Benefits Blog: Technology-Based Enrollment
Open Enrollment generates enormous work for companies and some confusion and stress for workers hoping that their benefits choices for the coming year are the best ones for them and their families.
Technology-based enrollment, however, can alleviate a sizeable portion of those issues, saving employers time and money, while making the process more efficient and user-friendly for HR departments and employees. Here’s how:
- Every step of the benefits management process is automated, eliminating the need for paper-based processes and improving efficiency and accuracy.
- Online enrollment lowers the overall cost of providing services to employees by eliminating the costs of distributing and collecting paper enrollment packets. It also shortens the enrollment cycle.
- Online enrollment enables employees to self-enroll in benefit programs, review their benefit data and report life-event changes.
- Employees can choose plans based on eligibility criteria and can compare costs and coverage of previous elections against new offerings.
- Elections can be automatically applied to employee records.
- Employees receive written confirmations detailing their elections, and can easily view and update their records and plans.
- Human Resources can check the status of enrollment in real time and may be able to generate detailed reports regarding the cost of employee benefits.
At the same time, some employees may be intimidated by an online option, preferring more one-to-one assistance. Also, some employees may not make informed benefit decisions if they are only advised via the computer and are not provided personalized recommendations.To encourage as much online enrollment as possible:
- Introduce new software and train employees before Open Enrollment begins.
- Use existing resources (company’s intranet, bulletin board postings or newsletter) to promote technology-based enrollment.
- Encourage management to promote the use of technology-based enrollment to increase employee buy-in.
- Establish online communities or blogs where employees can discuss successes and problems they are having while enrolling.
Technology is a tool that can offer impressive advantages, but people must feel comfortable and safe for an employer to make the most of the opportunity. Talk with the Benefits Team at The Reschini Group for help in fashioning an Open Enrollment program for your particular situation.
Copyright 2020 The Reschini GroupThe Reschini Group provides these updates for information only, and does not provide legal advice. To make decisions regarding insurance matters, please consult directly with a licensed insurance professional or firm.
Benefits Blog: Tips for a Successful Open Enrollment
Once a year, the floodgates fly open and a benefits bonanza begins. It’s Open Enrollment, a slice of time when employers make benefits packages available to employees, who must then sift through options on the way to selecting the best protections for them and their families.
Open Enrollment can be overwhelming. Employees can re-evaluate their current benefits and make changes for the coming year, while employers must choose a benefits package that balances cost and value and facilitate the enrollment process.Benefit offerings change as new demands on employees and employers arise. To make the process as smooth as possible, employers must educate and communicate with their employees effectively.As employer-sponsored benefits transition to more voluntary, employee-paid or employee-subsidized offerings, employees must assume more control in making smart decisions. Benefit information should be conveyed in an easy-to-understand format providing essential information, along with any additional helpful resources.The typical Open Enrollment process looks like this:-- Notification: Employers send out an organization-wide announcement alerting employees that open enrollment will begin shortly.-- Receipt: Employers distribute information about benefit plans, selection information and the appropriate forms to their employees, as well as information from selections made the previous year. Employers may offer employees additional information as appropriate to assist in decision-making.-- Deliberation: Employees research available options and discuss with family to determine which benefits they will select for the coming year.-- Decision: Employees select their benefits.The Open Enrollment process can be improved by:-- Establishing solid communication between the HR department and employees.-- Surveying the employee population to determine their priorities.-- Customizing benefits and information resources to the life stages of your employees.There’s a lot riding on the process and the decisions made during Open Enrollment, but by taking some strategic steps, all parties can emerge from the experience feeling good about the choices made and the benefits to be provided over the coming year.Contact the Benefits Team at The Reschini Group for more help with your Open Enrollment questions.
Copyright 2020 The Reschini GroupThe Reschini Group provides these updates for information only, and does not provide legal advice. To make decisions regarding insurance matters, please consult directly with a licensed insurance professional or firm.