It’s that time of year again – open enrollment. It’s a challenging time that consists of tracking people down and reminding employees over and over again that the year is almost over and that they need to get their houses in order!
So, let’s try to make the chaos of it all a bit easier, and take a look at some things that you can do now to address those year-end housekeeping items:
Plan Ahead – Crunch some numbers, and gather data you’ll need for the new year like retention and turnover rates, training costs, etc.
Update Policies – Make sure all policies and procedures are up-to-date. Tag anything that needs an update, including language, and follow up after the first of the year.
Spending Accounts – If you need to notify employees to spend their FSA dollars, then do so. Otherwise, determine whose rolls over, and who’s using the grace period.
FMLA Notices – If appropriate, review and renew any existing leaves, inform staff, and restart the clock to begin counting time utilized.
Divide – Ensure all files are separated appropriately, like one section for personnel, one section for medical information, etc. And, audit to make sure all collected information is still relevant.
Vacation – Instead of waging war over vacation days at the last minute, send out planning calendars to let staff know that they can start calling dibs on preferred dates after the first of the year on a first-come, first-served basis.
Calendars – Start organizing your calendar now for the coming year, and set reminders for everything from evaluations, to training, certifications, contracts, etc.
FMLA Notices – If appropriate, review and renew any existing leaves, inform staff, and restart the clock to begin counting time utilized.
Stay ahead of the chaos as you close out the year, and tick off the items on this checklist for a stress-free start to the new year.
