How to drive better employee decisions and higher benefit adoption
Open enrollment is the time of year when employees are guaranteed to be paying attention to their benefits. It’s also the moment when benefits administrators have the most opportunity to influence understanding, confidence, and adoption. The challenge is that many employees spend very little time reviewing their options, so the message has to be clear, relevant, and easy to act on.
A strong open enrollment season starts long before the first email goes out. Benefits administrators should confirm renewal dates, vendor milestones, contribution limits, print deadlines, and plan changes as early as possible to allow plenty of time to communicate relevant updates to employees.
A clear timeline should include the moments before enrollment opens, the reminders that land while enrollment is live, and the follow-up touches that continue after the deadline. That sequencing matters because employees need time to absorb information, compare options, and come back with questions before they make a final decision.
One of the simplest ways to reduce stress is to anchor the campaign around what’s changing this year. Employees are much more likely to notice and remember a message that starts with something new, rather than a long list of everything they’ve seen before.
Open enrollment content is often built around plan mechanics, but employees are trying to answer a much more human question: What does this mean for me and my family? That’s why messaging works best when it connects benefits to everyday decisions like healthcare spending, childcare, commuting, and saving money throughout the year.
This approach also helps keep consumer-directed benefits from becoming an afterthought. Rather than sending a separate HSA or FSA message that can get lost in the noise, weave account education into the broader enrollment story so the value of the account is visible at the same moment employees are reviewing health plan choices.
People are more likely to engage with clear, concise communications that deliver information in short, easy-to-digest formats. They don’t need a dense explanation of every benefit on the first pass. Instead, focus on plain language, a few memorable takeaways, and relatable examples that help them quickly understand how each benefit fits into their everyday lives.
A useful filter is the three Rs: Make the message Repetitive so it sticks, Realistic so it feels attainable, and Relevant so people can picture themselves using the benefit. The best examples are often the most ordinary ones, such as summer camp, vision expenses, a commute to work, or dependent care for more than just daycare.
This is also the place to address fear directly. Terms like use it or lose it, IRS limits, or rollover rules can sometimes intimidate people. Clear explanations and simple scenarios help remove the anxiety that keeps employees from participating or contributing at the level that makes sense for them.
No single channel is enough during open enrollment. The strongest campaigns pair emails with portal banners, short videos, one-pagers, FAQs, virtual sessions, and manager talking points so employees can engage in the format that works best for them.
That variety matters because different employees consume information differently. Some will open a portal banner first. Others will scan an email on their phone, watch a one-minute explainer video, or ask a manager for help. When the same core message shows up consistently across channels, it becomes easier for employees to recognize what matters and act on it.
Partners can access a trove of customizable, ready-to-use open enrollment materials on the Alegeus Marketing Portal.
AI is now part of how many employees gather information, and benefits education is no exception. That creates an opportunity to make content easier to understand, especially when employees are trying to compare plans or learn what a benefit account actually does.
The practical move is to think about AI support instead of AI replacement. Provide materials that are easy to parse, consider whether an AI-friendly version of plan documents makes sense, and share a few sample prompts employees can use to get started. At the same time, set clear guardrails so employees know that AI can help them prepare, but it should not make the final decision for them.
Open enrollment is the headline moment, but it shouldn’t be the end of the conversation. After enrollment closes, administrators can continue to reinforce how the benefits work, remind participants about spending deadlines, and help them get more value from the accounts they chose.
This is also a useful time to collect feedback. Which resources were helpful? Which channels got the best response? Where did employees still feel stuck? Those insights make the next enrollment season stronger and help benefits teams keep improving the experience year over year.
The strongest open enrollment strategy isn’t louder or more communication — it’s clearer communication. When benefits administrators plan early, keep messages simple, use multiple channels, and support employees in their decision-making, enrollment becomes less stressful and much more effective.