Attracting and retaining good workers has never been harder – that's why Job Skills, a community-based employment and training organization, began offering a defined benefit pension in 2022. "This is our first time offering a retirement benefit, and [it] has delivered the stable, secure path that we wanted to be able to provide our staff," said Job Skills Special Projects Manager Teresa Guillem. For Teresa, ensuring that her team members could rely on a secure retirement meant the organization would also be better equipped to deliver on its mission. "We want to invest in our people," said Teresa. "One, because we want them to stay with us long term, and two, we know by investing in our staff we are also investing in our community."
About People for Pensions
The People for Pensions program is one of several OPTrust initiatives intended to raise awareness about the overall value of defined benefit pension plans. Research has shown members and retirees of the OPSEU Pension Plan and OPTrust Select place a high value on their pensions, but sometimes plan members are not aware of all of the benefits of their pension plan – and in particular the benefits of having a defined benefit plan versus other kinds of retirement savings vehicles.
The People for Pensions program asks members and retirees of the OPSEU Pension Plan and OPTrust Select to share information with their peers, friends and families about the value of DB plans and how the DB model supports the economy.