Open enrollment is a critical time for employees to choose health coverage and voluntary benefits, but the volume of information in a short window often leads to confusion, missed opportunities, and rushed decisions. Employees who are not fully informed may also use their benefits poorly throughout the year. That is why leading organizations move beyond a once-a-year focus and invest in year-round benefits education to strengthen understanding, engagement, and outcomes.
1. Health Care Literacy Has a Tangible Impact
Health care literacy, the ability to find, understand, and use health information, directly impacts how employees use their benefits. When literacy is low, employees delay care, make costly choices, and experience poorer outcomes, driving higher claims costs and lower satisfaction for employers. Open enrollment alone cannot close this gap; consistent, year-round education through newsletters, webinars, tools, and resources is essential to build confident, informed health care consumers.
2. Health and Wellness Trends Change
Health care is changing quickly with new treatments, rising costs, and a growing focus on mental health, prevention, and digital tools all affect how employees use their benefits. Year-round education helps employees keep up, understand new offerings, and manage costs, so they can confidently use their benefits as the landscape shifts. This proactive approach keeps the organization ahead of trends instead of trying to catch up during open enrollment.
3. Employees Use Benefits All Year
Employee benefits are used every day not just at open enrollment. From annual checkups to life events like marriage or childbirth, employees need clear guidance all year long.
With a simple benefits communication calendar, employers can send timely reminders about preventive care, wellness programs, midyear changes, and how to maximize coverage once deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums are met. This year-round approach helps employees use their benefits wisely and make informed decisions when open enrollment returns.
4. Savvy Employers Stay Ahead of Trends
Rising health care costs, new regulations, and shifting employee expectations demand more than a once-a-year conversation. Year-round education lets employers introduce changes gradually, preview plan updates, and share cost-management strategies without overwhelming employees at open enrollment. Consistent, transparent communication builds trust, boosts confidence in benefit decisions, and supports holistic well-being by regularly directing employees to physical, mental, and financial health resources.
5. Year-round Education Avoids Information Overload
During open enrollment, employees are often overwhelmed by plan comparisons, cost changes, and deadlines. They focus on “just getting enrolled,” not on truly understanding how to use their benefits. This can lead to rushed choices, dissatisfaction, and more questions for HR.
Spreading education across the year eases that pressure. By covering topics like preventive care, financial wellness, or mental health at different times, employees can absorb information gradually, improving comprehension, confidence, and reducing stress when open enrollment comes around.
Conclusion
Open enrollment is essential, but it should not be the only time employees learn about their benefits. A year-round communication strategy builds health care literacy, keeps employees current on changes, and reduces information overload. With consistent, targeted messages, employers can create a more engaged, informed, and healthier workforce and maximize the impact of their benefits investment. Download the bulletin for more details.
