Open Enrollment 2021 is right around the corner and it’s time to gear up your benefits communication strategy. 2020 brought a lot of new challenges and required most HR leaders to pivot their open enrollment communications to reach employees in new work environments. 2021 is no different with new challenges coming as a result of a post-pandemic world.
Here’s what’s been top-of-mind for me as I think about 2021 Open Enrollment benefits and communications strategies:
1 – “The Great Resignation”
Employees leaving their employers and moving on this year at a record rate means we must treat OE a little differently this year. Most companies will have a new employee base who need to be onboarded during open enrollment with things like:
- How to shop and enroll in benefits
- What benefit options are available
- If it’s a passive or active enrollment
- How to verify information and update family members
- How benefits work
Existing employees need to be engaged an informed better than ever this year on their benefits.
About 1 in 4 U.S. employees plan to leave their employer soon, according to a survey by IPSOS/Eagle Hill. To keep turnover as low as possible employees need to understand their compensation and benefits package and how to utilize it.
2 – Mental Health
It has never been more important. If you don’t have a benefit offering that supports this, consider adding it to your benefits program this year. For those of you who do offer these programs make sure to highlight your EAPs and benefits that support this more. A lot of employees may still not know your company offers an EAP with free counseling, legal support, financial resources and more.
To help employees understand the resources you’ve made available to them, start by heavily promoting these benefits during open enrollment. Then look at focusing on year-round campaigns that help emphasize your mental health resources.
3 – Delayed Screenings
Preventative care took a back seat last year. As a result, we may see higher-than-normal cases or an increase in severity. Think cancer – it now may be found in later stages vs. being caught early with a preventative care screening. To counteract this, employers should think about stepping up their screening programs and promoting them as much as they possibly can.
4 – Tone
You want to be sure you strike the right tone in your open enrollment communications. It’s been very popular to have cheeky, upbeat language for OE. But this is probably not the year to try new jokes and make light of OE and our current post pandemic situation. The tone of your communications really need to match where your employees are at.
I believe empathy and support is a better approach in 2021. The benefits you offer to employees matter and the tone needs to reflect that. To determine the right tone for your company this year, focus on your employees’ current situations and needs.
5 – Communicate Often
It can often take up 7-10 different communications (IE email, video, postcard) before employees take notice of the information you are presenting. That is a lot of content and channels to work with in order to capture an employee’s attention. When it comes to open enrollment communications you have to start early and do it often. The more communications you create about OE and the benefits you offer, the more reach you’ll have with employees.
Open Enrollment is a great opportunity to connect with your employees and their families. As you work to incorporate more communication on mental health benefits, screenings, and basic benefit information that has the right tone you will build stronger and more personal relationships with employees. Plus, by highlighting the benefits that are top-of-mind to employees during this difficult time you will see better enrollment and participation in your benefit programs.