Benefits enrollments work most efficiently when looked at holistically

Benefits enrollments work most efficiently when looked at holistically instead of as a one-time activity, according to a new white paper released by Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company.

"Reinvent the Enrollment Experience: How to Drive Value for Your Benefits Package" was released nationally by Colonial Life today. The paper analyzed survey data from national human resources and business research organizations, as well as its own proprietary research, to uncover the best ways to maximize the benefits enrollment experience for employers and employees.

Companies should take a big-picture perspective when planning their enrollments, trading the "once-and-done" mentality for one of building long-term relationships with their employees, according to the paper.

"Employers must encourage benefits dialogue throughout the year to support and enhance the enrollment experience," says Marianne Adams, assistant vice president for enrollment services at Colonial Life. "When companies take a holistic approach to their enrollments, employees can start to learn how their different insurance plans complement each other and make more informed choices for themselves and their families."

The report noted enrollments should be focused on a company's entire benefits package, not just core benefits.

"The typical benefits enrollment focuses on traditional core benefits such as major medical, group life, dental and vision," Adams says. "However, today's enrollment process needs to be adapted to include all benefits being enrolled, including voluntary, employee-paid benefits that are growing in popularity such as individual life, disability and accident plans. This approach helps employees understand how all their different insurance plans work together."

Companies also need to make enrollments much more personalized, according to the report. In fact, a recent survey shows human resource professionals rate individual counseling sessions as the most effective benefits enrollment tool. Forty-eight percent say individual sessions are "very effective," followed by web-based enrollments at 37 percent.