As November rolls in, there’s a collective sigh of relief among the Segal Benz team and clients alike. The intensity of open enrollment begins to ease, and the slower holiday season offers a welcome break. But while inboxes may be quieter, now is the perfect time to lean into the moment and start reviewing early engagement metrics.
Why? Because fresh data brings fresh perspective. AI-powered analytics can quickly show what worked well—and what didn’t—while the experience is still fresh in your mind. These insights are invaluable for shaping next year’s communications strategy, helping your team move from reactive to proactive with clarity and confidence.
Traditional benefits communications metrics, like email open rates and click-throughs, only scratch the surface. Today’s AI tools can analyze behavioral data, sentiment from open-ended survey responses, and even engagement patterns across platforms, to reveal:
Platforms like Remesh and tools like AI are helping teams gather real-time feedback and distill it into actionable themes. This isn’t just about dashboards. It’s about understanding what employees need, when they need it, and how they want to hear it.
Once you’ve gathered your data, the next step is translating it into a smarter communications plan. Here’s how AI can help:
Use AI to identify behavioral clusters, like employees who delayed action, asked for help, or ignored messages entirely. Then build personas around these patterns to tailor next year’s outreach.
Generative AI tools can help you craft messages that speak directly to each audience segment. Whether it’s for frontline workers, remote staff, or new hires, AI can generate role-specific, tone-aligned content that feels personal even when it’s automated.
AI can analyze when and where employees engaged the most—with email, SMS, intranet, or video—and help you build a communications calendar that accommodates their needs.
Machine-learning models can forecast which employees are likely to engage next year, based on past behavior. Use this to prioritize outreach and allocate resources more effectively.
The best time to plan next year’s open enrollment strategy is right after this one ends. But the insights you gather now can also help shape your year-round communications strategy. Whether it’s refining how you reach different employee segments or identifying which messages drive action, post-OE measurement offers a fresh lens for continuous improvement. Here’s how to get started:
AI can accelerate your strategy, but it doesn’t replace the human touch. Use it to free up time for the things that make benefits communications truly effective: creativity, empathy, and connection.
As we look ahead, the organizations that succeed will be those that treat open enrollment not as a checkbox, but as a conversation. Use AI to listen more intently than ever before.