Open enrollment communication made simple: a step-by-step guide for HR teams

Open enrollment is a make-or-break moment for HR leaders. It’s the time when employees decide on health plans and other benefits that affect not only their financial security but also their family’s wellbeing. Yet most employees don’t spend much time making those choices. In 2024, 49% of benefits-eligible employees said they spent less than 20 minutes reviewing their benefits options overall.

That lack of engagement creates risk: employees end up in the wrong plan, HR teams drown in questions, and the company’s investment in benefits doesn’t deliver its full value.

Adding to the challenge, there’s a perception gap: 68% of employers believe they communicate benefits well, but only 38% of employees agree. That mismatch highlights the urgent need for more strategic, clear, and engaging communication. Done right, open enrollment communication not only boosts understanding but also builds trust in HR and helps employees make confident choices.

Why is communication during open enrollment so important?

Open enrollment is when employees make high-stakes choices about their health and finances for the year. Effective communication ensures:

• Employees understand coverage and costs before making choices
• HR doesn’t get bogged down by repetitive questions
• New or improved benefits actually get used

When communication falls short, the results are costly. An employee might pick the cheapest premium without realizing the deductible or miss out on a wellness stipend they could have used. Without the right open enrollment communication, employees default to the status quo and employers lose the value of their investment.

But great communication can make a real difference in results. Research shows that better communication can boost HSA and FSA participation by up to 16% in a single year.

How can HR leaders move from reactive to strategic open enrollment communication?

Too often, open enrollment communication feels like crisis management: HR teams racing to answer the same questions, re-explaining benefits in one-off conversations, and scrambling as deadlines approach. That reactive approach is exhausting, and it doesn’t get employees the clarity they need.

The alternative is a strategic communication plan: one that anticipates employee needs, leverages multiple channels, and delivers information in clear, digestible pieces. Strategy means shifting from “putting out fires” to proactively guiding employees through decisions. It’s about asking:

• Who are we trying to reach?
• What do they need to know?
• How do they want to receive that information?
• When will the message be most effective?

With those questions as the foundation, you can start tailoring communication to your workforce, by generation, by role, or by engagement style, and building consistency across your channels.

How should you communicate across generations?

Today’s workforce spans four generations, and each engages with information differently. To reach everyone, you’ll need a blended approach.

Baby Boomers and Gen X

These groups often appreciate direct, detailed communication. Think printed guides, live webinars, or office hours where they can ask questions face-to-face. A physical summary booklet might seem old-school, but for this audience, it’s still one of the most trusted formats.

Millennials and Gen Z

Digital natives expect information to be quick, visual, and mobile-friendly. Bite-size videos, infographics, and interactive comparison tools (like Nava’s decision support) go much further than a 30-page PDF. Short text reminders about deadlines can also cut through the noise better than another long email.

The takeaway

A one-size-fits-all strategy won’t work. Layering different channels ensures no group feels left out and increases the chance that employees actually engage with the content.

How can technology help?

Technology is a force multiplier for HR teams during OE. Instead of manually answering the same questions, consider:

• Benefits platforms with cost calculators and side-by-side plan comparisons.
• Chatbots or AI assistants that handle FAQs 24/7.
• Analytics dashboards that show what messages employees are opening, which videos they’re watching, and where they’re dropping off.

Even small tweaks, like ensuring your materials are mobile-friendly, can make a big difference. A 10-minute video might never get watched on desktop, but a two-minute clip formatted for mobile could reach hundreds of employees.

With so many communication channels today, the real power of technology is its ability to help you meet employees where they are. Some employees respond best to Slack or Teams, others prefer texts, while others still rely on email or intranet posts. Technology makes it possible to deliver consistent messages across all of these touchpoints so employees see information in the channel they’re most likely to engage with.

Who can you lean on for support?

Open enrollment is too important (and too complex) for HR to shoulder alone. The most successful employers treat OE as a team effort, pulling in expertise and support from multiple directions.

Lean on your broker for expertise and execution

Your broker isn’t just there to negotiate rates. They can be a critical communication partner. At Nava, we support HR teams in many ways during open enrollment. Here are just a few examples:

• Hosting benefits fairs (in person or virtual) so employees can meet vendors and ask questions directly
• Running live open enrollment events that walk employees through their choices in real time
• Creating tailored OE materials like slide decks, one-pagers, and FAQs customized to your workforce

Brokers also bring the benefit of perspective: because they work with multiple employers, they know which communication tactics resonate best with different employee populations.

Tap carriers and vendors for ready-made resources

Carriers and point-solution vendors often have entire libraries of communication materials like videos, cost calculators, email templates, and even micro-sites that you can adapt instead of creating from scratch. Many will also join your OE events or webinars to answer product-specific questions, helping reduce HR’s burden.

Empower internal champions to spread the word

Sometimes the most trusted voices are colleagues, not HR. Consider recruiting “benefits champions” across departments: employees who are enthusiastic about benefits and willing to share their knowledge. They can:

• Lead peer-to-peer Q&A sessions
• Record short testimonial videos (“Here’s why I chose the HSA and how it works for me”)
• Act as a first line of support for their teams, flagging common questions back to HR

What communication styles cut through the noise?

Dense, jargon-filled benefits guides often leave employees more confused than before. Healthcare and insurance simply aren’t intuitive, and employees will inevitably encounter technical terms in plan documents. That’s why the goal isn’t to eliminate jargon altogether, but to explain it clearly whenever it shows up. Here’s how:

• Don’t assume employees know what everything means. Translate terms like “coinsurance” into “the percentage you pay after your deductible.” Explain “out-of-pocket maximum” as “the most you’ll have to pay in a year for covered care.”
• Think like a teacher, not a policy writer. Build explanations step by step, layering in examples so concepts stick.
• Write conversationally. If you wouldn’t explain it to a friend that way, don’t explain it to your employees that way.

Plain language, storytelling, and real-life scenarios are essential. Employees can’t make good decisions if they don’t understand the words on the page.

What changes should always be highlighted?

Employees are busy, and even small plan changes can slip through the cracks. That’s why any updates, like premium increases, deductible adjustments, or new perks, need to be called out clearly.

But it’s not just about highlighting change, it’s about explaining complexity. If you’re adding something inherently confusing, like a new reimbursement account or introducing an HSA for the first time, your role as a communicator shifts from simply announcing to actually teaching.

Strategies for complex benefits

• Break it down step by step. Don’t assume employees know what acronyms like HSA, FSA, or LPFSA mean. Start from basics: “This is what it is, this is how it works, and here’s why it might matter to you.”
• Use examples. Instead of saying “You can set aside pre-tax dollars,” say: “If you put $1,000 into this account, you’ll save about $250 in taxes if you’re in a 25% bracket.”
• Provide visuals. Flowcharts, diagrams, and even short animated videos can demystify what feels intimidating on paper.

The more complex the benefit, the more channels you should use to reinforce the message. A single email won’t cut it. Plan for multiple touchpoints (kickoff webinar, FAQ sheet, reminder email, one-pager) so employees can absorb the information in different ways.

How do you make open enrollment engaging?

Open enrollment has a reputation for being dry, but it doesn’t have to be. Gamification and creativity can boost participation.

Some companies run quizzes with small prizes, or track departmental completion rates with fun progress charts. Others host virtual benefits fairs where employees can hop between vendor “booths.” Even a lighthearted challenge, like a scavenger hunt to find three new benefits on the intranet, can spark interest.

When employees are genuinely engaged, they’re far more likely to understand and act on the information.

Build trust through better open enrollment communication

Open enrollment communication is ultimately about trust. Employees want to feel confident they’re making the right choices for themselves and their families. HR leaders want fewer headaches, better participation, and more value from their benefits spend. With the right mix of tailored messaging, tech support, and creativity, both goals can be achieved.

Done well, OE communication doesn’t just get employees enrolled, but it builds a stronger connection between employees and their employer.