Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs) have stepped out of the shadows. Once viewed as purely compliance documents, they’re now a core part of effective benefits communication. Today’s best SPDs mirror the look and feel of other benefit materials, prioritize clarity, embrace digital accessibility, and integrate innovative approaches, such as “wrap SPDs.”
So how do you strike the right balance of style, tone, and format? Here are a few tips:
Keep it on brand
Your SPD should look like it belongs with the rest of your benefits communications. Apply your corporate or benefits brand, consistent colors, clean layouts, and clear headings. Use callouts to spotlight key information and embed links that go directly to helpful resources. When employees open an SPD, they’re looking for answers—make sure it’s welcoming, not overwhelming.
Skip the jargon
An SPD should be understandable to the average plan participant. Plain language wins. Leave the legal-speak like “attached hereto” and “aforementioned” in the formal plan documents.
Go digital
Digital-first design makes SPDs easier to navigate and easier to use. Top-bar navigation, drop-down menus, and logical sectioning help employees quickly find what they need. With the right structure, one click can deliver the right answer—no scrolling marathon required.
Choose the format that fits your workforce
There’s no one-size-fits-all SPD. Consider what works best for your population:
- Employee handbooks – still widely used. Handbooks house all benefit plans in one document. Because they’re large, strong navigation and easy page-by-page printing are essential.
- Modular SPDs – simple, targeted and user friendly. Each plan has its own module, allowing employees to focus only on what’s relevant to them.
- Wrap SPDs – gaining in popularity. Wrap SPDs are used increasingly by employers managing multiple vendors or plans. A wrap SPD covers shared features (eligibility, enrollment, status changes) and “wraps around” carrier documents for details such as health plan summaries and life and disability certificates. While not the most user-friendly option, wraps can reduce risk and administrative cost.
- SPDs with appendices – efficient, cost effective, and targeted. Similar to wraps, this approach pairs a Common Features SPD with a group-specific appendix that allows each group to see only the benefits that pertain to them.
What about AI?
AI can help draft standard, high-level content (such as COBRA summaries), but it’s not ready for plan-specific detail. If you’re considering an AI assist, use the company’s proprietary AI tool and ensure that human experts review and edit any AI-generated material.
A few final reminders
- Before you hit “publish,” make sure your SPD has been thoroughly reviewed by your benefits team, vendors, and legal counsel.
- Electronic delivery is now the norm—but double-check ERISA requirements around consent, access, and notice to ensure compliance.
- Employee feedback matters. An updated SPD is a great opportunity to launch an employee survey of all benefits communications.
Make sure your SPD is trending in the right direction. The O’Keefe Group can help you determine what type of SPD works best for your organization, and can provide support in developing clear, inviting, and user-friendly content.
