Pearson scheme upgrades comms to boost engagement

The £4bn Pearson Pension Plan has both defined benefit and defined contribution sections, and around 26,500 members.

We begin to think we know what people want, when actually we should be asking them

Vincent Franklin, Quietroom

With such a large membership, and many deferred members, “engagement is incredibly important – we need to make sure that we’re staying in touch with people”, said pensions director Stephen Beaven.

The introduction of pension freedoms in 2015 gave savers a lot more choice over how to take their benefits. While this was a positive change, it introduced “a huge amount of complexity”, said Beaven, noting that the scheme was concerned that members needed more support.

Digital relationship allows for targeted comms

Some pension funds have a one-size-fits-all approach to member communications. But Beaven highlighted the need to treat people as individuals. “Like many schemes, we have been very broad-brush in our communications before,” he said. 

While there were segmented communications for DB and DC members, the scheme’s wider communications tended to be overly detailed and paper-based.

The trustees realised that having “a digital relationship” with members means “you’re much more likely to be able to segment your audience, and really give targeted communication to them”, said Beaven.

The scheme embarked on a research process, involving various surveys and focus groups, to find out what members wanted.

Members already had access to an information-based pension plan website but, based on the research, the scheme introduced a more user-friendly site for members this summer to provide relevant targeted information.

Previously, the scheme “used to effectively piggyback off the company branding”.

However, “our membership [has] so much to do with our past… our members didn’t really identify with the brand that Pearson currently has, in terms of the education business”.

The scheme developed new branding, which is still “sympathetic” to that of Pearson’s, with a similar colour palette and a reference to the supporting employer through the inclusion of its logo. It also changed its name from the Pearson Group Pension Plan to the Pearson Pension Plan.

Trustees wanted to make sure that everyone knew the scheme was something quite separate, with a “distinct trustee voice” behind the communications.

The scheme is now working on an online member hub, which should be delivered by the middle of 2018.

Don't assume, ask

Vincent Franklin, co-founder of communications consultancy Quietroom, said that when it comes to changing a scheme’s communication strategy, “the way to find out what people need is to ask them”.

He noted that it is useful to look at data and analyse how many people visit a website and what they click on. But, he said that it can be easy to start making assumptions.

“We begin to think we know what people want, when actually we should be asking them,” he said.

However, Trevor Rutter, communication consultant at Likeminds, thinks that “trustees should both ask and assume”.

A combination of questionnaires and focus groups, for example, is useful to find out what kind of media people prefer.

But Rutter said that there are also “common sense things” that trustees “can know without even asking”, such as the need to use a variety of media while ensuring that communications are not dry, boring and technical.

Comms create interest in MNT role

While the research process was carried out with a view to improving member engagement, it was also enlightening for the scheme.

“It was quite a learning curve for me and my team because you start to understand… the level of knowledge or lack of knowledge that people have, not only about the employee benefits they’ve got but actually what it means for the future,” Beaven said.

The trustees used what they learned through the member communication research to help with a recruitment drive for MNTs, as the terms of office of two MNTs end in February.

Previously, the scheme sent members a booklet with lots of detail about the role of an MNT, and how the plan was governed.

But Beaven said that “with all the work we’ve done on member engagement, having learnt all those lessons along the way”, the trustees realised that “providing really detailed communications is really off-putting for a lot of people”. It could make the idea of becoming an MNT seem incredibly daunting, he added.

Consequently, the trustees provided more concise and simple information via email, letters and on the website, outlining how rewarding the role could be.

The scheme also put videos on its website of current MNTs being interviewed about the application process, and what the role was like.

“The impact was really quite significant,” said Beaven. “More than ever, we have had so many more enquiries about MNT roles.”