Companies that offer benefits to their employees show their staff just how much they value them. During your open enrollment period, your team can re-up for their benefits package and make sure they’re getting the best choices for their budget. Though beneficial for team members, the period presents new challenges to HR professionals.

Here are a few tips to help reduce stress and confusion during the enrollment period each year.

Early Planning Is Helpful

Start planning for those deadlines as early as you can. You know that the annual enrollment period starts in November, so you can use this to your advantage. Put together new benefits packets that explain any updates or changes in coverage as soon as they’re finalized and pass them out to your employees several weeks before the enrollment period starts. The sooner they can review those changes and ask questions, the less confused they’ll be when the time comes to enroll.

Allow Helpfulness Be Center-Stage

Yes, the enrollment period is stressful and the changes to benefits packages may not be met with the enthusiasm that you hope, but that doesn’t mean you can’t stay positive and help your team understand those changes. Encourage employees to come to you with any questions they might have and take the time to answer them in detail.

Work to Find the Right Benefits Provider

Your benefits provider can make or break the open enrollment period. Do your due diligence before the period begins and make sure you’re working with the best provider for your business. If at any point you think that switching to a new provider would be beneficial for your company, consider making the switch. The more reputable the provider is and the more comprehensive the benefits they offer are, the more satisfied your team will be.

Get Your Team Excited

Enrolling in benefits plans can be stressful and time-consuming for employees and HR representatives alike. Getting your team excited about their health and encouraging them to be proactive in improving their physical wellness can go a long way toward getting them motivated to enroll in your benefits plans. Host regular exercise challenges, look for ways to encourage active movement throughout the day, and build a sense of community around wellness and health. When you do, they’ll feel more involved, and enrolling in health insurance plans will just be another step in their wellness journey.

Keep these tips in mind as open enrollment gets closer and you’ll be able to handle the task easily. e3 Benefit can be a great resource for open enrollment. Contact us today for more information.