Begins October

While it may seem easier said than done, scheduling out your open enrollment season well in advance can help provide you with room for changes along the way. Your set schedule will help you stay on track and potentially relieve some possible headaches in the months ahead. For plans following the calendar year, here are some timelines to consider:

• July-August

This is the time to review last year’s open enrollment period, make a plan for adjustments, and develop a strategy for implementation. Utilize this time to set your goals and measurables for success. Also consider drafting your communications to allow you time to review and revise your messages.

• September-October

Take this time to finalize your messages and hit send. Let your team know about upcoming benefits fairs or webinars, as well as any information they should have prior to enrollment. Take into consideration any questions they may have and build FAQ sheets to help. This is also a great opportunity to schedule one-on-one meetings with employees and your HR team. In our experience, and hearing from our industry partners, open enrollment season can be stressful, but we believe no HR team should go it alone. Your partners, vendors, and external resources should support you before, during, and after your enrollment period. Reliable business partnerships can be consistent, trustworthy, and help you deliver positive results for your team throughout the entirety of this season.

Additionally, a good partner will provide you with creative ideas along the way. Your vendors see it all, so they should be able to share with you some new trends, ideas, and opportunities to improve your overall experience. This can come as additions to your benefits package or streamlining processes and procedures in your enrollment operations. Let their experience and exposure in the field be a resource for you.

While there are many options to consider and many things to plan for, there’s no better time to get started than now. Companies that wish to sharpen their edge in a competitive market will embrace the opportunity to adopt new and innovative employee benefits offerings – impacting enrollment success for now and for the future.

• November-December

It’s go time! Now is the time to hold the open enrollment period for employees to make their elections. Be sure to survey employees regarding their experience while everything is fresh on their mind. Jim Trujillo, CFP®, PPC®

Financial Advisor JimTrujillo@argi.net www.ARGI.net