Open Enrollment Is an Opportunity to Spotlight Your Education Benefits

The end of summer and beginning of fall have traditionally been a time for learners to go back to school. For working adults who may be enrolled in online programs, this remains true—and organizations across industries are seeing an uptick in education benefits use at a time that correlates with benefit open enrollment.

Erin Dobbins, account manager at Workforce Edge, explains how this open enrollment season is different from past years and how it can be the perfect time for organizations to increase awareness of their education benefits programs.

Are you seeing an increase in interest in education benefits during open enrollment this season?

We are. There’s a natural inclination to associate fall with returning to school, especially after those busy summer months, and this year really hasn't been any different. People are interested in exploring opportunities that can lead to personal and professional growth.

How is this year different from past years?

I’ve noticed an increase in interest in certifications, leadership training, and more nondegree credentials. This is true for both learners and employers. It’s a growing segment of education that holds a lot of appeal. It’s a way for employees to boost their skills in a much shorter amount of time compared with traditional degree programs. These are more concise and can be offered at a lower cost to the employer, or possibly use fewer of their allocated tuition assistance funds.

What are some ways employers can raise awareness of the education benefits they offer, especially during open enrollment?

The easiest way to do that is to send out emails across the organization. We all get them, these reminders that it’s open enrollment season, urging us to look into our options. But I always encourage our partners to go further with their messaging. Using social media channels and employee resource groups can be really helpful here. If you have active communities in your company, they can become great, supportive voices for enrolling and taking advantage of education benefits. We’ve also seen fantastic results when internal leaders champion these benefits and encourage their teams to explore programs, especially this time of year.

How do you and your team assist with raising awareness about education benefit offerings?

There are so many avenues we can take to make sure that as many employees as possible are aware of their benefits. We provide a lot of materials, everything from flyers to open enrollment documents in new hire packets to direct mailings. But we also provide training for leaders and create presentations for employee resource groups and other initiatives.

I think it’s crucial to support employees and their goals. Everyone should have the opportunity to know about their benefits so they can decide if education makes sense for them and their careers. It’s our job to support that. It’s also our job to make messaging as light a lift as possible for our employer partners. We adapt to their needs and collaborate to figure out the best way to connect with their teams.

What are other ways employers can approach conversations about education benefits during open enrollment?

I encourage our partners to think of open enrollment as a great opportunity to discuss education benefits and demonstrate investment in employees. By providing these benefits, you show how you support their development as they pursue their professional goals.

During fall and throughout the year, we want organizations to think of Workforce Edge as a strategic partner, not just in the higher education space but also for their staffing needs. This includes recruiting, upskilling, reskilling, leadership development, and employee engagement. We also help our partners achieve their DEI goals.

For each of our partners, we discuss their objectives for growth and development and then provide solutions to support them. We become part of their team and help with engaging and growing the potential of people within their company. This can be particularly true during open enrollment.

To discuss partnering with Workforce Edge, connect with us here.