The Annual HR Crunch
If you’re in HR, you already know what fall really means.
Not Starbucks’ fall menu release (though we’re here for it).
Not football (we just hope both teams have fun).
Feel that chill in the air? It’s open enrollment—the season when HR staffing support suddenly becomes your best friend.
Because even the most organized HR manager suddenly has 400 browser tabs open, an inbox full of “I lost my form, can you resend it?” emails, and zero time left for anything else on their plate.
Instead of crunching leaves underfoot, you’re crunching numbers, signatures, and deadlines. You’re burning the candle at both ends—and it’s not even a cozy pumpkin-spice one.
It smells more like exhaustion and overwhelm.
The good news? Open enrollment doesn’t have to feel like a bonfire you’re putting out alone.
With the right support, it can feel more like slipping into your favorite flannel shacket—comfortable, cozy, and feeling confident that you can accomplish just about anything.
Why Open Enrollment Overwhelms HR Teams
It’s the toughest stretch of the HR calendar for good reason:
Admin Overload
Benefits forms, data entry, and scheduling meetings pile up faster than leaves in your front yard.
Repetitive Employee Questions
“What’s my deductible again?” becomes your new soundtrack. Your team morphs into a call center overnight.
Compliance Pressure
A single missed deadline or form error can create headaches worse than weather change migraines HR pros know too well.
How Temporary HR Staffing Supports Open Enrollment
This is where a staffing partner can make a real difference.
Bringing in temporary HR or administrative support gives your core team breathing room without adding permanent headcount.
Think of it as a relief valve—on the industrial-sized coffee maker you need just to make it through the morning:
- Administrative staff to process benefits forms quickly and accurately.
- HR coordinators to manage enrollment questions and employee communications.
- Contract support to cover the day-to-day while your internal team focuses on enrollment.
It’s short-term help that pays off big by protecting your team from burnout and keeping employees happy.
Don’t Forget Your Contract Employees
Here’s another wrinkle in the pile: making sure contract employees are handled correctly.
Even though they’re not on your permanent payroll, they still need proper coverage and compliance. That’s where payrolling services during open enrollment come in clutch.
At Stivers, we can act as the employer of record for your contract staff. That means:
- We manage payroll and benefits compliance.
- You don’t have to worry about misclassification or coverage gaps.
- Your contract employees get the support they deserve—without making HR juggle just one more responsibility.
The Business Case for Seasonal HR Staffing Support
Leaning on seasonal HR staffing solutions or payrolling isn’t just about making your team’s life easier (though it does). It’s also a smart business move.
Here’s how temporary HR staffing tackles the biggest open enrollment challenges:
| Open Enrollment Challenge | How Temporary HR Staffing Solves It |
| Mistakes that add up | Fewer mistakes. More hands = less rushed paperwork and fewer compliance errors. |
| Employee confidence | A smooth enrollment process builds trust and satisfaction, providing a better employee experience. |
| Ballooning bottom line | It’s cheaper than paying overtime or risking penalties for missed deadlines. |
| Stressed HR team | Nobody does their best work when they’re stretched thinner than last year’s leggings. Temporary help makes for happier HR teams. |
And for companies that need ongoing but part-time HR leadership, fractional HR services can provide strategic support beyond open enrollment.
Ready to Make Open Enrollment Less Stressful?
Open enrollment doesn’t have to mean chaos.
With flexible staffing support and payrolling services, you can give your HR team the backup they need to survive (and maybe even enjoy) the season.
Ready to swap exhaustion for something cozier than Sunday afternoons spent in sweats instead of spreadsheets? 👉 Explore our HR staffing solutions and see how Stivers can help your team handle open enrollment with less stress and more sanity.
FAQ: HR Staffing Support for Open Enrollment
HR pros juggle a lot during benefits season. These quick FAQs cover the most common questions about staffing support.
Q1: How can temporary HR staffing help during open enrollment?
Temporary HR staffing provides extra bandwidth for your team by handling repetitive tasks like processing benefits forms, data entry, and employee communications. It keeps your full-time staff focused on strategy instead of drowning in paperwork.
Q2: Why is open enrollment so overwhelming for HR teams?
Open enrollment brings a surge of paperwork, tight compliance deadlines, and nonstop employee questions. Without extra support, HR teams are stretched too thin—leading to errors, burnout, and missed deadlines.
Q3: Can staffing agencies support contract employees during open enrollment?
Yes. A staffing partner that offers payrolling services can act as the employer of record for contract staff. This ensures payroll, compliance, and benefits eligibility are handled correctly—without adding extra burden to HR.
Q4: What are the benefits of HR staffing support during enrollment season?
Staffing support reduces mistakes, improves the employee experience, lowers overtime costs, and prevents HR burnout. It’s a cost-effective way to make open enrollment smoother and less stressful.
Q5: Can staffing partners provide support beyond open enrollment?
Yes. In addition to seasonal HR staffing and payrolling, some companies turn to fractional HR services for flexible, part-time leadership and strategic guidance year-round.
