If employers really want to improve the outcomes for employees preparing for retirement, two different strategies can make noticeable differences.
That's according to a OneAmerica survey, which found that employers need to promote the benefits of retirement plans, rather than simply offering them — particularly to younger workers — and that they need to tailor their strategies specifically to the age groups they're trying to reach.
Recommended For You
The survey found that employer promotion of a retirement plan is the most effective at getting younger participants, those below the age of 35, to act, having an effect on 40 percent of that group. After that, it's effective on 32 percent of the 35- to 49-year-old crowd and 32 percent of those aged 50 and older.
Employers should also tailor messaging and education programs by age group, the survey found, because of the different concerns and priorities of each group.
For example, participants just starting their careers tend to be more concerned about student loans, compared with participants who are closer to the end of their careers.
And younger people — those under the age of 35 — are nearly twice as likely to welcome text message notifications as respondents 50 and older.
In addition, there's the matter of how people think about retirement, with 23 percent of men and women younger than 35 years considering it weekly, compared with 27 percent of those 25-49 and 45 percent of those 50 and beyond.
Participants 50 and older check their plan's status most often, with 48 percent doing so monthly; 44 percent of those younger than 35 do the same, while 40 percent of those aged 35-49 look every month.
And, as might be expected, the importance of tracking one's retirement plan status against goals increases with age. Fifty-five percent of those 50-plus say it is very important, compared with 49 percent of those 35-49 years and 47 percent of those younger than 35 years.
And when it comes to aspects of the plan itself, participants 50 and older are more interested in retirement plan investment and distribution options than those under 35, who place more importance on incentivized plan features such as the employer match.
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
