employee questions directly. That’s what a real broker partnership looks like.
Contact us to find out how we support your team through open enrollment.