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Autumn is the season of annual registration for employee benefits and most employers are in the midst of finalizing changes in benefits and plan design, creating employee communication, benefits of registration systems and testing schedule staff meetings. With all what to consider, how do you know your open enrollment communication will reach the mark? These five tips are simple to implement and it will take just a little more time to take your subscription communication to the next level.

Keep it simple employees. Major concern when registering are: what changes? What will it cost? Refine these results (and why) in simple, easy to understand terms with simple, step by step instructions on how to register. If you have not already, Create a registration page "Tip Sheet" that lists what changes in the simplest form possible (perhaps just a bulleted list), gives brief instructions and registration indicates to employees and families to go for complete details. Some employees want the info-line top and some want all the details. This overview of page will be useful for both groups.

Make it personal. Resist the temptation to include figures about your benefits total expenditures or say how many employees billions of dollars a year of bad decisions health care costs in the United States. These figures perk May CFO up your ears, but your employees need to know how it affects their lives and their families. If you talk about your expenses for health care received in the decomposition what the company spends per employee. That is, how is it that your health benefits add to the paycheck of each employee? When you talk about changes that could reduce costs, tell your employees what this means for their portfolios. "The use of generic drugs instead of brand-name prescriptions could save an extra $ 500 in your pocket each year, instead of "The cost of branded drugs is three times that of generic drugs and adds $ 800.000 per year for our costs of health care. "

Promote missed or under-used benefits. List the benefit plans that employees do 5-10 not enough – your savings account health benefits discount shaped, voluntary insurance, hidden features of the EAP, your preventive care, the benefits of regional transport, etc. – And put them together as a one-page flyer. Entitled "the top-10 benefits you are missing" or "10 ways you can not get the most out of your benefit plans. "Define the program, why it is valuable and How to Register / Sign up / get a refund. Then, ask employees to share their advice and their use for a position update registration (you can set up a new address email for you or use your existing benefits feedback channel).

Talk to your employees and let employees talk. Or Discuss not hold meetings of registration? The meetings are always worthwhile. Employees feel like you are going to their meeting and giving them the opportunity to ask questions. Can you reach all your sites? Hold virtual meetings or conference calls. Post the registration line for employees who can not do.

Or start a benefits blog and ask employees to give comment and ask questions via the comments section. Too much of a time commitment? You do not have to be prolific, just a short post per week season registration will be of enormous value to employees. Reminders and tips on entries are easy to mail. Also, consider give employees some "insider" advice on their benefits, the enrollment system or hidden features of their health plan. Chances are your benefits team knows a ton of top leaders that their employees would be very interested (Still convinced that you can not write a blog a week or worried about your writing? Shhh … your counselor or a group of internal communication can help to write them for you.)

Lead managers in the game. It is likely that your employees talk to their managers at least once a week, maybe more times a day. Get "the boss" in the game and give managers the tools and encourage them to talk to employees about their benefits. Many retailers send updates to all business managers of stores each week. Getting a line on enrollment in this announcement (and let that become a bullet or two times per month on benefits). The benefits are a major reason that you can attract and retain a top workforce – managers must know that it plays in motivating their team. Often, they do not know what to say or how to say – to give them talking points and a fast running down on the why it matters to them.

Jennifer Benz is an award-winning communication consultant and writer with extensive experience in employee health care and wellness, strategic HR and marketing communication.

Jen has worked with dozens of organizations, reaching thousands of employees and customers. Her work has been recognized by Business Insurance, the International Association of Business Communicators, Hermes Creative and the Communicator Awards.

She has been an influential force behind consumer-driven health care since the industry came into existence, managing some of the most successful early adopter Health Reimbursement Account and Health Savings Account implementations. Prior to starting Benz Communications, Jen worked for Hewitt Associates, where she helped shape the firm’s approach to health care communication.

Jen is a member of the International Association of Business Communicators, the Northern California Human Resources Association, the Society of Human Resources Managers, and Women in Consulting. She holds a BS in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Jen also devotes much time to pro bono work with nonprofits in San Francisco and Guatemala.

You can learn more about Jen and Benz Communications at http://www.benzcommunications.com