You know it better than anyone: recruiting and retaining top talent is tough. The average American worker changes jobs 12 times throughout their career. Turnover in the Great Resignation is causing HR whiplash. 

Many employees leave because they don’t feel supported in their job.

What does this mean for employers? Those who fail to signal their commitment to a healthy, rewarding workplace will lose their most valued workers. 

Here’s a simple fix. 

 Benefits matter to employees. Yet we introduce benefits in a hectic sprint that leaves many employees confused and even stressed about programs that are supposed to help them and their families. 

We’re talking about the process known as “open enrollment” – the few short weeks in the fourth quarter when Employees are rushed into making decisions that affect their health and budget for the entire year. On average, employees spend 18 minutes enrolling in their benefits. 

Might giving them more time overall be helpful? That’s a rhetorical question. 

Fortunately, benefit enrollment doesn’t need to be overwhelming. You can transform the experience to one in which employees feel empowered, and excited by employers’ investment in them. 

How? 

Use an off-cycle benefits rollout. That gives employees time and space to explore options and make informed decisions. 

Sound messy? 

It’s not.  Employees don’t have an artificial deadline imposed on them. And that freedom does not create any additional work for you. It may actually put your human resources department at ease!

Know the advantages of off-cycle rollouts.

• Improve the employee experience. Cramming all of your new benefits into a couple of months is daunting. This is true for your employees trying to understand the benefits as well as your HR staff trying to implement and launch them. Don’t stick to clunky experience when there’s a clear alternative. 
• Increase employee engagement. When employees understand their benefits, they’re able to delve into and appreciate the options available to them. For example, if they know you’ll be offering a smoking cessation tool, they might take some initial first steps to mentally prepare to stop smoking. Preparing in advance can help employees gain the confidence they’ll need to stay smoke free. 
• Promote data-driven decisions about what benefits to offer. Here’s what we already know: For every dollar spent on treating mental health disorders, there’s a four dollar return in productivity and health. However, having internal employee data to justify certain benefits is also important. When employees have more time to process their benefits before making decisions, it’s not a mad dash to the finish. It’s an informed choice. This is valuable feedback to employers on what works and what doesn’t, helping them tailor future benefits accordingly. 
• Better deals on top-notch benefits. Open enrollment is the busiest time of year for HR professionals. The same is true for benefits companies. However, when HR professionals begin to shop around earlier in the year, there’s more time to compare options. This can lead to cost savings and the ability to secure the best solutions at the lowest prices. 

Get started now.

We are so wired for stress, we create it where it doesn’t need to exist. The benefits enrollment process is one such place. Embrace an off-cycle benefits rollout. It’s the rational choice. If you want to learn more about ways to reduce stress at work, reach out to Pivot.