Straight out of university, it seems ironic that my first job should be focused on the end of careers, and the payments that we will all rely on. Like so many others, I was keen to jump into the world of work, without a second though for something as far-off as my pension. But like it or not, I’ve quickly learnt that that far off saving is crucial.
Before I began at KBPR, I thought that pensions were a dreary and dull topic, and upon receiving my first paycheque, I would be begrudging to depart with any of my new found cash, but I’ve quickly learnt that the world of pensions is not only crucially important, but genuinely interesting. Though it may seem pessimistic, at the beginning of your career, when the world is your oyster, is when you really need to start considering your pension scheme and savings. Of course, it’s much easier to spend that money on a coffee to help with that early morning commute or a new pair of shoes, but in the long run these aren’t so helpful.
I should be honest, upon entering my first day at work, I was worried about making a good impression, wearing the right outfit and bringing a sandwich that wouldn’t make the office smell, but I was surprised at how quickly the world of pensions immersed me. My first morning at KBPR I was given an industry magazine to look through. An article immediately caught my attention, all about how millennials wanted to invest their pensions more ethically.
Though the word millennials made me shiver somewhat, I couldn’t help but agree, if I’m giving away even a small percentage of money, I’m conscious that this should be placed into an investment that follows my ideals. As I continued my induction into the company, getting to know people in the industry and learning about the world that was my new life, I was surprised at how many articles concerned younger people. I was pleasantly surprised to see such a young thriving element of this industry and was keen to join it. But I still had a lot to learn, for me giving away even 1% still seemed a big ask, even if it was going to help save the environment or even the world.
Having now been at KBPR for 3 months, I’ve seen that this focus on young people wasn’t a one off, my weekly roundup of news topics is almost never without a topic on young people. When so many young people feel disenfranchised and forgotten, it’s great to see an industry really trying to engage with them.
Though the pensions world is increasingly appealing to the younger workforce, with debates such as ethical investment, I can’t help but wish that more people could realise how crucial putting that 1% aside is. In fact, I didn’t realise its importance until a twitter conversation and a rather snappy haiku.
But I am thrilled to be working at a company that emphasises the importance of these ideas and pushes for change in an industry so vulnerable to stagnancy. I look forward to working with pensions, even if that means I now constantly spend my time trying to persuade my friends that pensions really are important and to put a little bit extra into their pensions fund.
