Brace yourself. It's almost that time of year when many of youare scared out of your minds and deathly afraid of things that gobump in the night.

Appropriately enough, open enrollment begins on the day afterHalloween. Human resources professionals will be squeezed amongbrokers loading them with information, management determined tohold the line on expenses and employees trying to figure out whatit all means. No wonder so many of them will feel like zombies whenit all ends next Jan. 31.

After Labor Day, most employees are energized from their summervacations, are back into a routine with their kids in school andare looking forward to football and the upcoming holiday season.Then they see re-enrollment approaching like a freight train.

Many of them would rather visit their in-laws than face anotheropen enrollment. Following are a few things that employees hatemost. Savvy HR professionals will come up with a plan to head manyof them off at the pass.

1. What do I Have Again?

HR people who live and breathe benefits may be surprised tolearn how many employees are clueless about what they chose lastyear, or at least are not familiar with their voluntary benefits.It's helpful to provide them with a succinct benefit summary toreview before re-enrollment opens (yes, they already should havethis on hand). Be sure they review all costs for health careservices, including spousal and dependent coverage.

2. Meetings, Meetings, Meetings!

Meeting season usually precedes re-enrollment season. Someemployees may enjoy a brief break from their routines, but mostwould rather stay focused on the task at hand than be disrupted.One major problem with broker meetings is that the information canquickly become repetitive, conflicting or confusing. Even if theinformation is presented clearly and concisely, it is oftentailored to a general audience and doesn't address an employee'sspecific needs. Always strive to reduce time spent in generalmeetings and increase accessibility to answer individual questions.

3. Too Many Choices

The good news in the benefits industry is that consumers havemore choices than ever. The bad news is also that consumers havemore choices than ever. Evaluating numerous options and reaching adecision can be time-consuming and confusing. No wonder someemployees simply opt to continue the package they had the previousyear, even if it means leaving possible benefits or cost savings onthe table.

4. PPACA Misconceptions

Be honest. Do you fully understand the Patient Protection andAffordable Care Act and all of its ramifications? Neither do mostemployees. Many do not understand how it works or how it mesheswith their coverage at work. Familiarize yourself with health carereform regulations and use open enrollment as a time to talkfrankly about the potential impact of the law on yourorganization's health insurance coverage, eligibility and costs.

5. Too Much Paperwork

No matter how much brokers try to streamline the process, thereis no way to avoid the reams of paperwork associated withre-enrollment. More than 30 percent of employees say there are toomany forms to complete, according to a PlanSource survey. It getseven more complex when some forms must be reviewed and signed by aspouse. Remember, although you deal with paperwork every day, manyemployees do it only once a year. Be patient and willing to helpthem wade through the sea of forms.

6. Confusion

This is a catchall problem, but 20 percent of employees say theinformation they receive explaining their benefit choices isconfusing. Survey after survey has found that consumers areconfused about both the enrollment process and their own benefits.Many lack basic knowledge and fail to ask questions about whatthey're getting in their policy before they enroll. Create anenvironment where questions are welcome and employees are notintimidated to admit they need help.

7. Not Knowing The Lingo

HR professionals throw around terms such as deductibles, copayand voluntary benefits every day. Many employees rarely use themand may be hard-pressed to know what they mean. In addition, manyemployees don't understand the changes to their policies in theopen enrollment process. Providing definitions and examples ofco-payments, deductibles, co-insurance and out-of-pocket maximumsis helpful. Avoid jargon and use language that everyoneunderstands.

8. Technophobia

It's easy to assume that everyone is up to speed on technologyin 2015. However, many employees don't work in high-tech positionsand may find it intimidating to attempt online enrollment. Twelvepercent of employees told PlanSource that the online enrollmentsystem they use is difficult to navigate. Not only do they growfrustrated, but they are also wasting productivity while attemptingto enroll. Provide the help they need without being condescending.Remember, they likely have other skills that you don't possess.

9. Cost Calculations

Re-enrollment always involves a trade-off between costs andbenefits. Unfortunately, these can be difficult to calculate,especially if spouses or children are involved. For example, onesurvey found that only one in five consumers said they couldcorrectly estimate the cost of a routine office visit. Take-homepay is the bottom line for many employees, and they may be hesitantto make changes that alter that amount, even if it saves money inthe long run. Communicate clear cost information to employees sothey understand what they will need to pay and how their benefit ischanging.

10. Poor Communication

Stop us if you have heard this one before, but poorcommunication remains at the root of countless workplace issues. Besure to communicate information about your company's benefitscoverage, including the current level of premium that you cover,and any expected changes to benefits that you are making orconsidering. Your employees will appreciate an upfront and honestapproach, even if the changes aren't necessarily positive.

Frustrated employees are less productive, while satisfied oneswill run through a brick wall for their company—and this applies tothe HR department just as much as any other. If employees growfrustrated and make the wrong decisions while re-enrolling, can youguess who they will come to for solutions?

Taking a few steps to make re-enrollment less painful this fallwill go a long way toward making HR professionals happier next Feb.1.