Management Methods for Employees Who Have Not Completed Retirement Pension Training and Those Who Joined Mid-Year

Retirement pension training is not a program that ends after being announced once at the beginning of the year. HR managers must continuously update the list of eligible trainees and completion records by separately identifying employees who joined after the annual training, new retirement pension subscribers, those switching between DB and DC plans, employees returning from or on leave, and those who have not completed the training.

Retirement pension education is training conducted for participants at workplaces that have established DB or DC retirement pension schemes. Therefore, rather than simply sending materials to all employees, it is important to ensure that no actual participants were excluded from the training and to keep records of re-notification and supplementary training when those who failed to complete the course did so.

This article summarizes the management methods for mid-term hires, new subscribers, those switching schemes, employees on leave or returning to work, and those who have not completed the course, which are common occurrences during the operation of retirement pension education.

short answer

Those who have not completed retirement pension education and those who joined mid-term Method of updating the list of trainees throughout the year It must be managed as.

Even if retirement pension training was conducted at the beginning of the year or in the first half, there are cases where employees hired later join the retirement pension system or existing employees switch to DB or DC plans. In such situations, HR managers should consider providing separate guidance or supplementary training in accordance with internal standards, rather than having the relevant employees wait until the following year's training.

In particular, those who have not completed the course are easily overlooked if managed simply as “people who haven’t attended yet.” You must record the reason for non-completion, the date of re-notification, the method of supplementary training, final completion status, and whether a certificate of completion or record of completion is kept.

The key point is Confirmation of training participants → Verification of completion status → Reflection of changes → Re-notification for non-completionists → Final proof of completion Fee summary It is to create a flow.

When will it be applied?

This article can be used as a reference in situations where changes to trainees or handling of non-completioners are necessary after conducting retirement pension education once a year.

For example, there may be cases where the annual retirement pension training was completed in June but a new employee joined after July, an existing employee covered by the severance pay system newly enrolled in a Defined Contribution (DC) retirement pension, or an employee on leave was unable to attend the training during the period. If these situations are not addressed in advance, the training completion status may differ from the actual list of subscribers.

Managing training participants is particularly important for workplaces operating both DB and DC plans. This is because training materials and guidance may vary depending on the specific plan type applicable to each participant.

Even when entrusting training to retirement pension providers or external specialized agencies, HR verification is required. Even if the training institution provides completion results, you must cross-reference them with the company's internal subscriber list to ensure that no individuals are missing.

What HR Managers Should Do

1. Managed based on the annual list of training participants.

Retirement pension education management should begin with the list of participants, not the training schedule. Before conducting the training, HR personnel must organize the trainees based on the company's retirement pension subscriber list.

At this stage, it is important not to confuse the list of all employees with the list of retirement pension subscribers. Depending on the company, some employees may be covered only by the severance pay system, while others may be enrolled in DB or DC retirement pension plans. Therefore, it is advisable to include the enrollment system, date of enrollment, department, eligibility for training, and completion status in the list of trainees.

Even after the training, you must update the list if there is a hiring, resignation, leave of absence, return to work, or system transition. If you leave the list created at the beginning of the year as is, mid-year hires or new members may be excluded from the training.

2. Mid-term hires and new subscribers are reflected separately.

If an employee who joined after the annual training has enrolled in the retirement pension plan, the HR manager must add that employee to the training list. In this case, it is advisable to verify the actual date of enrollment in the retirement pension plan as well as the hiring date.

Since mid-term hires are not included in the existing training schedule, separate notification may be required. Practical handling becomes easier if you establish internal standards regarding how to proceed—whether through online training links, distribution of training materials, guidance on retirement pension provider training materials, or supplementary training schedules.

The same applies to new subscribers. If there are employees who were previously covered by the severance pay system but have switched to the retirement pension system, or who have joined a DB or DC plan after a certain point in time, they must be included as trainees.

When managing mid-term hires and new subscribers, it is recommended to record the following items together.

Date of employment or date of joining
Types of applicable retirement pension schemes
Training Announcement Date
Method of providing educational materials
Date of completion or training confirmation
Re-notification date in case of non-completion
Whether to retain certificates of completion or course completion records

3. Differentiate between DB and DC plan users.

In retirement pension education, it is important to distinguish between Defined Benefit (DB) and Defined Contribution (DC) plans. This is because the system structures and the information that participants need to check differ between the two types.

In a Defined Benefit (DB) plan, the company manages the funds for retirement benefits, and employees receive benefits upon retirement based on a predetermined calculation method. On the other hand, in a Defined Contribution (DC) plan, the company pays contributions into the subscriber's account, and the subscriber manages the accumulated funds directly.

Therefore, if there are employees who have switched from a DB plan to a DC plan or newly enrolled in a DC plan, it is advisable to provide separate guidance on the information participants need to know, such as management methods, investment risks, fees, and contribution payment standards.

Conversely, DB-type subscribers should be guided to understand the benefit calculation structure, the company's reserve management status, and the operational status of the plan. Even when using common educational materials, it is safer to distinguish items requiring additional verification for each specific plan.

4. Do not omit employees on leave of absence or those returning to work.

Employees on leave or long-term absence during the retirement pension training period are likely to be excluded from the training notifications. HR representatives must verify, based on internal standards, whether employees on leave are currently eligible for the training or if separate notification is required upon their return.

If it is difficult to immediately notify an employee on leave about training, it is recommended to categorize their status as “On Leave,” “Notification Needed Upon Return,” or “Scheduled for Supplementary Training,” rather than simply removing them from the list. This ensures that the training notification is not missed upon their return to work.

If there are employees returning to work, you must re-verify their retirement pension enrollment status along with their return date. If there were changes to the system before or after the leave of absence, or if the company's retirement pension provider or educational materials have changed, it is advisable to provide guidance based on the latest information.

Since the management of employees on leave and those returning to work involves a link between personal and HR information, detailed health information or reasons for leave should be avoided in the list of training participants. It is appropriate to indicate their status only to the extent necessary for training management.

5. Establish standards for re-notification and supplementary training for those who have not completed the course.

If retirement pension training is conducted online or by distributing educational materials, there may be participants who do not complete the course. HR managers should not simply leave these non-completionists in an incomplete state, but must establish criteria for re-notification and supplementary training.

For example, after a certain period has passed since the initial training announcement, you can send individual reminders to those who have not completed the course, and provide one more reminder before the deadline. If there are still uncompleted students after the final deadline, you can handle the situation by setting a separate period for make-up training or providing the training materials again.

When re-notifying those who have not completed the course, it is recommended to provide individual notifications within the necessary scope rather than publicly sharing their names. While encouraging training is necessary, care must be taken to avoid unnecessary exposure of personal information or creating a burden within the organization.

The re-notification message for those who have not completed the course can be used as follows.

We are providing this notice as the deadline for completing the retirement pension education has not yet passed. Please check the educational materials or access paths below and complete the training within the deadline. If a certificate of completion or proof of completion is required, please submit it according to the instructions provided.

If you sent a follow-up notice, it is recommended to record the sending date, recipient, method of guidance, and final completion status.

Example of a Subject Change Management Table

division	Things to check	Management method
Mid-term hires	Enrollment in retirement pension plan after joining the company	Add to the list of training participants after membership verification
New subscribers	Whether to switch from a severance pay system to a retirement pension system	Record of membership date and system type
System transitioners	Whether to change between DB and DC types	Guide to materials compatible with the changed system
employees on leave	Availability to take the course during the training period	Indicate whether guidance is needed after returning to work
reinstated employees	Membership status at the time of reinstatement	Re-guidance based on the latest educational materials
Non-completionists	Completion status after training guidance	Record of re-notification date and supplementary training status

Checklist for Managing Employees Who Have Not Completed Retirement Pension Training and Mid-Year Hires

item	check
The training participants were organized based on the list of retirement pension subscribers.	☐
DB and DC type subscribers were distinguished.	☐
We checked the employees who joined after the annual training.	☐
It reflects new retirement pension subscribers and those switching systems.	☐
Employees on leave and those returning to work were managed separately on the list of training participants.	☐
We established criteria and deadlines for re-notifying those who have not completed the course.	☐
We decided on the method for providing supplementary education or additional materials.	☐
The date of sending the re-notification and the final completion status were recorded.	☐
The certificates of completion or completion records were compared with the list of subjects.	☐
Educational materials, participant lists, completion records, and follow-up guidance records were stored together.	☐
Access to the list containing personal information was restricted.	☐
The results of the omission management were reflected in the next year's training schedule.	☐

Common mistakes

The first mistake is leaving the list of trainees from the beginning of the year unchanged. Although retirement pension training is conducted annually, the trainees can change throughout the year. The list must be updated whenever there is a hiring, resignation, leave of absence, return to work, new enrollment, or system transition.

The second mistake is simply carrying over mid-year hires to the following year's training. If a mid-year hire is enrolled in a retirement pension plan, you should consider providing separate notifications or supplementary training. It is advisable to establish specific methods for providing training materials and verifying completion based on internal company standards.

The third mistake is failing to differentiate between DB and DC plan materials. While common training information can be shared, DC plan participants require a separate understanding of specific details, such as management methods, investment risks, and fees. If the same materials are sent without verifying the plan type, the training content may not align with the actual plan subscribed to.

The fourth mistake is failing to keep a record of re-notifying those who have not completed the course. Even if you have notified those who have not completed the course again, it is difficult to verify what actions were taken later without a record. It is recommended to record the sending date, the recipient, the method of notification, and whether the course was finally completed.

The fifth mistake is excessively recording reasons for leave of absence or personal information on the training management form. It is advisable to leave only the information necessary for training management on the list of trainees and to avoid including health information or sensitive reasons for leave.

If EAP support is needed

Retirement pension education is designed to help you understand the retirement benefit system and preparation for old age. An EAP does not replace retirement pension education, nor is it a system that provides explanations of retirement pension products or financial advice.

However, employees may experience anxiety regarding retirement planning or stress related to career transitions during processes such as changes to the retirement pension system, organizational restructuring, restructuring, wage peak systems, or support for employees scheduled to retire. In such cases, EAP can be utilized as a supplementary channel to support the psychological burden of employees.

For example, if employee inquiries increase after the announcement of the system transition, or if employees scheduled to retire complain of anxiety and stress, you can guide them to an EAP counseling channel separately from retirement pension education.

EAP guidance text can be used as follows.

If you experience psychological burden or anxiety during changes to the retirement pension system, retirement preparation, or the career transition process, you can utilize the EAP counseling channel. EAP does not replace retirement pension education or financial product guidance; it is a supplementary channel designed to support the psychological well-being of employees.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Should employees who joined after the annual retirement pension training also be included in the training?
For employees who joined mid-year and are enrolled in the retirement pension scheme, you must verify their eligibility for training. Since employees who joined after the annual training are prone to being missed, it is advisable to establish criteria for separate notifications or supplementary training.

Q2. How many times should I re-notify those who have not completed the course?
Rather than adhering to the legally mandated number of re-notifications, it is advisable to manage this by establishing internal company operational standards. For example, you can keep records for each stage, such as the initial notice, a reminder before the deadline, and a notice for the final supplementary training.

Q3. Do employees who switch from a DB plan to a DC plan need to be retrained?

If the content employees need to understand has changed due to the transition of the system, it is advisable to provide educational materials or guidance tailored to the revised system. In particular, for Defined Contribution (DC) plans, separate guidance may be required to help subscribers understand their operational responsibilities and investment risks.

Q4. How should employees on leave be managed?
Rather than removing employees from the list simply because they are on leave, it is better to separately indicate whether they are subject to training and whether notification is required upon their return. You should manage the process so that notifications can be provided based on the latest training materials at the time of their return.

Q5. If the retirement pension provider conducts the training, is the company not required to manage it separately?
No. Even if a retirement pension provider or an external agency conducts the training, the company must verify the list of participants, completion results, the status of non-completioners, and certificates or completion records. A process of comparing the commissioned training results with the company's internal management records is required.

Next step

Retirement pension education does not end with sending educational materials once a year. HR managers must manage mid-year hires, new participants, those switching plans, employees returning from leave or leave, and those who have not completed the course throughout the year, and keep the list of eligible participants and their completion records up to date.

If you wish to streamline the operation of mandatory legal training, personal information protection training, retirement pension training, and employee psychological support at the organizational level, review the operational methods suitable for your organization through a Nudge EAP implementation consultation.

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Source and Information

This content is intended for general informational purposes. Specific matters regarding laws, labor relations, retirement pensions, training operations, personal information protection, and psychological counseling may vary depending on the specific workplace situation, the latest laws, and official guidelines; therefore, review by relevant experts may be necessary.

Personal Information Protection & Retirement Pension Training