How to Announce Open Enrollment to Employees

Open enrollment allows your workforce to make decisions about their health plans and benefits for the upcoming year. How and when you inform employees about this period can determine whether they fully engage with this opportunity, passively enroll or let it pass them by entirely. A rushed or vague announcement can lead to confusion, missed deadlines and underused benefits. In contrast, a well-planned one can build trust, increase participation and set the tone for the entire enrollment period.

This article guides employers like you on planning, building and deploying an open enrollment announcement strategy that keeps employees informed and engaged.

Why Open Enrollment Announcement Strategy Matters

Open enrollment is the annual window when employees can enroll in or make changes to employer-sponsored benefits, such as health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance. For most organizations, this window is short—often just two to four weeks—which makes early, clear communication essential.

The quality of communication also matters to employees. Research by benefits technology company Nayya found that 59% of employees wish they were better informed about their benefits. As such, strong communication about open enrollment offers several benefits:

• It gives employees time to review their options and make informed decisions for themselves and their families.
• It reduces enrollment errors and rework for HR teams.
• It increases participation, since employees who understand what’s available are more likely to use it.
• It supports compliance, since employers are generally responsible for notifying employees of upcoming enrollment periods, benefit changes and any required annual notices.

Ultimately, employees are looking for enrollment and benefits guidance, not just a single email announcement. Open enrollment communication should be a continuous effort to help employees get the most out of their benefits.

Phase 1: Plan Your Strategy

Announcing open enrollment should not be a one-time communication. The most effective strategies begin well before the first announcement is sent; they are ongoing campaigns that start months in advance and continue after open enrollment closes.

• Here is an example of a timed, sequenced open enrollment communication cycle:

• Eight to 12 weeks out: Lay the groundwork. Develop your benefits guide and identify new or updated offerings. This is also a good time to review employee feedback and usage data from the prior year, so you know what to highlight or simplify.
• Four to six weeks out: Send the first announcement. Most guidance recommends sending an initial “save the date” announcement about a month before open enrollment begins, and some employers start even earlier—three or more months out—for larger or more complex benefit changes. Although an advance notice can help kick off the process and allow employees to prepare, communications sent too early can get lost in the shuffle before benefits enrollment becomes a priority.
• Two to three weeks out: Follow up with details. Publish more detailed content, such as plan comparisons, cost changes, FAQs and a manager’s toolkit with talking points so leaders can reinforce the message with their teams.
• Final one to two weeks: Reinforce as the date approaches. Distribute physical materials, host benefit fairs or webinars, and send reminder communications. Once enrollment launches, keep messaging consistent with a “starts this week” notice, mid-enrollment reminders for anyone who hasn’t logged in, and a “final days” notice as the deadline nears.
• Keep in touch after the deadline passes. After enrollment closes, send a short note confirming next steps. This may include when ID cards will arrive, how to confirm elections and who to contact with questions. Within a few weeks, debrief internally on what worked so this year’s lessons inform next year’s timeline.
• Keep in mind that there is no single standard timeline that fits every organization. The right timeline will vary based on your organization’s size, workforce structure and the complexity of your benefit changes.
• However, approaching communications as an ongoing campaign rather than a single announcement will help ensure employees have enough time to absorb the information and act before deadlines.

Phase 2: Build the Content

Once the plan is set, you should build the actual content and materials that will carry the core message elements employees need for open enrollment. Throughout the campaign, announcements should cover the following:

• The enrollment window—This should include exact start and end dates and explain what happens if no action is taken.
• What’s new or changing—This may include plan updates, cost changes, new voluntary benefits or vendor changes. This information should be framed simply, without jargon.
• How to enroll—This should include step-by-step instructions or a link to the enrollment platform, plus login help if needed.
• Where to get help—This should include contact information for HR or benefits support, along with any scheduled Q&A sessions, webinars or one-on-one meeting options.
• Required notices—Depending on your benefits and company size, this may include a summary of benefits and coverage, HIPAA privacy notice, COBRA rights notice or other compliance disclosures.

Keep messages short and specific rather than reproducing an entire benefits guide, but provide links to more details for employees who want them. This can prevent employees from becoming overwhelmed with information and keep them engaged in open enrollment.

Phase 3: Deploy the Campaign

To ensure announcements reach every employee, deploy your open enrollment communications through a mix of digital, print and in-person channels tailored to their workforce. Consider the following options:

• Digital channels typically carry the bulk of the message: email, a benefits portal or intranet page, text reminders and enrollment platform notifications. These work well for detailed content, links to forms and ongoing reminders, and they’re easy to track for engagement.
• In-person and live channels add a personal touch that email can’t replicate. These include benefit fairs, brown-bag lunches, webinars, live Q&A sessions and one-on-one meetings for employees with more complex needs. They are especially valuable for addressing questions before they turn into bigger issues.
• Print materials still have a place, particularly for reaching frontline or non-office employees. Mailed letters, break room posters and printed benefits guides serve as physical reminders that can prompt employees to review information they may have skimmed past in an email.
• Repetition is key with open enrollment announcements. Multiple touchpoints keep open enrollment top of mind for employees.

Conclusion

The most successful open enrollment announcement is a coordinated series of communications that starts months in advance, adapts as the deadline approaches and continues after enrollment closes. By starting early, communicating information thoroughly and meeting employees through the channels they actually use, you can turn open enrollment into an opportunity for employees to feel confident and supported in their benefits decisions.

Contact us today for more open enrollment resources.

Article Published By: Zywave, Inc.