'Tis the Season - Employee Benefits: Education , Communication & Enrollment

Carriers, Brokers, and Employers share one mutual understanding!  The investment in the entire benefits strategy and package by the employer and the employee has little value - ROI - if the employees do not understand their choices and value.  Without a well planned education, communication, and enrollment for the employees and their families, the potential value of the benefit package is lost.  The benefits package should generate positive morale and a potential for increased productivity.

There are number of choices for education, communication, and enrollment.  These include:

• One-On-One
• Personalized Enrollment Forms and/or Distributed Forms
• Call Center Based
• Web Based
• An Integration of the Above  

Each of the above choices can be accomplished internally or be outsourced to a variety of qualified vendors.  Whatever the method, there is a substantial time and cost involvement.  The purpose should be to gain a greater employee understanding of the benefits being offered, how to utilize the plans, and an understanding of there value.

BenefitPlace would like to suggest that often too little time is spent on, or emphasis given to, another piece of the education, communication, and enrollment process - Group Meetings!  Well planned and structured group meetings can:

•  Reduce "Down-Time" cost while providing employees benefits information - shorten one-on-one meetings and reduce number of questions that burden HR.
• Explain the "Cost Factors" for both the organization and the employees.
• Differentiate the Plan Vendors and the Plan Choices and the Cost Factors.
• Implement cost-saving strategies including Wellness Plans.  
• Provide various plan vendors controlled access to the employee population - or a vast majority. 
• Limit misunderstandings about the plans and the choices.
• Explain the paper work required, time-lines, and the process.
• Explain eligibility and interim enrollments when employees become eligible.
• Explain the claims process.   

We at BenefitPlace would like you to share your experience and provide input to assist in making the enrollment process more effective.