"Many people in this sector do not build up a pension through their employer. This is now backfiring," says Joost Tieland, director at Brand New Day.
Why are pension concerns so high in the ICT sector?
Compared to other large sectors, the concerns in ICT are strikingly high. In the transport sector, 33 percent are worried, in engineering and construction 38 percent, and in the healthcare sector and business services 39 percent. The national average is 45 percent.
The ICT sector scores significantly worse. Tieland points to the background of many companies in this industry: relatively young, flexibly organized, and without a fixed pension structure. Employees are often responsible for their own retirement provision.
"This does not have to be a disadvantage in itself, but it does require people to take action. And it is precisely this responsibility that causes headaches for many," he states. Employers could better support their employees in this regard, for example with pension information or other arrangements that provide actionable perspectives.
Pension regret despite personal action
It is striking that the concerns also lead to action. No less than 90 percent of ICT professionals actively set aside money, primarily for pension. They clearly score higher than colleagues in other sectors, such as healthcare.
In the healthcare sector, only 71 percent save, often due to limited financial capacity. Additionally, healthcare workers more often save for a buffer than specifically for pension.
Yet, many ICT professionals feel that they started too late. 60 percent of them express regret for not having arranged their pension accrual earlier. This is also well above the national average (44 percent). For comparison: in the healthcare sector, 34 percent express regret, in engineering and construction 42 percent, and in transport and business services 44 to 45 percent.
