According to a 2024 Sapient Insights Group survey, 58% of HRIS teams have less than three years of experience. A staggering amount, given the responsibilities these teams continue to take on.
It takes going through several Open Enrollment (OE) cycles to learn how and what to mitigate. Without a clear testing process, it’s easy to miss errors that create headaches for HR, Payroll, and employees.
WHAT GOES WRONG
- Evidence of Insurability (EOI) logic doesn’t work as expected.
- Eligibility rules fail- employees enroll in the wrong plans or can’t see plans they’re eligible for.
- Rates and coverages are incorrect.
- Enrollment is delayed, creating downstream impacts
ROOT CAUSE
- No structured test plan.
- Testing is rushed or skipped.
- Teams unsure what or how to test.
- Vendors assume clients are testing – and vice versa.
HOW TO FIX IT
- Create a test plan before OE setup
- Include scenarios for eligibility, EOI, new hires, age band limits, etc.
- Assign clear ownership – who’s doing what
- Document and track issues until fixed
- Sign off that the system is tested and ready before going live
Want to avoid costly surprises during Open Enrollment? We can help. Let’s connect.
