One of the most important steps in planning a successful open enrollment campaign is clear and consistent communications with your employees.
If communications are few and far between (or nonexistent) – your employees may miss open enrollment altogether. Provide too few resources and you risk leaving your employees frustrated, confused, or unprepared to select the best benefits for their needs.
How to inform employees about open enrollment
In a 2022 MetLife U.S. Employee Benefits Trends Study, a majority of employees said they want more information during open enrollment so they can get more value from their benefits. Perhaps more important, 80% of employees who understand their benefits said they are more likely to be satisfied in their current job.
In short, employees are seeking better communication during open enrollment.
Planning ahead is key to developing a communication strategy that educates and informs employees. By doing so, you can bolster enrollment, clearly define deadlines so employees aren’t left without coverage if they miss open enrollment, and most importantly, you can help them choose the plans that best fit their needs.
To get your open enrollment communication strategy started, we’re providing three open enrollment email templates that you can customize to fit your needs. These templates are designed for an “active” open enrollment, which means employees must make selections even if they keep the same plans. (Looking for templates for “passive” enrollment – where employees’ current benefits selections automatically roll over unless they make changes during open enrollment? We’ve included a link to those within each section.)
Email template #1: Two weeks prior to open enrollment
Your initial communication should announce that open enrollment is coming, detail key dates and deadlines, highlight important changes, and provide helpful resources or tips.
SUBJECT: Save the date! Benefits open enrollment is coming
Mark your calendars! Benefits open enrollment begins [MONTH DATE, YEAR] and ends [MONTH DATE, YEAR].
Open enrollment is your annual opportunity to review your current benefits selections and make changes, such as choosing a new medical plan or adding a dependent or spouse. Any changes you make will become effective on [MONTH DATE, YEAR].
Keep in mind that open enrollment only happens once a year and when it ends, you cannot make changes to your coverage during the year unless you experience a qualifying event. Examples of a qualifying event include having a baby or getting married or divorced.
Prepare for open enrollment
We’re excited to continue offering a comprehensive and valuable benefits program for you and your eligible family members. To help prepare for open enrollment, please review the attached benefits guide [ATTACH GUIDE] that offers an overview of our program. We’ll also be hosting educational sessions (see dates/times below) that will include detailed information on the various benefits plans.
All employees who wish to elect benefits coverage for the new plan year must reenroll during the open enrollment period, even if you are happy with the current plans you have.
DID YOU KNOW? Understanding the different types of plans can help ensure you’re choosing the best plan for your medical needs and for your budget. Learn more about common benefits terms with this resource.
Attend an educational session
Open enrollment can sometimes feel complicated, but we’re here to help simplify it. Attend one of our webinars or in-person sessions where we will explain any changes in plans, provide tips on navigating selections, and answer questions. Days, times, and locations are below.
Webinars – [INCLUDE LINK TO JOIN]
• [DAY, MONTH DATE]: [Add times]
• [DAY, MONTH DATE]: [Add times]
In-person sessions – [INCLUDE LOCATION]
• [DAY, MONTH DATE]: [Add time]
• [DAY, MONTH DATE]: [Add time]
Ready to make your benefits selections?
When you are ready to make your selections, the next step is to enroll through our benefits enrollment portal. [INCLUDE LINK OR WHERE TO FIND PORTAL]
Common questions about open enrollment
Selecting benefits that provide the best care and coverage for your needs can help you optimize their value and minimize the impact to your budget. Deciding what’s best, though, requires planning.
Here are some tips to help you make the best benefits decisions for you and your family.
• Do I have to change my benefits coverage? Not necessarily. Many people choose to elect the same coverage as they had the previous year. However, it’s a good idea to review whether your current plan still meets your needs, identify any changes to your plan, or consider new plans that may suit your needs better. Whether you stay with your current plan or choose a new one, you must reenroll your selections for the new plan year.
• Assess your health and the health of your family members. Remember that plans with higher monthly premiums and lower copays and deductibles are best for those who will utilize healthcare services often. Yet, individuals and families who rarely visit the doctor may save a great deal by selecting a plan with low premiums and a high deductible.
• Take advantage of educational sessions. Attend our educational sessions to learn about new plan options that may be better for you and your family or what’s changing with your current plan.
• Consider tax-free benefits. Health savings accounts (HSAs), flexible spending accounts (FSAs), and dependent care spending accounts are savings vehicles that can provide tremendous tax advantages, because any contributions are made with before-tax income. Reimbursements, which are also tax free, can pay for deductibles, prescriptions, and health-related costs not covered by your insurance.
Contact your benefits team with questions
Your benefits team is here to help! Contact us with any benefits or enrollment-related questions at [INSERT EMAIL AND/OR PHONE].
Running a passive enrollment? Here’s an email template for two weeks prior to open enrollment.
Email template #2: Beginning of open enrollment
When open enrollment officially begins, you should emphasize key deadlines and provide details on how to complete open enrollment. Include resources within the email for quick reference for employees.
Subject line: Open enrollment is here – enroll today!
Benefits open enrollment is underway! The two-week open enrollment period ends [MONTH DATE, YEAR].
Remember that open enrollment only happens once a year, so now’s the time to act! We encourage you to take the following steps now:
• Review the current benefits offerings available to you and your eligible family members and your current plans.
• Attend an educational session to learn more about the benefits offerings and ask questions.
• Enroll in your selections via our benefits enrollment portal, no matter whether you are selecting new plans or keeping your existing coverage. [INCLUDE LINK]
Keep in mind that once open enrollment ends, you cannot make changes to your coverage during the year unless you experience a qualifying event. Even if you have coverage through our plans now, you must reenroll again during open enrollment for the new plan year.
Review the benefits offerings
We’re excited once again to offer a comprehensive and valuable benefits program. We’ve attached a complete guide [ATTACH GUIDE] to this year’s offerings for your information. We recommend reviewing it before attending an educational session and noting any questions you may have.
Attend an educational session
Let us help simplify open enrollment. Attend one of our webinars or in-person sessions where we will explain any changes in plans, provide tips on navigating selections, and answer questions. Days, times, and locations are below.
Webinars – [INCLUDE LINK TO JOIN]
• [DAY, MONTH DATE]: [Add times]
• [DAY, MONTH DATE]: [Add times]
In-person sessions – [INCLUDE LOCATION]
• [DAY, MONTH DATE]: [Add time]
• [DAY, MONTH DATE]: [Add time]
Action required: Enroll online
The next step is to make your final benefits selections through our benefits enrollment portal. Remember, even if you currently have coverage through this plan year, you must reenroll for the new plan year.
• Click here for instructions on how to enroll. [INCLUDE LINK TO INSTRUCTIONS]
• Access our benefits enrollment portal here. [INCLUDE LINK OR WHERE TO FIND PORTAL]
• Remember to review your selections carefully. Changes cannot be made after the deadline.
Any benefits elections you select will become effective [INSERT DATE] through [INSERT DATE].
Contact your benefits team with questions
Your benefits team is here to help! Contact us with any benefits or enrollment-related questions at [INSERT EMAIL AND/OR PHONE].
Running a passive enrollment? Here’s an email template for the beginning of open enrollment.
Email template #3: One day before open enrollment ends
Despite your best communication efforts, employees may not have read your previous emails or completed open enrollment. But it’s critical to remind them often in the final days or they risk missing their opportunity to enroll in (or change) plans.
To make it easier for employees to act quickly, provide all the information they need to complete open enrollment within the email – such as a recording of one of your benefits meetings, who to contact with questions, and links to the enrollment portal and benefits guide.
Subject: LAST CHANCE: Open enrollment ends tomorrow!
Our two-week open enrollment period ends tomorrow, [MONTH DATE, YEAR].
Remember that open enrollment only happens once a year, so now’s the time to act! We encourage you to take the following steps today:
• Review the current benefits offerings available to you and your eligible family members and your current plans.
• Watch an educational session to learn more about the benefits offerings and ask questions.
• Enroll in your selections via our benefits enrollment portal, no matter whether you are selecting new plans or keeping your existing coverage. [INCLUDE LINK]
Keep in mind that once open enrollment ends, you cannot make changes to your coverage during the year unless you experience a qualifying event. Remember, even if you currently have coverage through this year, you must reenroll for the new plan year.
Review the benefits offerings
For the new plan year, we’re once again offering a comprehensive and valuable benefits program. Review the attached guide detailing this year’s offerings [ATTACH GUIDE].
Watch an educational session
Watch this educational webinar to learn more about the benefits offerings for the new plan year. [INCLUDE LINK TO RECORDING]
Action required: Enroll online
The last step – due tomorrow – is to make your final benefits selections through our benefits enrollment portal. Remember, even if you currently have coverage through this year, you must reenroll for the new plan year.
• Click here for instructions on how to enroll. [INCLUDE LINK TO INSTRUCTIONS]
• Access our benefits enrollment portal here. [INCLUDE LINK OR WHERE TO FIND PORTAL]
• Remember to review your selections carefully. Changes cannot be made after the deadline.
Any benefits elections you select will become effective [INSERT DATE] through [INSERT DATE].
Contact your benefits team with questions
Your benefits team is here to help! Contact us with any benefits or enrollment-related questions at [INSERT EMAIL AND/OR PHONE].
Running a passive enrollment? Here’s an email template for the end of open enrollment.
More open enrollment email tips
- Think like an employee: Avoid benefits jargon that most employees don’t know. Use clear, consistent, and simple language and provide easy-to-understand examples.
- Use technology to your advantage. Within your benefits enrollment portal, pull reports throughout open enrollment that show who hasn’t logged into the portal. Then send reminders to those specific employees.
- Provide information via different channels. Can all of your employees easily access benefits information? Whether you have a hybrid workforce or some employees on site, ensure you’re providing open enrollment information through multiple channels – an Intranet, bulletin boards, Teams, or flyers. Consider offering information in different formats – video, print, electronic – to meet a multigenerational workforce.
- Host meetings at convenient times: Whether you choose in-person or virtual meetings, offer benefits meetings at different times and days so employees with nontraditional work schedules or locations can also attend.
