In looking to do so, there are a few foundational principles from which benefits brokers can draw to advise clients.

Identify their target audience. If they don't already, benefits brokers should advise employers to get a deeper understanding of their employee population. It's not just names and titles, but rather getting a sense of ages, life stages, number of dependents, and geographies.
Meet employees where they are. Using the results of their employee audit, encourage employers to engage with their employees in the channels and mediums that resonate with them. Have a younger employee audience? Bite-size DIY video content can be great. For a population with dependents or caregiving responsibilities, consider offering in-person or 1:1 benefits consultations.
Make it personal. While benefits brokers can opine on insurance all day long, the most powerful advocates for supplemental health insurance are colleagues' peers. Peer-to-peer stories can help demonstrate the real-world value of supplemental health insurance, making it tangible and relatable. In thinking through how to mine for these stories, benefits brokers should encourage employers to partner with HR to identify employees who might have just come back for leave or had a relevant life experience. Most importantly, remember that not everyone will want to share, and no one should be forced to do so.
Focus on the holistic offering. Most employees understand the basic premise of how insurance works—you get sick, file a claim, and then get paid. But many don't know that insurance like supplemental health may also include coverage for preventive testing. Whether that's BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic screening or fertility testing, benefits brokers should advise on the importance of communicating around the whole benefit.
Leverage available resources. Employers have enough on their plate when it comes to Open Enrollment, let alone day-to-day business operations. To help, benefits brokers should encourage employers to tap into enrollment resources provided by their carrier—who are ready and willing to assist! Whether that's pre-drafted omnichannel communication materials for employees, digital decision support tools, or benefits counseling, most of these capabilities are free to employers and can be deployed quickly to support active Open Enrollment efforts.

For benefits brokers advising employers, the most important thing to remember is that these communication efforts don't have to be a heavy lift. Whether it is simply optimizing existing efforts or focusing on one or two new tactics, enrollment rates can only improve.

Instant Insights /

How benefits brokers can improve workforce wellbeing this open enrollment

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