Not only does the arrival of fall mark the end of the summer,but it also kicks off one of the busiest decision-making times ofthe year.

Related: Why I dread open enrollment

In addition to back-to-school supplies, holiday travel, andBlack Friday deals, employees across the nation will be gearing upfor open enrollment.

Choosing the right benefits is arguably one of the mostimportant decisions employees will make for the coming year, andthey should feel assured and confident in the process. That beingsaid, enrolling in benefits can cause anxiety.

According to MetLife’s 14^th Annual U.S. EmployeeBenefit Trends Study, nearly half (44 percent) of all employeesreport feeling stressed by the enrollmentprocess, and 42 percent say they are confused about some or all ofthe information they received regarding their benefits. Of allgenerations in the workforce, millennials felt the most stressedand confused by the benefits decision process, according toMetLife’s study.

Related: 5 tips to make this the best open enrollmentever

The good news is that there is a significant opportunity forbrokers to help employers and their employees successfully navigateopen enrollment, particularly when it comes to benefitcommunications.

This is especially true as only 37 percent of employees saidtheir employers’ benefit communications effectively educated themso they could choose options that best meet their needs, accordingto MetLife’s study.

During the busy enrollment period, brokers can be meaningfulresources to employers. It is important that brokers recommendbenefits strategies to help employers successfully engage employeesin benefit conversations. Here’s how:

• Provide one-on-one consultations. In a worldthat is increasingly digital, it may be surprising to learn thatemployees find one-on-one consultations with enrollmentrepresentatives to be the most effective resource in helping themmake benefit decisions—surpassing mobile apps, text messages andbenefits websites. MetLife’s study found that nearly two-thirds (61percent) of employees are interested in one-on-one benefitconsultations, but only 23 percent of employers say they offerthem. Brokers should equip themselves with this information andcounsel employers accordingly.

• Communicate clearly and concisely. According toMetLife’s study, only one-third of employees find their companies’benefit communications easy to understand, underscoring theconfusion and stress that employees feel during open enrollmentseason. To address this, employers must clearly and conciselyconvey their benefit offerings. For brokers, this presents a keyopportunity to help employers put processes in place to bettercommunicate their benefits and how they can make a difference intheir employees’ lives.

• Articulate the practical and financial value ofbenefits. Along with clear and concise benefitcommunications, employers should articulate the practical andfinancial value of voluntary benefits for their employees.Currently, only 47 percent of employees agree that non-medicalbenefits can help limit their out-of-pocket medical expenses,according to MetLife’s study. This highlights a need foremployers—and an opportunity for brokers—to help employees betterunderstand how voluntary benefits can reduce financialconcerns.

• Provide a variety of resources. Whileone-on-one consultations are regarded as the most effectiveresource for helping employees learn about their benefit options,it shouldn’t be the only one provided. Employers should provide avariety of decision-support tools and personalized offerings tohelp employees learn about their benefit options and make informeddecisions about which benefits best suit their specific needs.Brokers can help employers decide what diverse mix of benefitcommunications resources — mobile app, text messages, website,one-on-one consultations — are right for their employees.

• Communicate year-round. To ensure employeesfully understand their benefits offerings and the value theyprovide, it’s important that employers communicate their offeringsyear round – not just in the weeks leading up to open enrollment.By creating a steady stream of messages, employees will bewell-equipped to choose the benefits that best meet their needs asopposed to starting from scratch during enrollment. In fact, nearlytwo-thirds (61%) of employees say they want their employers tocommunicate about benefits year-round, according to MetLife’sstudy.

Ultimately, brokers that arm themselves with this informationwill gain a competitive advantage. By helping employers put a planin place to better communicate their benefits, brokers will notonly help employers build stronger employee relationships, but inturn, they will strengthen their client relationships as well.