Pensions and decisions go hand in hand. How much to save, where to invest, when to retire… the list goes on.

But as we know, these decisions aren’t always easy to make.

So, we were intrigued when we came across an article that suggested creepy crawlies could help us brush up our decision-making skills.

We’re surrounded by options – if we want to get scientific about it – choice overload. And ants face the same overstimulation when searching for a bite to eat. 

But they have tricks up their… legs?... which help them to overcome it.

The most adventurous ants set out to find the best spot for a bite to eat, leaving a pheromone trail as they go which evaporates over time.

The most efficient ants make it back quickest leaving a strong trail for (presumably less adventurous) ants to follow along – tracing the path with even more hormones as they go. 

These paths are reinforced over time, making the choice of which route to take clear to future ants.

What does this have to do with pensions?

In a world of choice overload, making pension pathways simple and easy to follow is crucial.

It’s not about every member making the same choices or coming to the same conclusion, but about reducing friction as they make decisions.

That could be by making it easy to log in to a portal, making the next step visible, or targeting messaging based on what we know about members.

And it’s not just ants we can learn from. Did you know, there are democratic honeybees and cockroaches with main character energy?

Read the article to find out more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20260810-what-insects-can-teach-us-about-decision-making