With the reality of social distancing needs in the COVID-19 era, many employers are wondering what benefits enrollment will look like for the rest of the 2020. Numerous organizations have already shifted from in-person enrollment to virtual tools for 1-to-1 benefits counseling with tremendous success.
And more companies are considering shifting to virtual enrollment this year, according to a recent employer survey.
In this episode of the HR Trends podcast, benefits expert Shawn Ferguson joins Colonial Life’s Richard Shaffer to share insights on how to shift from traditional in-person enrollment to virtual enrollment. They also discuss how employers can help prepare and encourage employees to use virtual tools for their 1-to-1 benefits counseling sessions.
Top takeaways
- Before implementing a virtual enrollment strategy, make sure your organization has an online platform and a plan to engage employees on this platform. [03:45]
- Mandatory group enrollment meetings can be held virtually using a variety of methods. These meetings are important for educating employees about their benefits offering, including additions or changes to coverage. [04:02]
- Employees are more likely to research and learn about their benefits when an active decision-making process is applied. [05:01]
- Present a comprehensive benefits package in a logical order, and make sure employees have a consistent experience in all benefits communications and across platforms. [05:33]
- Employees will have very specific questions this enrollment season, as the pandemic has made workers more worried about their financial fragility. [08:00]
- Virtual tools have seen rapid adoption since the COVID-19 outbreak. Some insurance carriers and brokers have retooled and reinvented benefits communication and enrollment to approximate a face-to-face experience in a virtual ecosystem. [09:03]
- For the average American worker, benefits enrollment and selection is going to be the one of the most — if not the most — significant financial decision they make over the course of the year. The focus of enrollment meetings should be on benefits education, making sure your employees understand their benefit options and their financial decisions. [13:21]
Adding benefits doesn't have to be complicated. Virtual enrollment gives employees a simple, personalized experience, wherever they’re located. Learn more about our virtual enrollment.