Case studies
Accelerating engagement with a Pensions Roadshow
With a growing number of employees asking questions about pensions, and little support from their previous workplace pension provider, car retailer Donnelly Group decided it was time for a newer model.
Published on 20th July 2026
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4 min read
Overview
With a growing number of employees asking questions about pensions, and little support from their previous workplace pension provider, car retailer Donnelly Group decided it was time for a newer model. So, they partnered with Cushon and, to introduce their new scheme, created a Donnelly Group Pensions Roadshow: in-person sessions across nine locations, plus three live webinars.
The roadshows were a great success. 319 of 473 employees joined a session, leading to a surge in interest and engagement with the company’s workplace pension.
Founded in 1947, Donnelly Group grew from a small local vehicle repair and taxi business into the largest family-owned car retailer in Northern Ireland. In their eyes, having a happy, engaged workforce is a must for the company to consistently deliver the high level of service its customers expect, so Donnelly Group invests heavily in employee wellbeing. And it’s this dedication to looking after employees that sparked the idea for the Donnelly Group Pensions Roadshow
Our impact
Since joining us, Donnelly Group has achieved:
473 active pension members
75% app download rate
160 pension transfers
126 one-to-one consultations booked
The challenge: Inspiring even greater pension curiosity
Getting employees – particularly younger ones, a long way from retirement – to engage with their workplace pension is a constant challenge. But, in Donnelly Group’s case, employees were already getting curious before Cushon got involved.
The company noticed an increase in pension-related questions from employees while reviewing their workplace benefits package. They worked with Cushon to draw up a plan that would give employees the educational resources they needed to feel more empowered, and encourage greater pension engagement overall.
The solution: Taking the show on the road
As part of the Donnelly Group Pensions Roadshow, Cushon attended all nine of the company’s locations in Northern Ireland, holding 31 face-to-face ‘Introduction to Cushon’ sessions each lasting around 45 minutes.
We had the dates for all nine locations locked down within days of our first conversation with Cushon. We needed to accommodate up to 200 people on some sites, so they organised multiple sessions.
Roisin Donnelly (Donnelly Foundation, Corporate Social Responsibility and Staff Engagement)
Alongside presentations on the impact of saving more, sooner, Cushon also offered attendees personalised support. As well as face-to-face conversations, Cushon launched one-to-one online consultations, which employees could book through a dedicated link.
We expect the one-to-one consultations will have a big uptake, because the introductory sessions have made people really think about their retirement.
Roisin Donnelly
The impact: A great success
The ‘Introduction to Cushon’ sessions were extremely well-received.
We’ve never had so much good feedback after a staff initiative. People are saying the sessions made them really understand our workplace pension and the possibilities to top up and increase their investment.
Roisin Donnelly
473 active pension members
75% app download rate
160 pension transfers
126 one-to-one consultations booked
Donnelly Group have also noticed an increase in enquiries from employees looking to increase their pension contributions.
We couldn’t be happier with how the initiative worked out. Cushon were really attentive right from the get-go, the sessions were spot-on, length-wise, and everyone came out of them feeling much more knowledgeable about workplace pensions and how to get as much value as possible out of them.
Roisin Donnelly
About Cushon
Cushon is a UK-based workplace pensions and savings provider, part of the WTW group and dedicated to helping people build a better financial future through smart, engaging technology.
Operating as part of WTW, Cushon delivers intuitive, digital-first pension and savings solutions through the workplace, integrating seamlessly with payroll and benefits platforms.
By offering a straightforward way to save into pensions, ISAs and other products directly from pay, Cushon helps employers enhance the financial wellbeing of their workforce.
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