For many Americans today, the process of planning or managing personal finances can be at the bottom of their to-do list, particularly when it comes to choosing their benefits. In fact, nearly half (45 percent) of U.S. workers equate benefits selection with the same level of dread as asking for a raise, according to a new MetLife survey on open enrollment.

With this in mind, it's really no wonder that 1 in 3 employees would rather talk about their weight than their employer-offered benefits, and 1 in 5 spends only a few minutes reviewing these options before making a decision.

Unfortunately, this reticence can have a massive impact on employees' financial futures — much more than they realize. For this reason, employers play a pivotal role in helping employees overcome information overload during the open enrollment process.