5 Tips to Sign Up for 2026 Benefits

Open enrollment is underway and runs through Tuesday, Dec. 2. 

Are your benefits the best match for you and your household? This is your opportunity to review your benefits options and choose.

Use these tips to help you enroll in 2026 benefits! 

1. Block your calendar.

Life is busy, so if you don't have a plan, deadlines and to-do tasks can easily get missed. Put some time on your calendar between now and Dec. 2 to complete the open enrollment task in Workday. 

While you're at it, schedule some time to review the Benefits, Pay and Well-being hub to be sure you’re taking advantage of all that’s available to you. And take a look at the recent article Be Ready to Choose Your 2026 Benefits! and the Open Enrollment 2026 hub to be sure you're aware of your options for the coming year.

2. Don't stress.

You have plenty of help to make your benefits choices.

• Attend your own personal benefits fair on your schedule (available 24/7) to learn more about your benefits from plan carriers.
• Get to know ALEX, our interactive online benefits counselor. He has all the knowledge on 2026 benefits to help you make choices about important life events. 

3. Talk to your family.

Talk to the people you cover on your insurance plans and benefits. Discuss what changes they may have had that could affect your benefits choices. 

We've created the 2026 Open Enrollment Guide, so you have a downloadable tool to share important benefits information with your loved ones as you're considering options for the coming year. 

4. Plan ahead to complete open enrollment in Workday. 

Remember that you are using a new platform this year and will complete the assigned task in Workday to select your 2026 benefits. Note: Even if you're not making changes and are keeping the same benefits choices, you should complete open enrollment in Workday to ensure all your information is up to date.

Consider where you will be completing open enrollment. Just like in the past with My Total Access, Workday is only available through the Carilion Clinic network, the Workday mobile app, or apps portal (https://apps.CarilionClinic.org). 

• If you use the apps portal to log in to Workday outside of a Carilion Clinic facility, you will need to verify your log-in using the Imprivata ID app (multi-factor authentication).
• If you have not already registered with Imprivata ID, instructions and more information are available on the Multi-factor Authentication page. 

Be sure you allow extra time to complete open enrollment to adjust to the transition and in case you encounter any glitches. 

The downloadable 2026 Open Enrollment Guide has step-by-step instructions to select your benefits in Workday.

5. Remember to use your tools.

In addition to all the resources listed above, don't forget the Open Enrollment 2026 hub has your benefits changes, additions and all the details for completing open enrollment.

If you missed them, you may want to take a look at these previous open enrollment articles and resources:

• Be Ready to Choose Your 2026 Benefits!
• Save the Date for 2026 Benefits Open Enrollment
• Benefits, Pay and Well-being hub

For help or questions, submit inquiries through Employee Center or the “Now” mobile app.