Open Enrollment: Why the Process Works Best as a Team Effort

How the right HR support can connect open enrollment strategy, administration and the employee experience

Employee benefits continue to evolve, and so does the work required to make them meaningful and manageable for employees.

Benefits are now more than medical, dental and disability coverage. From leave management to pet insurance, today’s packages are increasingly diverse, culture-specific and costly.

During our 2025 Lakeside Chat, Benefits That Belong: Perks That Matter for Today’s Workforce, we explored how employees increasingly value benefits that provide flexibility, peace of mind and support during real moments in their lives. Employers are considering more creative offerings that support retention, well-being, connection and the specific needs of their workforce.

Choosing those benefits is only one part of the process.

Making open enrollment work requires coordination.

A successful open enrollment process can involve the benefits broker, internal HR team, payroll providers, carriers, vendors, organizational leaders and employees. Each plays an important role.

Benefits brokers bring expertise in market trends, regulations, plan options, negotiations, carrier relationships and the competitive landscape. Internal HR teams bring an understanding of the organization, its culture, systems, employees and business priorities.

Still, even experienced partners can face a capacity gap.

Someone needs to connect the strategy to the systems, manage the details, communicate with employees, track decisions, resolve issues, and keep the open enrollment process moving.

That is where Lakeside HR Group can step in.

Our HR consultants serve as an extension of both the benefits broker and the internal HR team, adding capacity and experienced execution without disrupting the relationships or processes already in place.

Connecting Open Enrollment Strategy to Execution

A successful open enrollment experience requires more than a good plan. It requires people who can bring that plan to life.

Depending on the organization, a Lakeside HR consultant may help:

• Coordinate with brokers, carriers, payroll providers, and benefits vendors
• Participate in plan discussions and help evaluate potential offerings
• Add eligible employees to vendor and provider portals
• Build or update integrations between HRIS, payroll and benefits systems
• Audit enrollment files and resolve data discrepancies
• Develop employee communications and enrollment materials
• Conduct employee-facing open enrollment meetings
• Track elections and coordinate data submissions with carriers
• Answer employee questions and explain coverage options
• Confirm that internal policies align with summary plan documents
• Coordinate leaves, claims, and connections to broker or carrier support
• Review COBRA administration and separation processes
• Track deadlines and manage the overall process

The exact division of responsibilities will look different for every organization. We may lead the process, own one specific piece, or provide extra hands during the busiest weeks.

The goal is not to replace the benefits broker or internal HR team. It is to strengthen the team that is already in place.

That flexibility is an important part of our approach to HR consulting. We meet organizations where they are and provide support based on their existing resources, priorities, and needs.

When Open Enrollment Capacity Becomes the Challenge

Even organizations with strong brokers and experienced HR professionals can struggle during open enrollment.

The challenge is not always a lack of expertise. Sometimes there simply are not enough hours or enough hands to manage the open enrollment workload alongside regular HR responsibilities.

That strain can lead to:

• Inaccurate employee or enrollment data
• Missed deadlines
• Confusion about benefits and eligibility
• Payroll deduction errors
• Disconnected systems
• Inconsistent employee communication
• Frustration for employees, HR teams and benefits partners

These problems are rarely caused by a lack of effort. More often, they are signs that the workload was larger than the available capacity.

The right HR consultant can help close that gap while respecting the roles, expertise, and relationships already in place.

An Extension of the Benefits Team During Open Enrollment

Our consultants see this partnership take different forms depending on what each client and broker needs.

As Lakeside HR consultant Nicole Schnell explains:

“For several clients, I serve as a partner in discussions with benefits brokers, helping evaluate recommendations and ensure decisions align with organizational goals. I also regularly support employees by answering benefits-related questions and helping them better understand their coverage options”

In other situations, the support is highly hands-on.

Lakeside HR consultant Carrie Krautkramer shares:

“Benefits administration can look very different from one client to the next. I may be coordinating with brokers on leaves and claims, leading employee-facing open enrollment meetings, enrolling employees in vendor systems, or helping integrate benefits with an HRIS or payroll platform. The common thread is making sure the process works for the organization and that employees understand the benefits available to them.”

Together, their experiences demonstrate the value of having someone who can move between strategy and execution.

A consultant can participate in conversations with the broker, understand the organization’s goals, manage the systems and administrative work, and support employees throughout the process.

That connection helps open enrollment recommendations move from discussion to implementation.

It also helps ensure employees have the support they need to understand the benefits available to them and navigate the enrollment process.

Flexible HR Support for Open Enrollment

Adding open enrollment support does not require another full-time hire.

Depending on the organization, the right solution may be:

• A short-term project consultant
• Fractional HR support throughout enrollment
• Someone to lead employee meetings
• Additional help with administration, systems or data
• Help before, during and immediately after enrollment

At Lakeside HR Group, we meet the benefits broker and internal HR team where they are. We identify what is already working, clarify where additional ownership or capacity is needed, and tailor our involvement accordingly.

Sometimes that means leading. Sometimes it means handling the details behind the scenes. Sometimes it simply means providing an experienced extra set of hands.

Open Enrollment Works Best When Everyone Has the Support to Do Their Part Well

Open enrollment brings together benefits strategy, administration, systems, employee communication, and a long list of important details.

Having the right people in place to connect those pieces can make the process more manageable for everyone involved.

At Lakeside HR Group, our role is not to replace the relationships or expertise an organization already has. It is to add the capacity and experienced HR support needed to help the process move from planning through implementation.

Open enrollment works best when everyone has the support and capacity to do their part well.

Where could your benefits team use an extra set of hands this open enrollment season?

Whether you need someone to help lead the process, manage benefits administration, support employee communications, or provide additional capacity during the busiest weeks, Lakeside HR Group can tailor our involvement to your organization.

Get Ready for Year-End HR Planning

Open enrollment is just one piece of a successful year-end HR strategy. Our Year-End HR Checklist in Excel format walks through the key areas organizations should review as they prepare for the year ahead and includes a free downloadable checklist to help your team stay organized.