How HRIS Software Can Simplify Benefits Enrollment 

Open enrollment can be one of the busiest times of the year for HR teams. Employees need to review their benefit options, make elections, add or remove dependents, and complete enrollment by a specific deadline. Meanwhile, HR must communicate changes, track elections, answer questions, manage employee data, and ensure information is accurately reflected across payroll and benefits systems. 

Open enrollment technology can remove much of the manual work from that process. A human resources information system (HRIS) can centralize employee information, provide employees with self-service access to benefits information, and connect benefits administration with other HR functions. The result is a more organized enrollment experience for both HR teams and employees. 

Key Takeaways 

• An HRIS can centralize employee and benefits information in one system. 
• Employee self-service can reduce paperwork and routine questions HR teams manage during open enrollment. 
• Integrated HR technology can help reduce manual data entry and administrative errors. 
• Digital enrollment gives employees a convenient way to review and manage their benefits. 

Why Is Open Enrollment So Time-Consuming for HR Teams? 

Open enrollment may happen only once a year, but the administrative work around it can add up quickly. 

HR teams may need to: 

• Communicate enrollment deadlines and benefit changes 
• Provide employees with plan and coverage information 
• Collect employee elections 
• Update dependent information 
• Track who has and has not completed enrollment 
• Answer questions about benefits and eligibility 
• Coordinate changes with payroll and benefits providers 
• Correct missing or inaccurate information 
• Maintain records of employee elections 

When these tasks are handled through paper forms, spreadsheets, emails, or multiple disconnected systems, information is more likely to get lost or entered incorrectly. 

Open enrollment technology aims not just to digitize enrollment. It is to make the entire process more connected. 

How Does Technology Improve Open Enrollment? 

An HRIS can help simplify open enrollment by bringing employee information and HR processes together. 

1. It Reduces Manual Data Entry 

One of the biggest advantages of an integrated HR system is reducing the need to enter the same employee information multiple times. 

Instead of collecting elections on paper and manually transferring information between systems, digital enrollment can create a more streamlined flow of information. 

This can help HR teams spend less time entering data and more time helping employees understand their benefit options. 

2. It Gives Employees More Control 

Employees do not always have questions about benefits during traditional business hours. 

A self-service HR platform gives employees a convenient way to access their information and complete HR-related tasks on their own time. 

With GMS Connect, employees can access their employment information through the employee self-service portal and mobile app. GMS Connect also gives employees access to benefit information, including medical, dental, and vision coverage details. 

3. It Helps HR Track the Enrollment Process 

During open enrollment, HR needs to know where things stand. 

A digital system can make it easier to monitor employee activity, identify outstanding tasks, and follow up with employees who still need to complete their elections. 

Instead of maintaining a separate spreadsheet to track enrollment progress, HR teams can work from information stored within their HR technology. 

4. It Helps Connect Benefits and Payroll 

Benefits decisions do not exist separately from payroll. 

Employee elections can affect payroll deductions, so accurate information must move between benefits administration and payroll. An integrated HRIS can connect these processes and reduce the manual work required to keep employee information consistent. 

GMS Connect brings payroll, benefits, HR, and other workforce functions together in one cloud-based system.  

What Role Can an HRIS Play in Open Enrollment? 

An HRIS can serve as a central hub for the information and processes surrounding open enrollment. 

Capabilities vary by HRIS, so businesses should evaluate whether a platform supports the benefits and enrollment processes they need. 

How Does GMS Connect Support Benefits Administration? 

GMS Connect is a cloud-based HRIS that centralizes employee information and streamlines HR processes. The platform supports benefits, payroll, recruiting, onboarding, performance management, compliance, and other HR functions within one system.  

GMS Connect supports: 

• Benefits enrollment: Employees can complete benefits-related processes through digital HR technology.
• Employee self-service: Employees can access their information and manage certain HR tasks without relying on HR for every update. 
• Payroll integration: Benefits and payroll processes can work together within a broader HR system. 
• Mobile access: Employees can access GMS Connect from mobile devices, giving them flexibility to manage their employment information. 
• Centralized employee data: HR teams can manage employee information in one secure, cloud-based environment. 
• Paperless processes: GMS highlights paperless onboarding and benefits enrollment as part of its HR technology capabilities.  

GMS Connect is also SOC 1 certified and built as a cloud-based platform, giving businesses access to HR technology from anywhere with an internet connection.  

Can Open Enrollment Technology Replace HR? 

No. Technology can simplify the administrative side of open enrollment, but it does not replace the need for HR expertise. 

Employees may still have questions about plan options, eligibility, dependents, costs, or how their benefits work. HR teams and benefits professionals play an important role in helping employees understand their choices. 

Technology helps by taking repetitive administrative work off HR’s plate. 

The Future of Open Enrollment Is More Connected 

Open enrollment does not have to be a once-a-year scramble of spreadsheets, paperwork, and emails. 

As HR technology evolves, small businesses have more opportunities to create a connected enrollment experience that works for both HR teams and employees. An integrated HRIS can help centralize information, streamline administrative processes, and give employees greater access to their own HR and benefits information. 

Ready to see how GMS Connect can support your HR processes? Connect with GMS to learn more about our HR technology and benefits administration solutions.