That 8% return on your RRSP that you complained about a few years ago is probably looking pretty good right about now. Eighty-cents a litre? What a bargain! Context is a powerful tool for shaping human understanding and behaviour. Effective leaders—and communicators—understand this point, and use it to their advantage. Change the context – change […]
One of the good things to come out of the current economic crisis is that pensions are suddenly a hot topic—not just among actuaries, but among the media, politicians, and the general public. In the wake of the financial downturn, many plan members are apprehensive about the future of their pension. At the same time, […]
More than ever, today’s plan sponsors need to maximize the return on their communications investment. The question is: how? In our hyper-connected world, most of us struggle with information overload. Throw in a constant barrage of messaging about our global economic crisis, and it’s no wonder that plan members start tuning out. So how can […]
There’s no doubt that bringing in a communications consultant at the eleventh hour to help deal with a pension funding crisis is better than not dealing with it at all, but it’s far from ideal. The problem is, no matter how well conceived, how well written, or how skillfully implemented the eleventh-hour communications might be, […]
A growing number of defined benefit (DB) pension plans are shrugging off their inhibitions and baring all—strategy, objectives, targets and even investment results. Whether it’s an annual member report, a special edition of the company newsletter or an annual member meeting, more and more plans are recognizing and responding to their members’ desire for greater […]
Whether you realize it or not, you’ve already branded your pension, benefit and other reward programs. The “look” and “feel” of your plan communications send an immediate message about the quality and value of your plans. Even if you don’t give your “brand” a second thought, communication materials will still convey a message that goes […]
How to convert a disclosure requirement into a communications solution. It’s that time of year again—time for plan sponsors with a December 31st year-end to make sure their annual pension statements are safely delivered into the hands of eagerly awaiting (or not) plan members. The problem is that most plan sponsors still view the requirement […]
Organizations intent on engaging the newest generation of employees are quickly discovering that the line between generations is defined by a lot more than an innate comfort with technology and gadgetry—and that the key to communicating effectively with young employees extends beyond the development of funky websites or the delivery of electronic media. Like the […]
Pension and benefit communications is no time to be shy. If anything, it’s a good excuse to get personal. Let me explain. Plan sponsors typically fall into one of two camps: those that under-communicate and those that over-communicate. Although the under-communicators are still in the strong majority, the over-communicators are growing in number. Having opened […]