If you’re engaging members using the channels they wish to invest in, you’ll get a lot more engagement” – Spencer Lynch (Heywood Technologies). PLSA LGA 23.

So what are the channels that people invest in? Most people have their phones on most of the time so that’s where they “invest” most of their time . The channels of engagement are digital.

That was the message of the first session of the PLSA’s Local Authority Conference and though the impact of data sharing has reduced to the delayed delivery of the dashboard, awareness of the importance of engaging with members over benefits was high.

“Well you haven’t sorted the problem of missing data by knowing about  your data and having a data plan”

Spencer’s colleague Rod Brown told his packed audience.

 “sharing  this information has to be “business as usual”.

Problems with data sharing

If only all members of a pension scheme were accessible. The statistics are against most of us – we move house too often and our email addresses change almost as often.

What we keep up to date is our presence on social media. To have a current linked in or Facebook profile, you need to have a live email. If you want an up to date conversation with your members – why don’t you use social media?

This was my question to the session and rather than it being dismissed out of hand, I’m pleased to say the idea got a good discussion,

The pension engagement season

“What has happened to the pensions engagement season ?”

Asked PLSA’s Alyshia Harrison who confirmed that people know no more about pensions today than they did last year

Laura Trott has shown no interest in a subject close to Guy Opperman’s heart. If we are to have a pension engagement season, it will have to be generated by organisations like the PLSA and the LGA, it doesn’t seem to be a high priority of the Department of  Work and Pensions.

“How do you deal with those who are digitally excluded?”

Asked one delegate

“Ignore them”

Came the response from the panel. Although this pithy reply was quickly qualified, the discussion led to some interesting insights,

Covid has created a new community of people who could no longer afford to be offline.

Families now act as digital mavens for those who cannot cope with computers or phones  – people think laterally, can’t pensions?

What about GDPR?

Came another question.

You can leverage data that is captured in a lawful way

Was the robust response.

This was a really well argued session where people spoke their minds from the platform and the audience.  Digital communication is clearly the way forward for LGPS and it’s good to see all parties recognising this.