HOW PEOS CAN ENHANCE THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS EXPERIENCE TO SUPPORT A THRIVING WORKFORCE

For PEOs, a well-executed open enrollment period can be the lynchpin to creating a positive employee benefits experience. While a robust benefits package is crucial for attracting and retaining top talent, these offerings deliver real value only when employees truly understand and use them. Open enrollment provides a key moment to connect with employees and set the tone for their benefits experience in the coming year.

Guardian research demonstrates the impact of this connection: 73% of worksite employees that are highly satisfied with their enrollment experience intend to stay with their employer for at least five more years—yet only 21% of workers feel confident in their benefits selections. This gap presents an opportunity for PEOs to demonstrate greater value by offering a seamless, positive benefits enrollment experience. In doing so, PEOs can help to build a more engaged, satisfied, and loyal workforce. Here’s how to begin.

ELEVATING EMPLOYEES’ AWARENESS OF BENEFITS

An essential first step for PEOs during enrollment is boosting worksite employee awareness and understanding of available benefits. With 36% of workers spending no time researching their non-medical benefit options, employees could be missing out on valuable offerings simply due to lack of information or clarity.

PEOs can make a significant impact by enhancing enrollment communications, emphasizing the full suite of available benefits, and highlighting often overlooked yet valuable benefit features.

In some cases, PEOs can look to their carrier partner as a great resource for ready-to-use materials and educational tools. Regardless of the source, however, clear, concise, and accessible materials are key. They could include, for instance:

Benefits at-a-glance infographics. Use these to visually summarize available options, helping employees quickly grasp the breadth of offerings.

User-friendly enrollment guides. Provide detailed information and easy-to-read comparison charts to aid decision-making.

Engaging videos and flyers. Each one can delve into specific benefit features, making complex topics more approachable.

By proactively communicating throughout the enrollment period, PEOs can help employees to feel informed, empowered, and ready to make choices that suit their needs.

LEVERAGING TECH FOR A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE

Once employees understand their options, the next step is making the enrollment and benefits management process as seamless as possible. As the employee benefits landscape becomes increasingly complex, digital tools have become indispensable—particularly for PEOs operating with lean benefits teams.

PEOs can make a real difference here by strategically leveraging innovative benefits technology to enhance the worksite employee experience. For example, new digital solutions, such as application programming interfaces (APIs), can streamline the process, providing efficient, accurate transfer of data to carriers for quick and easy onboarding.

Beyond initial enrollment, benefits technology continues to add value. Modern platforms allow worksite employees to review benefits details, track pay, file claims, and access resources—all in one centralized location. These tools not only simplify benefits administration but also enhance transparency and convenience for employees.

The impact of technology on employee satisfaction is clear: 76% of worksite employees who experienced a highly digitized enrollment process reported high satisfaction, compared to just 39% with primarily paper-based processes and 48% with mixed methods.

For PEOs, investing in such technology frees up valuable time previously dedicated to manual or repetitive tasks. This allows teams to focus more on direct employee engagement—further strengthening their value proposition to worksites.

PUTTING BENEFITS TO USE WITH EASE

Open enrollment is just the beginning. Once the benefits selection period concludes, PEOs can play a critical role in encouraging ongoing utilization of benefits, ensuring employees make the most of what’s available to them throughout the year.

Continuous engagement is especially important during times when worksite employees are most likely to need guidance or support. These moments may include key points in the customer experience, such as filing a claim or seeking information about providers, or periods when employees are navigating a major life event like welcoming a new child, changing their marital status, or starting a new job.

To stay connected, PEOs can develop a communications calendar that incorporates these key moments, along with relevant dates such as National Cancer Awareness Month (February), Mental Health Awareness Month (May), and Life Insurance Awareness Month (September).

Maintaining a year-round dialogue—with support from carriers who can provide timely insights and resources—can help to ensure that worksite employees make the most of their benefits all year long.

GETTING STARTED

Delivering a positive employee benefits experience extends far beyond providing a package of meaningful offerings. It’s about creating a supportive environment where employees are empowered to make informed decisions, easily access resources, and get the most value from their benefits.

By focusing on clear communication, smart use of technology, and ongoing engagement, PEOs can help worksites not only boost workforce well-being but also increase retention and loyalty. The window of open enrollment is an ideal starting point, but the positive effects of these efforts continue throughout the year.

For PEOs seeking to solidify and grow their value, there’s no better time to step up and make a lasting impact.