What’s your current role – and what does it involve?
I’m a corporate consultant at Chase de Vere, where I support employers in shaping and maintaining their employee benefit strategies. My work spans all core benefits including workplace pensions, group life assurance, income protection, critical illness cover, private medical and dental insurance, and cash plans.
It also includes delivering financial education in the workplace and providing financial guidance to pension scheme members.
Ultimately, my goal is to help employers keep their benefits package competitive so they can attract and retain great people, stay compliant with auto-enrolment rules, and ensure employees really understand the value of their benefits and long term saving.
What’s the best and worst thing about your job?
The best thing about my job is the people I work with. I really enjoy being part of the corporate advice team at Chase de Vere. We have a brilliant team spirit where everybody helps and supports each other. In terms of working with clients, I also appreciate the fact that every conversation is different. I enjoy the human element of this, and find helping people navigate their retirement income options incredibly rewarding. I enjoy it even more when these discussions happen face-to-face at pension surgeries rather than over video calls.
There’s very little I dislike about the job, but if I had to choose something, it’s working
with employers who don’t value their workforce enough to engage meaningfully with benefits. This makes our job difficult, though thankfully this is quite rare.
What made you apply for a role in the pensions industry – was it what you expected?
I enjoyed economics at university which attracted me to personal finance and investments. It certainly wasn’t what I expected. One of my colleagues regularly states that in the world of employee benefits and pensions, “the more you know, the more you realise you don’t know”.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
The 5×5 rule when something goes wrong. If it won’t matter in 5 years’ time, don’t spend more than 5 minutes being upset about it. If only I could stick to this!
How can the pensions industry attract and engage more young people?
I think better financial education could make a real difference. If more young people understood the advantages of long term investing, and how pensions can be one of the most effective tools for it, I think far more would see the appeal of working in the industry, or at least engaging with their own retirement planning earlier.
If you were in charge of pension policy what would you change?
I wouldn’t implement a cap on salary sacrifice contributions! We need to be encouraging people to save more for their retirements.
What was your dream job when you were at school?
When I was very young, I wanted to be a house builder. My mum told me I’d probably change my mind, and she was right. My other major ambition was to be playing football for Leeds United, but reality set in and nature took its course, which, to be fair, has worked out pretty well so far. These days I make do with a Leeds United season ticket, which brings me more pain and misery than anything else!
To be featured in this column contact us at editorial.ca@definitearticlemedia.com