In the coming years, a new pension system will be launched in the Netherlands. The extent to which pension participants will be satisfied with the new system will not only depend on the ultimate benefit they will receive. Satisfaction with the system will also depend on the extent to which (1) the ultimate benefit matches participants’ expectations, (2) participants consider the allocation principles to be just and their application as fair, and (3) the extent to which they feel heard and respected by the pension fund. Effective communication plays a crucial role in generating realistic expectations and explaining the system and its procedure, and is the major determinant of the relation between participants and pension funds. Therefore, this project’s research aim is: to identify challenges posed by the new system as well as promising communication strategies to overcome these challenges. 
 
Especially in health and judicial contexts, research has been conducted on how communication can establish realistic expectations, explain the fairness of procedures and systems, and influence people’s evaluation of the procedure. This project aims to uncover the insights gathered in these fields through systematic literature reviews. In addition, through iterative design research and interviews with pension specialists and pension participants, it will be established to what extent these insights can be translated and applied in the (Dutch) pension context. This project thus aims to provide evidence-based insights for the development of effective communication strategies for the implementation of the new pension system. 

• Sterre Hilhorst
• dr. Lisanne van Weelden
• prof. dr. Hans Hoeken

• Kay Schröder (Hochschule Düsseldorf)

The introduction of the new pension system brings about uncertainty for participants. Throughout the accumulation of pension benefits, the expected payout fluctuates. Uncertainty often leads to negative emotions and prompts individuals to avoid making decisions (Han, 2013). In the context of pensions, this may lead to unrest and delay in taking steps to arrange a desirable supplement.
At first glance, it may seem beneficial to downplay the uncertainty as much as possible. However, an unwarranted certainty brings about its own set of risks. If confident statements regarding the level of pension benefits are contradicted by reality, it leads to dissatisfaction with the system and distrust in pension funds or providers.

Communication regarding the expected level of pension benefits, such as through visualizations in the Uniform Pension Overview (UPO), should therefore not only be clear about the range within which the payout is likely to fall but also aim to prevent unnecessary feelings of insecurity among participants and offer potential courses of action to alter the expected benefits.

• dr. Lisanne van Weelden
• prof. dr. Hans Hoeken