Products May 11, 2012

Education Program Increases Participation in Workplace Plans

A workplace investor education program field tested in three states increased employee participation in workplace savings and investing programs, its creators claim.
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“Investor Education in Your Workplace” (IEiYW), a project of the nonprofit Investor Protection Institute (IPI) with support from the Investor Protection Trust and carried out jointly with state securities agencies and the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF), is a 10-week online training program. 

Results among nearly 8,500 employees in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Wisconsin included: 

  • Up to 50% increases in short- and long-term saving and investing activities;  
  • Up to 40% improvement in investment knowledge measured through pre- and post-testing;  
  • Up to 50% improvement in participant attitudes and behaviors, including increased financial well-being, setting investment goals, implementing a budget, and starting/increasing contributions to 401(k), IRA or equivalent plans;  
  • More than 80% of participants completed the entire 10-week program; and  
  • Nearly all (96%) said they would like to participate in additional programs. 

“The answer to the question of how to get more employees to participate in workplace saving and investing programs is much sought after in the world of investor education,” said Don Blandin, IPI’s president and chief executive. “The good news here is that we now have a much better handle on what works.”

IEiYW is expanding to the District of Columbia and seven states:  Alaska, Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Oklahoma, Vermont and Washington. Additional state securities agencies are being encouraged to participate in the Investor Education in Your Workplace program this fall. Informational webinars about the fall program, including detailed program results, will take place in May. Webinar information is available at http://www.investoreducationinyourworkplace.org.   

 

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