From vision to action: Getting plan members more engaged to promote their financial empowerment
Insights from a survey of 1,000 Canadians with access to a group retirement savings plan
Clearly defined savings goals lead to greater engagement-and financial empowerment too.
Why was this survey done?
Group retirement savings plans play a big part in helping people achieve their financial goals. In 2025, to better understand what gets plan members more engaged and how to support sustainable savings habits, Desjardins Insurance has commissioned Desjardins (Research Department) surveyed 1,000 Canadian plan members.
The findings indicate that a well‑defined vision of the future is closely linked to greater engagement in the group plan, a critical factor in supporting financial empowerment.
What the survey shows
1. A clear vision guides financial decisions and engagement
- 50% of the respondents said they’re engaged* in their group plan.
- When they have a clear vision of their future, this jumps by 9 points to 59%.
- Among those without a clear vision, only 24% are engaged.
What this means in practical terms
Plan members who have a long-term goal are twice as likely to be engaged. This leads to greater use of your group plan and more regular savings habits.
* Plan members’ engagement in their group plan is assessed based on the attitudes and habits measured by the survey. This includes how well they understand their plan or how often they use online tools at their disposal (retirement income simulator, educational content, etc.).
2. Savings goals increase engagement
- 84% of plan members say they have a savings goal.
- This number varies according to their level of engagement:
- 89% of highly engaged plan members have a savings goal
- versus 77% who are minimally engaged.
- The gap is especially wide with long-term goals:
- 73% of highly engaged plan members have a long-term savings goal
- versus 56% who are minimally engaged.
What this means in practical
The more highly engaged plan members tend to have savings goals, especially long-term ones. When plan members have a clear sense of their future, it’s easier for them to adopt regular savings habits, which can lead to of their group plan over time.
3. Engagement and confidence
Confidence can play a pivotal role in plan members’ ability to make informed decisions. The study shows that individuals who are strongly engaged in their group savings plan are more likely to report a high level of confidence.
- Among highly engaged plan members, 40% say they feel very confident about making financial decisions.
- That number drops to 29% for those who are minimally engaged.
What this means in practical
A well-used group plan creates a virtuous cycle: Confidence breeds engagement, which in turn breeds more confidence. This cycle can regular savings habits and long-term financial empowerment.
Why Desjardins focuses on financial empowerment
Unlike notions like financial “health” or “well-being,” financial empowerment focuses on the person. It emphasizes:
- The confidence to make informed financial decisions
- The attitudes that support informed choices over time
- Sustainable habits, without judging a person’s situation.
By providing an environment that cultivates these attitudes, plan sponsors have an essential role in helping plan members move towards their goals. Desjardins Insurance supports this role by spotlighting factors that build engagement, confidence and long-term savings habits.
The result: Plan members who are more engaged, better equipped and more self-reliant in their financial decisions.
Source: Desjardins and Ad hoc Research (September 2025). Survey of Canadians with access to a group retirement savings plan. This study was conducted among Canadians eligible for a group retirement savings plan through a web‑based panel survey. The work was carried out by Ad hoc Research, in collaboration with the Research Directorate and the Corporate Marketing Planning, Integration and Steering Directorate – Wealth Management and Personal Insurance. Data collection took place from July 16 to July 24, 2025, among Canadian adults aged 18 to 64 with access to a group retirement savings plan excluding defined benefit plans. The study is based on a probability‑based sample of 1,000 respondents (n = 1000) recruited through the LEO web panel.
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