Is your company getting ready for open enrollment? It can be a stressful time for HR and employees alike. An estimated 45% of workers say they are apprehensive about the open enrollment process.
Here are three ways to help ease the stress of enrollment season.
#1: Take Active Steps to Fend Off Stress and Burnout
HR team members can take a few simple steps to help keep stress and burnout at bay:
- To-do lists: To-do lists are tried and true, but nowadays they can range from sticky notes to robust task management software. Whatever you use, having a specific to-do list helps create a more efficient day from the moment you sit down.
- Self-care: Take your breaks – walk, get some fresh air, meditate – whatever it takes to shake off the stress and pressure for a few minutes.
- Admit when you need help: Admit you need help. Talk with your manager if the stress is getting too much.
#2: Offer Planning Tools
Once your 2023 benefits program is released, employees have a lot of thinking to do. They have to decide what plans or accounts to renew or begin. Help them out by providing useful tools like these:
- FSA/HSA Savings Calculator: Helps calculate how much to set aside in an HSA and the associated tax savings
- FSA/HSA Qualified Expenses: An up-to-date listing of healthcare expenses that qualify for purchase or reimbursement with FSA/HSA account funds.
#3: Provide Multiple Education Methods
Your employees need benefits education to make good enrollment decisions. But not everyone learns in the same way. Accordingly, to reduce employee stress, offer multiple types of educational materials. This provides employees the decision-making information they need in a way that resonates best with their particular learning styles:
FAQ/Learning Center: Written answers to common questions about FSA, HRA, and HSA benefit accounts (plus COBRA), including downloadable flyers.
The Adventures of Captain Contributor: Our superhero duo explain the different types of benefits accounts and how to use them, in a fun, engaging manner that incorporates publications, videos, website, social media, and more. (This is a comprehensive program available for use by our clients year-round at no charge; ask your account manager for more information.)
Additional Information Resources: Employees can easily access a number of resources for all types of benefit accounts through this page of helpful links.
Final Thoughts
Just by taking these three steps, you can help minimize the stress of open enrollment for the HR team as well as employees.
Beneliance has provided Arkansas employers with comprehensive third-party employee benefits administration and compliance services since 1996. Please enter your email (above right) to receive notifications about new blog articles as they are published.
