Best regular employer habits for engaging members

The most valuable resources for engagement and action.

For many employers, engagement with workplace pensions can feel like a complex challenge. But in practice, the most effective approaches are often the simplest - and the most consistent.

From my experience working with a wide range of businesses, the employers who achieve the strongest results aren’t necessarily doing everything. They’re focusing on the right things, at the right time, and building habits that make engagement sustainable.

And increasingly, this matters not just for pensions, but for the overall effectiveness of the employee reward package – and employees’ wider financial resilience.

Start with clarity - what are you trying to achieve?

One of the biggest pitfalls I see is employers trying to do too much at once. Engagement means different things to different workforces, so the first step is always to define what success looks like for your organisation.

In practice, this often means identifying two or three priority outcomes for the year. For most employers, I recommend they focus initially on:

• Increasing digital engagement - such as app usage
• Ensuring pension scheme members update their key details, like beneficiaries
• Encouraging use of wider financial wellbeing support available through their pension

Concentrating on a small number of clear objectives makes it far more likely you’ll achieve meaningful change, rather than spreading effort too thinly across multiple initiatives.

Once established, these habits create a strong foundation to build on over time, helping employees move towards next-step actions such as reviewing or increasing contributions and planning for retirement.

Build a simple, repeatable ‘drumbeat’ of communication

The most successful employers don’t treat engagement as a one-off campaign. Instead, they create a regular rhythm - a consistent “drumbeat” of communication, across a variety of communication channels, that keeps pensions visible without overwhelming employees.

This might be:

• A slot in a monthly newsletter
• Seasonal campaigns aligned to key topics
• Short, repeated prompts to take simple actions

The key is consistency. Over time, repetition normalises engagement. What might be ignored once becomes an action by the third or fourth reminder - whether that’s downloading an app or reviewing pension contributions.

However, there’s a balance to strike. Over-communication can lead to disengagement just as quickly as under-communication. The most effective plans are measured, targeted, and focused on clear actions rather than volume.

Prioritise the moments that matter

Engagement is not evenly distributed across the employee journey. There are key moments where employees are far more receptive - and where communication can have the greatest impact.

The most important are:

• Onboarding: Getting engagement right at the start builds long-term habits
• Pre-retirement (typically from age 50+): When pensions become more immediately relevant
• Life events - such as parental leave, caring responsibilities, divorce or changes in working hours - where employees may not naturally consider the pension implications without guidance.

Short, clear, actionable communication at these points can make a significant difference. For example, providing simple checklists during onboarding helps employees navigate what can otherwise feel like an overwhelming process.

Make it easy and meet employees where they're at

One of the most consistent themes I see with employers is that engagement improves when it’s easy.

Digital tools, especially mobile apps, are often the single biggest driver of engagement. If employees can access their pension quickly and simply, they are far more likely to interact with it regularly.

But ease isn’t just about technology - it’s about accessibility. Not all workforces have regular access to email or desktops, so effective employers tailor their approach:

• Using manager briefings or team meetings
• Leveraging physical noticeboards
• Embedding messages into existing communication channels

Understanding your workforce, and adapting your communication accordingly, is critical. A ‘one-size-fits-all' approach rarely delivers results.

Use the resources available to you

Employers don’t need to build engagement strategies from scratch. Providers and advisers can help make engagement easier and less time consuming by supplying ready-to use communications, campaign calendars, reporting insight and practical guidance tailored to your scheme.

The most effective employers:

• Ask for sample communication plans
• Use ready-made campaigns and materials
• Lean on provider insight and reporting to understand which areas to focus on
• Work collaboratively with providers and advisers to reinforce key messages

Where employers, providers and advisers are aligned, the impact can be significant. For example, when engagement messages are consistently reinforced - whether through onboarding, communications or advice sessions - member actions such as beneficiary nominations can increase dramatically.

Focus on engagement first, then action

A common instinct is to encourage outcomes such as increasing contributions. But in reality, the strongest results come from building engagement first.

If employees don’t understand or feel connected to their pension, they are far less likely to take meaningful financial actions. Building awareness, confidence and trust creates the foundation for later decision-making, helping employees feel more resilient and in control over time.

As a result, many employers are prioritising early-stage engagement metrics such as:

• App and online usage
• Beneficiary nominations
• Participation in financial wellbeing services

These are often the clearest indicators that engagement is working - and they provide a pathway to more advanced actions over time.

Use insight to shape your approach

Data plays a critical role in moving from awareness to action. Employers who use scheme insights effectively can better understand not just what employees are doing - but why.

For example, financial wellbeing data may highlight emerging trends, such as concerns around debt, affordability or short-term financial resilience. This can then shape future communication and support, ensuring it is relevant to employees’ real needs.

Equally, tracking engagement metrics allows employers to understand the impact of communications and refine their approach over time. If you can’t measure it, it’s difficult to improve it.

Recognise the link to employee reward and retention

Ultimately, engagement with a workplace pension is not just about pensions -  it’s a key measure of how well employees recognise the value of their overall rewards package.

Employers increasingly recognise that:

• A well-understood pension contributes to perceived value of the reward package
• Financial wellbeing support addresses broader employee needs
• Improved engagement can support retention and workforce performance

Our recent research shows that only 33% of UK adults feel confident they’re saving enough for a good standard of living in retirement, highlighting just how important it is that employees understand and engage with the pension you offer. This is what turns it from a benefit on paper into something they recognise as valuable.

When employees feel financially supported and informed, it strengthens both trust and loyalty. By contrast, where financial pressures are visible, disengagement can become a business risk.

This is why leading employers are treating pensions as part of a wider financial wellbeing strategy - integrated into their overall approach to employee experience.

The habits that make the difference

There’s no single formula for engagement, but the most effective employers typically share a set of common habits. They:

• Prioritise a small number of clear objectives
• Maintain a regular, consistent communication rhythm
• Focus on key moments in the employee journey
• Make engagement simple and accessible
• Use provider and adviser support effectively
• Measure outcomes and adapt their approach

Taken together, these habits create a sustainable framework for engagement - one that doesn’t need to be complicated when employers make full use of the support available from their provider and advisers.

As a trusted source of workplace pension communication, employers are well placed to make pensions feel more relevant, accessible and actionable for their people. Because when employees engage with their pension, they’re not just planning for the future. They’re building confidence in their financial wellbeing today and strengthening their financial resilience over time. And that’s a powerful part of any reward strategy.

A version of this article was first published in REBA, July 2026