Successful Practices for Virtual Open Enrollment Solutions
September 30, 2020 | Winston
On September 17, we had the opportunity to partner with ConnectYourCare for the webinar, Making Benefits a Virtual Reality: How to Take Open Enrollment Online in 2020 and Beyond. With the open enrollment season looking a little different this year, the webinar explored how to navigate the new landscape during the COVID-19 pandemic and possibly the foreseeable future.
Several hundred human resources and benefits professionals and brokers joined from around the U.S., with the webinar covering topics on employer and broker challenges, innovative virtual solutions, virtual open enrollment best practices, tips for virtual engagement, and long-term strategies beyond 2020. The speakers’ panel consisted of our own Katie Soehngen, Employer Solutions Support Manager, and from ConnectYourCare, Nicole Williams, Senior Vice President of Broker Strategies, and Kyle Sheridan, Vice President of Client Success. “Winston has been providing benefits administration, enrollment, and employee communication services for over 30 years. Like technology, we continue to evolve and innovate every year. This is why we decided to partner with ConnectYourCare years ago – they have a very similar vision for the future of this industry,” stated Katie Soehngen.
Each panelist spoke about how to help employers and brokers navigate these times in the benefits industry. A majority of the discussion centered around how to transition from an in-person to a virtual open enrollment, with the panelists sharing their top ten best practices. The list came from both company’s collective industry-leading experiences where they have seen successful implementation across clients.
Virtual Enrollment—Best Practices Checklist
- Check in with employees
- Establish a baseline for successful measurement
- Choose a platform that works for your team and budget
- Create a comprehensive communications plan
- Establish the resources you’re going to include
- Leverage communications from your existing benefits partners
- Provide real-life examples
- Encourage leadership to participate
- Make sure the virtual open enrollment instructions are clear
- Send out post-enrollment surveys
According to a Jellyvision survey, last year, 92% of employees simply defaulted to whatever benefit choices they made the year before. Soehngen remarked, “based on the statistics, we always want to make sure employees are well informed because one small change can mean a world of difference for them. And no matter what your company size or budget is, there are creative solutions to accommodate this new open enrollment approach for greater employee engagement.”
For help with building successful strategies for a virtual open enrollment, connect with us today.
Disclaimer: This content is strictly informational and should not be used as specific advice on insurance products, legal, accounting, and/or tax related matters. Insureds should always contact the appropriate licensed professional for their insurance, legal, accounting, or tax needs.
