Pension funds: Like

What fascinates me so much about the whole social media idea is the fact that you can also use it to get across more difficult topics in an interesting way. A good example of this is the topic of pension funds. Until ten years before retirement age, most of us only think about our pension fund to the extent that we pay money into it so that we can afford to live a reasonably comfortable life later on. However, if you only start thinking about retirement age and its maintenance at 55, things can become financially tight. So the topic is definitely relevant. But for many people it is (understandably) somehow unsexy. How do you make something like this accessible? How do you appeal to the "digital native" generation?

Through my appearance on the podium at the SKO Leader Circle, I came across a website that could also make it appealing to young people to think about their future as an "oldie but goldie". The site is called www.mit-uns-fuer-uns.ch/blog and provides important input in an exciting, communicative way.

The site is set up as a WordPress blog. It contains letters (and inquiries) from prospective pensioners (aren't they all?) who want to know what their bonuses would be like if they continued to work despite retirement age. And just below that, a reply from someone in charge explaining their options to the pensioner. The posts are concise and are sure to be read. The tabs and categories make searching easier and keep things organized.

In addition to the (now obligatory) "Like" button, the page (which, by the way, is kept in a calming and fresh green) has Facebook, YouTube and Twitter links. I (naturally) took a look at these sites. Here are a few thoughts.

Facebook seems rather pro forma. Only just under 42 fans can be found there. And the posts are more like reused tweets. A few pictures and a bit more dialog would certainly not hurt here. Twitter, on the other hand, is managed (even if not on a daily basis). That pays off. 206 followers and 7 listings. Let's not forget that we are talking about pension funds and not consumer goods.

But what I find excellent is the YouTube channel. Sharing the ECO article may be compulsory. The casual "The 2nd pillar in a nutshell" video is not compulsory, but rather optional. Really webbig and 2.0-like, the film explains in 2.21 minutes what the pension fund is: a must-see.

Conclusion: The site appeals to me because it succeeds in making the topic a center of interest, because it (playfully) prompts me in dialog to think seriously about my future as a pensioner and because it allows me to access the topic in a way I am familiar with.