A workforce that’s sprawled across the country is pushing Simon Cabral (pictured centre), former director of global defined contribution plans at Scotiabank, to employ a fully digital approach when communicating with employees.
“We have to, we have no choice really to reach our cohorts across the country,” he said during a panel session at Benefits Canada’s 2025 DC Plan Summit.
Instead of relying on live presentations to communicate the benefits of the bank’s savings plans, it provides employees with access to a total well-being page, he added, which serves as a one-stop shop for everything from wealth, health and life. “We know people learn differently. . . . We have some people who want just a one-pager. We have some people who want a two-minute video. We’ve got that.”
Read: Communication key to reinforcing value of workplace retirement plans: report
For Jennifer Gottfriedson (pictured right), senior manager of benefits, pension and disability at PwC Canada, it’s all about engaging with plan members in a timely way that reflects what they may be thinking about at that moment in time.
Whether it’s preparing for tax season or saving for a summer holiday, the organization aims to be aware of what’s relevant to employees, she said. Besides sharing details about the complexities of the PwC Canada’s DC plan — including a varying contribution rate depending on tenure and role — its efforts include sharing financial literacy resources in a one-stop digital solution.
The digital solution also offers plan members information on how to create a budget or even save for a home, added Gottfriedson. “To address some of that generational communication, we want to make sure we are using targeted communications via emails [or] via digital platforms.”
Read: How social media is helping employers streamline, personalize pension communications
Since Cristina Lisita (pictured left), assistant vice-president of finance at Honda Canada Inc., oversees a workforce split between a manufacturing environment and those in a head office, she relies on direct communications from a representative on location to answer employee questions in addition to digital communications. “There is somebody at the end of the shift waiting for them.”
The emergence of artificial intelligence solutions is pushing both PwC Canada and Scotiabank to employ novel solutions to improve pension plan knowledge and financial literacy. Both organizations rely on an AI agent to offer basic answers to questions about benefits and pensions
“We see it as a way to reach people, as a way to engage people,” added Gottfriedson.
Read more coverage from the 2026 DC Plan Summit.