For many communicators, Open Enrollment kicks off the fourth quarter with a flurry of activity and rapid-succession messages sent far and wide with the hope of reaching employees and their families just in time.

And it’s no wonder. In the internal comms (IC) space, planning ahead can seem like an unachievable dream. Planning for IC is made difficult by countless fire drills, frequent strategy shifts and competing priorities.

(Heck, I’ve even had an IC leader tell me they don’t believe in planning because it wastes time and denies the reality of the work. Brutal, but honest.)

However, in this blog post, I’m going to try to convince you that Open Enrollment is an initiative worth your early attention so you can realize the full value of your company’s investments and maximize employee engagement and employer brand awareness along the way.

OPEN ENROLLMENT COMMUNICATIONS ARE IMPORTANT

Starting early isn't just about ticking a box. It's about giving you and your team the gift of time – time to think, time to be creative and time to be effective. While we all know the importance of effective communication strategies, you might wonder why Open Enrollment and benefit communications in general are so important. For that, there’s data.

BENEFITS ARE A MAJOR FACTOR IN RETENTION

According to Willis Towers Watson’s 2022 Global Benefits Attitudes Survey:

• 48% of employees felt their healthcare plan was an important factor in why they chose to work for their current employer.
• 60% of employees felt their healthcare plan was also an important reason to stay with their current employer.

EVEN IF BENEFITS ARE AVAILABLE, EMPLOYEES MIGHT NOT USE THEM

According to a 2023 report by One Medical:

• 39% of workers did not seek out routine care.
• An alarming 63% opted not to use their benefits for preventive care.
• Just 19% of employees sought out mental health care last year, even though nearly 66% of workers said they're dealing with mental or behavioral health issues.

AVAILABLE OR NOT, EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION IS FALLING

MetLife’s 21st U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study found that:

• Satisfaction with benefits fell to 61% in 2023, slipping from 64% in 2022 and reaching its lowest point in the last decade.

There is a clear opportunity to boost employee engagement and retention by helping employees better understand the benefits available to them.

Communicators need to provide education about navigating the healthcare system and support people managers as they connect with their employees.

3 STEPS TO PLAN AN EXCITING OPEN ENROLLMENT CAMPAIGN

Your benefits team may not be ready to hand over your 2025 benefit packages, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get started on developing your Open Enrollment campaign now.

At Brilliant Ink, we approach all of our work by starting with research and ensuring we fully understand the big picture.

STEP ONE: DIG INTO YOUR DATA

Have your employees shared feedback about your benefit plans or last year’s Open Enrollment process?

Your recent engagement survey and any exit interview data can help you identify gaps your campaign may need to address. Take time also to ensure you fully understand the role your benefits play in your employer value proposition and brand identity, both internally and externally.

STEP TWO: BUILD A STRATEGY

You don’t have to know every detail and rate change from year to year to begin mapping out your strategy.

With your knowledge of where employees, managers and executives stand regarding the importance of benefits at your company, you can develop a campaign that’s right-sized for you.

Ask yourself questions like:

• What are the unique benefit needs of our different employee personas?
• How can I reach all my distinct audience segments?
• What do we know about other successful campaigns that can apply to OE?
• Who are change champions or benefit advocates I can tap?
• How will I measure the effectiveness of the OE campaign?
• What budget might I need, and how can I build a business case?

STEP THREE: DEVELOP YOUR CONTENT AND CREATIVE

Some of the work in this step will need to wait until your plan details are finalized, but getting started on creative concepts early is a smart move.

All you need is the research and strategy you just built, plus a dash of direction from your HR partners on tone, and you can kick off your branding efforts.

While it might seem odd to start developing a narrative without final decisions, you can begin to articulate key messaging around:

• Why comprehensive health and wellness benefits are important at your company
• Leadership’s investment and involvement
• Evergreen benefits and programs
• Employee stories
• OE milestones and events
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Planning Is The Key To Success

Planning ahead enables us to create strategic, meaningful connections with our workforce. Focus on data-driven strategies and engaging content that informs and makes a difference.

Let's use our time wisely to develop an Open Enrollment campaign that stands out. In internal communications, planning ahead is key to achieving success.

And if you need support, Brilliant Ink is here to help with everything from early Open Enrollment planning and execution to evergreen and ongoing benefits campaigns.