A formula for enrollment success
Employer/carrier commitment
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Well-timed communication
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Tools and resources
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Increased participation
Employer focus
Better communication equals better participation
Communicating important benefit changes is no simple task, and propelling employees into action during the time-crunch of annual enrollment can be a daunting chore. Sodexo, a world leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions, successfully tackled this challenge last fall when the company chose Minnesota Life as its new group life insurance provider.
Developing an effective communication strategy was the first step in rolling out the new insurance plan. The objective wasn’t to bombard employees with communication, but rather limit communication to concise, well-timed messaging. Through collaborative efforts, Sodexo and Minnesota Life created a communication plan that focused on the expanded benefit design and the implementation of a new online beneficiary management system.
Employee response to the new benefit speaks loudly. Plan participation increased by more than 11 percent, and total plan volume increased by over 116 percent.
So how do you engage 70,000 employees across 6,000 locations nationwide to take action? Fran Anderson, Director of Sodexo Internal Communication, answers, “We sent a brochure to employees’ homes with simple instructions on how to enroll using the web and directed employees to online tools to help them make decisions. By sending the materials to the home, we were able to involve family members in the decision-making process.” Sodexo also offered alternative enrollment options for employees without computer access.
A formula for success
What’s the secret behind improved participation statistics? To start, offering an enhanced benefit at competitive rates certainly stirred up interest and motivated employees to take action. The key ingredient, however, was the joint commitment between Sodexo and Minnesota Life to provide employees with the right communication at the right time.
The blueprint for success included:
- A letter mailed to employees’ homes prior to annual enrollment announcing the upcoming plan changes.
- Brochures mailed to employees’ homes containing simple instructions on how to enroll online. A phone enrollment process was available for those who weren’t comfortable with online enrollment or didn’t have access to the web. More than half of the employees who decided to enroll did so online.
- Targeted reminders sent by postcard and email to employees who didn’t take action. Weekly communication updates were sent internally to Sodexo Unit Managers.
- A Sodexo-specific toll free number set up at Minnesota Life to handle questions related to the plan.
- Benefit fairs at key corporate locations. A “virtual” benefits fair was available on the employee website.
The right blend of communication, backed by the appropriate tools and resources to help employees understand a new benefit equals increased participation. Need help with your fall enrollment communication plans? Contact your assigned Minnesota Life marketing specialist for assistance.
