Webinar Preview: A User-Friendly Open Enrollment

While employees and employers alike know that peak Open Enrollment season coincides with the final months of the year, those in charge of their organization’s employee benefits program are acutely aware that enrollment can be a year-round undertaking.  

To empower employees with the knowledge and resources to make the best possible benefits decisions for themselves and their families, and to ensure they make the best of those benefits well after Open Enrollment ends, benefit managers must communicate efficiently and effectively. 

Join Alera Group on Thursday, August 15, for “Driving Communications and Engagement: Open Enrollment,” an Engage series webinar on effective, year-round benefits communications  — beginning with the all-important run-up to Open Enrollment.  

What you’ll learn 

During the one-hour webinar, we’ll address:  

• The most important information you need to share with your workforce; 
• Limiting “HR speak” and communicate essential information using language your employees understand; 
• Optimizing channels you use for communication and the importance of engaging with employees where they are most likely to receive it; 
• Adopting a “long-game” strategy aimed at facilitating use of benefits for unforeseen or down-the-road events, such as maternity or paternity leave;
• A case study that brings to life putting these best practices to work. 

You’ll come away with the tools to formulate a big-picture strategy for:  

• Introducing any major changes to your benefits program; 
• Guiding your team through the Open Enrollment process;  
• Providing employees with user-friendly resources for using their benefits throughout the coming year and beyond. 

Keeping it simple 

It’s important to remember that while HR professionals often spend 40 hours a week working on benefits-related issues; most employees do not. Realistically, most employees probably spend more time choosing which show to watch on Netflix than they do on selecting benefits.  

The best way to get your employees to optimize their benefits program is to direct them to a “one-stop shopping” location for offerings and enrollment. Our August 15 webinar will help you do that, with real-world examples of streamlined benefits programs in action. 

In the meantime, here’s one more related tip: While it’s best to limit your use of human resources jargon in benefits communications, some terms are unavoidable. We suggest providing an HR glossary, such as this one from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). 

Prioritizing and targeting 

Just as you’ve designed a benefits program customized to the composition and needs of your team, you want a communications strategy that prioritizes which benefits your employees are most likely to use, what they need to know and how best to deliver that information to them. 

You’ve invested a great deal of time, effort and financial resources to provide your colleagues with a benefits plan designed to ensure their wellbeing, productivity and appreciation for being part of your organization. Now it’s time to make sure they optimize those benefits. 

REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR 

About the authors 

Mark Crowley 
Senior VP, Global Communications 
Blue Communications, An Alera Group Company 

For nearly 20 years, Mark Crowley has worked with industry-leading companies across a wide range of industries to develop and drive innovative communications programs. He is passionate about helping organizations create communications campaigns that engage, inspire and educate employees, customers, partners and communities alike. Crowley believes that great company cultures start from the inside out and has focused much of his career helping organizations find new and creative ways to build stronger connections with their employees.  

Contact information: 

• mark.crowley@aleragroup.com 
• Contact Mark on LinkedIn 

Brian Parker 
VP of Benefits Technology and Services 
Alera Group 

As Vice President of Employee Benefits Technology and Services at Alera Group, Brian Parker ensures that Alera Group firms offer the best possible Employee Benefit technology solutions to their clients. Prior to joining Alera Group, Parker worked as a strategic adviser at Businessolver, partnering with sales team members to identify client and prospect needs, and pair them with a benefits technology solution. Parker previously held roles at Willis Towers Watson, Mercer, and formerly served as a benefits manager in retail and manufacturing companies. He holds his B.A. in communications from the University of Connecticut. 

Contact information: 

• Brian.parker@aleragroup.com 
• Contact Brian on LinkedIn