Building a great benefits plan without an engagement strategy is like filling the tank of a high-end sports car with premium fuel…but never hitting the gas. It goes nowhere, and only sits idle, burning up the premium fuel that took time and effort to fill. 

Even the most competitive benefits package won’t move the needle if employees don’t understand, trust, or use it. And that’s where brokers have a major opportunity. Helping your clients engage their employees year-round isn’t just good practice—it’s a proven way to improve enrollment, reduce confusion, and increase your value as a trusted advisor. 

According to the 2025 Selerix Employee Benefits Survey, only 27% of employees say they fully understand their benefits, and one in three regret their choices after enrollment. That’s not a benefits problem—it’s a communication and engagement problem. 

Let’s explore how you can help clients turn benefits from a transaction into a trusted experience—and how technology can make it effortless. 

1. Engagement Is the Hidden ROI of Every Benefits Package 

You can design the most comprehensive plan in the world, but if employees don’t use it, the investment falls flat. Our survey found that employees who are satisfied with their benefits are five times more likely to stay and 3.5 times more likely to trust their employer. 

Yet, four in ten delayed care this year because they weren’t sure what their plan covered, and one in five missed work to deal with a benefits issue. The cost of poor engagement is real—and brokers are uniquely positioned to fix it. 

When you guide clients to invest in education and communication, you’re not just helping the HR team—you’re helping protect the companies talent, productivity, and bottom line. 

Check out how we break down the true anatomy of a high-performing benefits strategy.

2. Turn Open Enrollment Into the Starting Line—Not the Finish Line 

Too many organizations treat open enrollment like a one-time event. But engagement isn’t seasonal—it’s strategic. 

Our Broker’s Guide to Recommending Benefits emphasizes that ongoing communication keeps employees connected to their benefits long after enrollment closes. Regular reminders, lifestyle-specific messages, and milestone-based nudges (think: “it’s time for your wellness visit” or “your HSA just reset”) keep benefits relevant and top of mind. 

Selerix research survey confirms it: 74% of employees read benefits emails, but only 51% act on messages that feel personal. 
 

That means your clients’ HR teams don’t need more messages—they need better ones. 

Encourage clients to create a 12-month communication roadmap (we’ve outlined one in our Open Enrollment Guide) and pair it with tools that automate and personalize outreach. 

3. Use Technology to Make Engagement Effortless 

Technology isn’t just an admin tool—it’s the backbone of benefits engagement. Yet only 16% of employees used a decision-support tool during their last open enrollment. 

That’s a massive gap—and an easy win for brokers who recommend the right platform. 

With solutions like Selerix BenSelect and Engage, you can help clients simplify enrollment, automate compliance, and keep employees connected through smart, behavior-triggered communication. 

Imagine: 

• Automated reminders that keep employees on track. 
• Mobile-friendly enrollment that meets them where they are. 
• Personalized dashboards that make benefits understandable. 

When technology does the heavy lifting, HR teams spend less time on forms and more time building strategy—and brokers become indispensable partners, not just intermediaries.  

Learn more about how using modern Benefits Tech can be your competitive advantage.

4. Empower HR to Be Benefits Champions 

The best engagement strategies start with confident HR teams. But here’s the reality: 53% of employees make their benefits decisions at home, often without guidance. If HR doesn’t have the tools or time to educate employees effectively, that confusion trickles down fast. 

Brokers can help by: 

• Providing HR teams with ready-to-use templates, FAQ libraries, and timelines. Grab a few resources to start in our Broker’s Toolkit! 
• Ensuring their benefits tech automates benefits education and reminders for utilization and enrollment. 
• Encouraging HR to analyze usage data—so engagement isn’t just anecdotal. See how to analyze employee feedback. 

When HR feels supported, employees feel supported. And that translates to stronger client satisfaction and retention for you. 

5. Let Data Drive the Dialogue 

If there’s one theme that emerged loud and clear in the 2025 survey, it’s personalization. Employees who say their benefits feel personalized are three times more likely to be satisfied and more likely to stay long term. 

With the right benefits platform, brokers can help clients use data to: 

• Segment employees by demographics or behavior. 
• Send targeted messages that resonate and drive action. 
• Track engagement metrics and adjust in real time. 

It’s the difference between “sending benefits reminders” and “building benefits relationships.” 

Download the Broker’s Guide to Hyper-Personalized Benefits.

6. Engagement Is the New Differentiator 

Here’s the truth: benefits only work when the experience works. 

When employees understand and trust their benefits, employers see higher retention, lower turnover, and stronger engagement. For brokers, that’s not just a win for clients—it’s a competitive edge. 

Selerix partners with brokers every day to help deliver that experience. Our flexible platform simplifies enrollment, strengthens compliance, and turns benefits engagement into a year-round, data-driven strategy. 

So, when your next client conversation turns to “how do we make benefits more effective?”—you’ll have the answer: 

Engagement is the strategy. Technology is the key. And Selerix is here to help you unlock both. 

Key Takeaway for Brokers 

The future of benefits isn’t just about what’s offered—it’s about how it’s experienced. 
Brokers who champion engagement strategies and modern technology will become their clients’ most trusted partners. 

And with Selerix, you don’t just recommend benefits—you make them work. Partner with us to get started.