If you’re the key point of contact for employee benefits, you know how crucial it is to be fully equipped to assist, especially with employees who are approaching retirement. A smooth transition into retirement benefits everyone, and the ASRS provides a wealth of information to facilitate this process.
Retirement is a major life decision, and the more informed your employees are of the retirement process, the better the experience will be for both the retiree and the employer. The ASRS provides many opportunities and resources for members to prepare for retirement. While we actively promote this information through emails, newsletters and social media, it's still vital that employers familiarize themselves with these resources and proactively share them with their employees. By doing so, you'll empower your workforce to make informed decisions and navigate the retirement process with confidence.
Why is this important?
Retirement planning can be complex. Employees often have questions about eligibility, benefit calculations, healthcare options, and more. Being a reliable source of information can significantly reduce their stress and ensure a seamless transition.
Here's a breakdown of key ASRS resources you should be sharing:
1. Comprehensive Educational Materials:
o This page serves as a central hub for all things retirement-related. It provides access to the Road to Retirement handbook, calculators, and educational presentations. Encourage your employees to explore this valuable resource.
o This tool helps employees understand the key milestones and deadlines in the retirement process, providing a clear roadmap, to ensure they don't miss any crucial steps.
• Appointments:
o The appointments page outlines the various ways employees get assistance from a Retirement Specialist. While many questions can be answered quickly by phone, employees can also schedule appointments for in-depth assistance with forms or face-to-face reassurance by clicking on the Schedule Appointment button.
2. Informative Blog Posts:
• "Education Spotlight: Route 3":
o This blog post specifically highlights the Route 3 retirement option, providing valuable insight for those who may qualify.
• "Need-to-Know Information if You're Retiring This Summer":
o This blog post covers time sensitive information regarding summer retirement.
• "Resources For You and Your Retiring Employees":
o This articles serve as guides to the many resources the ASRS offers, emphasizing the collaborative role between employers and the ASRS in assisting retiring employees.
• "Preparing to Retire: Are You Ready? Let's Find Out":
o This resource is designed to help employees assess their readiness for retirement and identify any potential gaps in their planning.
How to Effectively Share These Resources:
• Regular Communication: Incorporate ASRS information into your employee newsletters, emails, employee meetings and your intranet.
• Pre-Retirement Workshops: Promote the Group Meeting schedule found on the Member Education page or consider hosting an information session featuring ASRS representatives. You can coordinate this by sending a secure message to our Member Education Team using “Member Education” as the category.
• One-on-One Appointments: Encourage employees to schedule an appointment well in advance of their projected retirement date with ASRS retirement specialists for personalized guidance. These appointments can be held over the phone, in-person, or virtually through Google Meet.
• Prominent Placement: Display ASRS brochures and flyers in common areas. You can request educational material by submitting a secure message.
• Website Links: Place direct links to the ASRS website and relevant resources on your company's intranet or website.
By taking these steps, you'll create a supportive environment where employees feel empowered to take control of their retirement planning.
