Here are three insights brokers should consider for this year's open enrollment season:

Employee interests are evolving: MetLife's new open enrollment survey found that employees are looking at their enrollment options differently this year, with 75 percent of respondents saying there were specific benefits they were more interested in this year than last. In fact, 1 in 4 employees expressed greater interest in life insurance and dental insurance this year, while 2 in 5 is more interested in pre-tax health and flexible savings accounts, as well as financial planning and education tools. Brokers should remember that, due to the pandemic, benefits designed to offset unexpected medical and economic impacts will be considered particularly essential among employees.

Financial wellness is top-of-mind: It's no secret that employees, who are facing potential job loss and a recession amid the pandemic, are stressed about their finances. In fact, MetLife's 18^th annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study revealed that amid COVID-19, 81 percent of employees reported feeling major financial stress, up from just over half (52 percent) before the pandemic. And more recently, 1 in 3 employees cited personal finance issues, including being worried about financial security or losing income due to COVID-19, as a reason for believing open enrollment is more important this year. With 7 in 10 employees saying that improving their financial health is one of their most important goals this year, it's imperative that brokers advise employers to review their current offerings and programs to ensure they include benefits like disability, critical illness, and/or hospital indemnity insurance that can help protect employees' incomes from the unexpected.

Benefits aren't one-size-fits-all: It's important for brokers to recognize that pandemic-related shifts to employees' lives can differ depending on circumstance. Parents, for example, are juggling new obstacles on top of their usual workloads, as many children start the school year with remote learning. This might be why MetLife's recent open enrollment research found that interest in all benefits is higher for parents of kids under 12 this year compared to last year; in particular, life and dental insurance are at the top of parents' wish lists. Meanwhile, research has also shown that younger generations might need more guidance this open enrollment season, as 1 in 5 Gen Z and millennial employees do not feel secure when making decisions about their employee benefits, compared with 1 in 8 employees overall. Keeping this front-of-mind, brokers should counsel employers to take inventory of their various channels of communication to ensure that all employees are properly advised on the benefits that will best serve their unique needs and circumstances.

During this crucial time, brokers must be conscious of what employees need during open enrollment. In doing so, they can help best arm employers with the right tools to help their employees make informed decisions, and ultimately help them feel more empowered about the open enrollment process.

Instant Insights /

3 ways COVID-19 is changing open enrollment for brokers

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