The NHS Pension Scheme has sought to turn around criticism from employers on its communications approach, with the launch of online statements for employees detailing their various entitlements.
Last year Pensions Expert reported on the NHS Pension Scheme’s decision to overhaul its communication strategy after less than 60 per cent of participating employers agreed the scheme communicated well with them.
The NHS Business Services Authority, which administers the scheme, introduced online employment benefit statements in a series of stages from August to October last year and reported a positive response from users.
A staged approach
In August last year employment benefit statements were sent to staff in the North East, North West, Yorkshire and North Humberside.
In September it launched in the East and West Midlands, East England and the South East Coast.
In October it launched in London, central South England, the South West and Wales.
More than 140,000 staff have accessed the statements since their launch. A survey of users showed more than 80 per cent were satisfied with the accessibility, accuracy and usefulness of the statements, while 95 per cent said they would use it next year.
The statements cover information about the staff member’s pension, lump sum, contributions and death benefits. They also include information about local employer benefits such as cycle to work schemes and childcare vouchers.
Lyndsay Ashton, communications officer at the NHS Business Services Authority, said almost nine in 10 (89 per cent) of the statements were for current scheme members. “The remainder were for NHS employees who have never contributed,” she added.
The scheme is also running a series of webinars for employers, providing information on the changes to the scheme in 2015.
These have seen growing audiences, with the most recent drawing 415 viewers, up from 259 for the first. The fourth and final webinar will take place in early March.
Ashton said: “As of [this week] a working draft of the 2015 scheme guide will be available electronically”, alongside a series of videos.
It is important for schemes to continually update their communication strategies, even after success, said Karen Heath, head of engagement at consultancy AHC.
“You need to keep reviewing it. You can’t just use strategy once,” she said. “You build on that by always making sure tools are appropriate.”
She added that communications compatible with mobile devices are increasingly important. “You need to make sure all the tools you have in the toolkit work well with a platform people are willing to engage with. Gamification is a big thing.”
However, Trevor Rutter, communications consultant at Like Minds, was sceptical about focusing too heavily on gamification.
“You’re never going to have the budget that Assassin’s Creed 5 has,” he said. “Different media are best suited to achieve different things.”
He added the scheme was right to seek feedback on its strategy. “It does sound like one of the things they’re doing is the research.
“So you continually go back and get feedback on how to improve things. Make sure you’ve got a central feedback mechanism.”
