From once-and-done to active engagement: Lonsdale Care's story
Like many small businesses, Lonsdale Care joined a workplace pension scheme… then promptly forgot about it.
Switching it over to Cushon has boosted staff awareness and engagement by making it easy for them to watch their pots grow and invest more if they want to. Lonsdale Care's employees also rate the Cushon app highly for user-friendliness.
Company overview
Founded in 2014 and based in Preston, Lonsdale Care operates care homes, including children's homes. The emotionally demanding and sensitive nature of the work means the wellbeing of their workforce is a top priority. They have mental health champions in each of their homes, as well as gyms, wellness centres, and various other initiatives to help and support their staff.
The Cushon impact
Since switching to Cushon:
Lonsdale Care’s 56 employees enjoy an improved pension scheme
49 staff members are regularly active on the app
We’ve completed 11 pension transfers on behalf of Lonsdale Care’s staff, with more coming soon
The challenge: Pensions are ‘just a sum of money’
Lonsdale Care's initial approach to their pension was to set it and forget it, according to managing director, Simon Wright.
I think, at the time auto enrolment came in, Nest was probably the main workplace pension that would suit an organisation of our size. So, when somebody – probably our accountant – suggested it, we just went with that.
From an auto enrolment perspective, Nest did everything Lonsdale Care needed from a workplace pension. But staff engagement was low.
'I think most people looked at it as just a sum of money they might receive at some point in the future. And since our staff are predominantly young, they don't really look that far ahead.’
The solution
Despite poor engagement, Lonsdale Care weren't actively looking to switch pension providers when they first heard about Cushon. Pensions were something that happened in the background, which their accountant took care of. And they believed that what they had in place did the job.
The lightbulb moment arrived when their contact at NatWest persuaded them to take a look at Cushon.
We have a long-standing, trusting relationship with NatWest. So when they bring something new to our attention, we're always open to taking at least a quick look. With Cushon, it's fair to say we really liked what we saw.
The clincher was the Cushon app. It was immediately clear to Lonsdale Care that it would make it easier for staff to access their pensions. And, the easier this was, the more likely staff members would be to engage with their retirement savings.
Cushon also reassured Lonsdale Care that the transition from Nest would be a seamless, hands-off process in which Cushon would do the bulk of the work.
The impact: 'It was a really positive move'
We get really good feedback on the app. Before we joined Cushon, we would set up staff with their pension, arrange for the deductions from their wages, and that was that. They'd forget all about it. Now they can see how much they're putting in and how much it's growing.
This greater visibility has encouraged staff to think more about their futures and take proactive steps towards their long-term goals, such as investing more into their pensions and doing so earlier. Several staff members have also consolidated their pensions into a single pot: we have completed 11 transfers so far, with more coming soon.
But Cushon has also become an invaluable tool for Lonsdale Care as both an employer and a business, because it supports staff onboarding and retention. The latter is critically important in the care sector. Stability and consistency vastly improve outcomes for the people Lonsdale Care serve.
Cushon has become another feather in our cap. Something that helps us round out our offer when it comes to staff wellbeing. It's great for our people, it makes us more attractive as an employer, and, ultimately, it benefits the people in our care, too.
Article by
NatWest Cushon
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