A number of Further Education (FE) establishments were interviewed about the work they did to communicate the TPS to teachers. Based on their experiences and sector best practice the following are suggestions of some of the different types of communication activities that you may want to consider getting involved in.

Face to Face

Suggested communication activities include:

Getting craft and skill based staff, that often join the teaching profession later on in their career, not to opt out of the TPS and value what it offers is a major communication issue according to a number of FE Colleges.

FE Colleges interviewed said that not only did staff not want to engage about pensions but they saw no value in what they considered losing 6.4% (as of 1 January 2007) of their salary in contributions, so any pension events held were badly attended.

One approach to combat this is to link membership of the TPS to missing out on actual pay. For example, advertising an event as an opportunity to find out how to increase your pay by 14.1% (as of 1 January 2007) is more likely to attract people than advertising an event on pensions. It will also serve to promote your generous contribution as an employer and put the members’ contribution into perspective.

If resources are limited, piggy back instead onto other events that are being organised for new staff such as induction days. When people start a new job, particularly if they have to move to a new area, they have many different financial decisions to make. Emphasise the financial decision message of joining the TPS rather than the saving for old age and people may be more receptive.

The printed word

Suggested communication activities include:

Translating complex pension information into simple, easy to understand and accessible language is a major challenge when it comes to communicating to teachers and lecturers about their
pension provision.

A number of FE Colleges asked said that they found their members really appreciated them producing easy to use fact sheets and guides based on the information that they had been sent from TP.

To aid this process this Toolkit contains a number of easy to use fact sheets, which cover most aspects of the revised scheme provisions. These aim to help all employers keep their members informed about their pension scheme.

Another communication method that is easy and inexpensive to do and can be useful in getting across to members just how much money you the employer contributes to their pension scheme, is to put the employer contribution clearly on their payslip.

Electronic communications

Suggested communication activities include:

For many seasonal and temporary staff accessing information on line is not always straightforward. Not all are office based and some do not have access to a PC or a college e-mail address.

As communicating on line is quick, cost effective and information can be updated easily, one way of combating the problems staff have in accessing e-communications is to supply PCs in staff areas and to give all members of staff their own e-mail address and log on facility.

Individuals can then go on line when they have time between classes and can access all staff information including that about pensions. Complement this approach with your own designated pension section on the intranet and people will be more able to keep themselves updated and informed.

Training in how to use PCs could be part of the induction process for new non IT literate staff and it could play an important role in your staff development commitment.