HSA Headlines - 8/10/2018 - Boosting employee engagement ahead of open enrollment

Do you feel that in the air? It's not quite a chill, but it IS starting to feel like open enrollment season! While it's a little early (and only benefits nerds like us are excited), it's a key time for people to think about their financial choices for the next year.

Employers across the country are facing their annual debate -- how to get workers to understand their benefits so they can put money back into their pockets. While that sounds like a plan anyone can get onboard with, the reality is anything but as we'll explore in this week's edition of HSA Headlines!

Only 10 percent of employers are confident that workers understand their benefits - Maurie Backman, The Motley Fool

A new report by HSA Bank found that most employers aren't exactly thrilled about their employees' prospects during open enrollment. The report found that only 10% are "very confident" in their work force's knowledge of benefits, which is a major issue considering 25% of U.S. adults have issues paying for medical bills and an open enrollment mix-up could leave them footing a larger bill than they expected.

Helping employees navigate open enrollment is much easier when everyone can speak the same language, which is why employers should endeavor to educate their employees on common insurance terms like "premium," "deductible," "copayments" and more. This will help employees determine how much is taken out of their paycheck and how much they'll be paying out-of-pocket for each plan.

Benefits in the bathroom stall: Outside-the-box tips for getting employees engaged during enrollment - Kathryn Mayer, Employee Benefit News

It's one thing to keep your employees aware of their open enrollment periods, but it's another to get them excited about it. Most years, employees will go through the motions. According to Aflac, 92% of employees simply sign up for the same plan year after year, and won't look into other options. So, this year, maybe it's time for something different to get their attention.

Kathryn Mayer with Employee Benefit News had some great suggestions that could help employers put open enrollment front and center to catch the attention of your employees. Many of these are things your marketing department already does, like text messages, videos from company leaders or giveaways and incentives. Even something as simple as a sign on the bathroom door could be the catalyst for some employees to dive deeper into their benefits.

HSA Headlines is a weekly roundup of the latest, most relevant news and conversations about your health savings. It appears every Friday, exclusively on the HSA Learning Center. And for more about your physical and financial well-being, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.