2025 Open Enrollment Communication Tips

2 minute read

In today's climate, employees are increasingly turning to their employers for assistance in navigating their benefits package and maximizing their financial resources. Many workers are seeking guidance on budgeting for retirement, building emergency savings, and managing healthcare expenses. This presents an opportunity for employers to excel by effectively communicating and supporting employees not only during open enrollment but throughout the entire year.

As 2025 open enrollment nears, employers are ready to equip employees with resources for confident benefit decision-making. This article highlights eight communication tips for employers.

Communicating With Employees

Educating employees about benefits during open enrollment is crucial. However, Voya Financial found that 35% of employees don't fully understand any of the employee benefits they enrolled in during their most recent open enrollment period. Effective communication is key to informing employees about new or updated options. Consider these eight tips:

1. Start Early. Early communication about benefits is important. Repetitive messaging increases understanding and readiness for upcoming benefit changes.
2. Develop Key Messaging. After finalizing benefits, employers should plan communication strategies by identifying key messaging, highlighting new benefits, and creating FAQs for common concerns.
   
3. Select a mix of appropriate channels. Employee communications in a hybrid workplace can utilize digital channels for virtual information distribution. Chat functionality with benefits vendors assists employees in selecting needed benefits. On-site meetings and mailers still play a role in engaging employees. Select channels that are relevant and engaging to your workforce.
   
4. Keep it simple. Simplify benefits information for employees by highlighting essential details to help them decide if they need it, with links or attachments for further exploration.
5. Make it digestible. To engage employees effectively, deliver bite-sized information through videos and emails to maintain their interest and ensure they take action during open enrollment.
6. Use real-world examples. Employers should illustrate benefits with real-world examples to make them more relatable. For instance, highlight that telemedicine provides 24/7 access to healthcare, allowing employees to get medical advice in emergencies like late-night fevers. This emphasizes the importance of comprehensive coverage for employees likely to utilize healthcare benefits.
7. Avoid jargon. Simplify benefits communication by avoiding jargon and explaining acronyms to employees.
8. Personalized communication. Employers aim to engage employees with personalized open enrollment information, tailored to their working environments and segmented audiences. This includes adjusting methods and communication for remote, on-site, and nonwired employees.
   

Benefits are complicated. Although open enrollment is an important time for highlighting benefits to employees, ongoing communication throughout the year can help employees better understand and utilize available benefits. Download the bulletin for more details.