Open enrollment fairs are a great way for employers and benefits providers to help employees select and enroll in the right benefits programs for their needs. These fairs are typically done in person to give people the opportunity to learn about benefits accounts and connect with providers and HR professionals to ask important questions about offerings.
With many companies extending their work-from-home orders and seeking ways to limit contact in the workplace, a virtual open enrollment fair is ideal since it is primarily conducted online. In fact, the benefits of switching to a virtual open enrollment strategy longer term are numerous. A virtual fair could serve as a great alternative or supplement to traditional enrollment fairs in the future. In this post, we share some helpful tips for companies seeking to move their events online.
Convenience and Accessibility
The number one benefit of the virtual open enrollment fair is that it is more convenient for employees, giving more people access to helpful information. The personal touch offered by an in-person event is nice, but for busy employees, it can be challenging and distracting to attend an information session during the workday.
Additionally, employees who are absent the day or two of the event often miss out on the resources the event offers. Online open enrollment fairs allow employees to check out webinars, download resources, and speak privately with benefit account experts according to their schedule. It gives more people access to key benefit enrollment details that can encourage more employees to take advantage of the savings and support employer-sponsored benefits provide.
In a recent ConnectYourCare client survey, 80% of respondents viewed ‘increased access for all employees’ to be one of the greatest benefits of a virtual enrollment fair solution.
More Personalized Learning Possible
A virtual open enrollment fair actually makes for a more personalized learning experience. Employees can “attend” the presentations and webinars that pertain to their needs and download specific resources about the benefits that matter most to them. Rather than read a pamphlet about a benefit program, employees can perform research with more robust online educational materials such as videos, calculators, FAQs, downloadable documents and forms, links to helpful resources, and chat features.
Best of all, with a virtual open enrollment event, employees can schedule time to speak with experts about benefits questions that pertain to their personal situation, knowing that this conversation can happen confidentially.
A Real Time Saver
Each person learns at different speeds and has a different schedule. A virtual open enrollment fair can save time for employees who already know what benefits they need and just want to ask specific questions that pertain to their needs. For an employee who has a unique schedule or is part-time, this can also save them time by giving them 24/7 access to the information they need, so they can learn when it suits them and at their own pace.
For those running the open enrollment fair, such as HR personnel, a virtual event can ultimately save them time, too, by eliminating the need to arrange travel, set up information booths, print materials, and expend energy on the preparation and execution of the event.
Cost-Effective and Eco-Friendly
A virtual open enrollment fair can also reduce costs. There is no need for printing pricey banners, brochures, packets, flyers, and other collateral with benefits information, which not only saves money but promotes paperless means that reduce the environmental impact of the fair.
For large companies, there is no cost to travel to various locations to reach all employees, which helps reduce a company’s carbon footprint. In addition, resources created online can be updated for future use, while print materials that are outdated must be discarded, which is wasteful.
An Open Invite to Include Spouses and Loved Ones in Benefits Decisions
Some companies have the resources to host open enrollment events in the evenings or during off-hours so employees can include spouses and loved ones in benefits decisions that affect them. However, for many people, work conflicts and other scheduling difficulties make it challenging to include loved ones in these benefits information sessions.
A virtual open enrollment event will allow employees to review resources and key information about benefits with spouses or loved ones who may be affected by the decision or want to learn about the benefits themselves.
Tips for a Virtual Open Enrollment Fair
Having shared some of the primary benefits of switching to a virtual open enrollment model, we also have a few tips for companies trying to set up their events for later this year:
Connect with benefits partners to collaborate on creating innovative and comprehensive learning resources that will get to the heart of what employees need to know about their options.
Provide clear instructions to all employees on how and when to attend the online open enrollment fair and give them easy-to-follow guidance that details how to navigate the hosting platform and access resources. Preparation is key to ensuring that all employees have access.
Check in to see what common benefits concerns and questions employees have had in the past to cater information to their needs. For example, some of the main points people usually want to know include what the benefits program does, who qualifies for coverage, the value it provides, and how much money will come out of each paycheck.
Feature company leadership in webinars and presentations, as well as other learning materials, to engage employees and allow them to feel more connected—even at a distance. This also shows that company leadership genuinely cares about engaging with their employees and supports their well-being.
Include testimonials—even if anonymous—from current company employees about certain benefits, especially any in which you want to boost enrollment, such as health savings accounts (HSAs) or commuter benefits. Employees will be more likely to trust reviews from peers than testimonials provided by the benefits provider, which they may see as biased.
