I recently attended a wonderful family wedding and during the reception, I found myself looking around and admiring the people and responsibilities it took to pull off a great celebration. My mind drifted to work and how planning a wedding is strikingly similar to what those on our client’s HR and benefits teams and our own Employee Benefits consultants feel right now.
Much like preparing for a wedding, there is an abundance of anticipation, planning, and coordination that happens leading up to and during our Q4 season. As open enrollment and benefits renewals take center stage, teams across the organization work tirelessly to ensure every detail aligns seamlessly. Success comes down to preparation, communication, and teamwork. And when everything comes together, the results are something to celebrate.
The Engagement Phase: Planning and Partner Selection
Every great event begins with a vision. What is the mood? How do we want it to look? How do we want our people to feel? In the early stages of open enrollment, HR and finance teams work with their consultants to act as planners, coming together to review benefits providers, analyze plan performance, and secure competitive rates for the upcoming year.
Just as couples look for the right venue and vendors, organizations seek partners that align with their culture, budget, and long-term strategy. Each decision sets the tone for the year ahead, shaping both the employee experience and the organization’s financial health.
The Guest List: Communicating With Employees
Once the groundwork is laid, it’s time to invite the guests—in this case, their employees. Effective communication is key. HR teams work with our Holmes Murphy experts to craft messaging, frequently asked questions, and educational materials designed to help employees understand their options and make confident, informed choices. Finding the right way to connect and communicate is the key to engaging employees and your wedding guests.
And just like wedding RSVPs, responses can trickle in at the last minute. Clear reminders, empathetic support, and user-friendly enrollment tools help ensure no one is left off the list.
The Seating Chart: Coordination and Accuracy
Behind the scenes, finance works with our team to validate data and set contributions and accruals. At the same time, HRIS teams handle the logistics and align payroll deductions. Accuracy is a must when we’re talking about important things like benefits and dollars. Like arranging a wedding seating chart, every detail matters. A single oversight can cause confusion, but careful coordination ensures everything runs smoothly and compliantly.
The Big Day: Launching Open Enrollment
When enrollment officially begins, all eyes are on the process. Systems go live, employees log in, and HR and finance teams monitor every step. It’s both exciting and nerve-wracking—the culmination of months of work. Preparation and collaboration ensure the “big day” goes off without a hitch, even if a few surprises arise along the way.
The Honeymoon: Post-Enrollment Wrap-Up
After the final enrollments are submitted, the celebration isn’t quite over. HR and finance teams work with Holmes Murphy to finalize data, confirm carrier transmissions, handle any discrepancies and questions, and double-check payroll deductions. It’s the behind-the-scenes cleanup that ensures the new plan year begins on solid ground and that employees start the year with confidence in their coverage.
A Celebration of Care
Open enrollment is more than an annual process: it’s a reflection of an organization’s commitment to its people. When executed thoughtfully, it strengthens trust, reinforces communication, and builds a healthier workplace culture.
At Holmes Murphy, we celebrate the HR and finance professionals who make it all happen. If your team is ready to simplify open enrollment, optimize your benefits strategy, or find the right partners for next year’s “wedding season,” our experts are here to help. Let’s plan the celebration together—contact Holmes Murphy today to start the conversation.
