In October 2023 I started a secondment, working as part of Rachelle Trueman’s pensions team at the Molson Coors Beverage Company (MCBC). As I approach the one-year milestone, I wanted to look back and share some thoughts on my experience so far… *Spoiler alert* it’s quite possibly the best thing I’ve ever done professionally.

A perfect match

My colleague Claire Barnes, who is the head of governance at Vidett as well as a brilliant client director and member of our Outsourced Pensions Management team, recently wrote an article about “3 ways secondments can help boost a team’s mental wellbeing”. In it, she notes “The key to making them [secondments] work is matching the right person in terms of skills, experience, location, personality and communication style” -with the personality aspect being something Vidett uniquely focuses on.

This was evident when I was recommended for the opportunity at MCBC. Yes, I had suitable skills and experience, but Claire’s a fellow Yorkshire lass and given geographically we’re both quite a distance away from the MCBC UK head office, I knew above all she was confident my personality would be a good fit for both the inhouse pensions team and company. Claire knows me really well and truly understands just how much I value and champion the ‘people’ side of our work. With MCBC being a true ‘people first’ company, this was a perfect match for me.

I have a confession…

Before I started, I knew very little about secondments. Yes, I’d worked with inhouse teams, but I’d never actually worked as part of one. But from day one it was obvious to me this was going to be something special.

I’ve worked in pensions for around sixteen years now and am fortunate to have a strong feeling of belonging at Vidett. I never expected to get the same feeling so quickly when I started with MCBC. The company values really aren’t just for show here, they’re embodied in every employee. The positive energy and atmosphere at the company is undeniable, which is so helpful for me fitting in as a secondee. I still have the same (maybe even higher) level of excitement working with MCBC almost a year later.

In addition, Rachelle Trueman – the MCBC pensions manager for UK & Ireland – is unlike any pensions manager I’ve ever worked with. She somehow makes being a pensions manager look easy (when it isn’t). With her exceptional attention to detail, big picture vision and desire to achieve the best outcome in every situation, Rachelle is the person to show you what good looks like in practice.

The main ingredients

For me, there are two key components to our pension trustee executive job:

• The pensions side – there are very good and technically brilliant people in our industry and I find, if you have the right attitude and willingness to learn and grow, the pensions side starts to become easier and, dare I say it, enjoyable.

That said, in pensions, every day is a school day. Before starting this secondment, I didn’t realise just how much of a trustee focus my work had. I’ve now been able to see firsthand the entire pensions process through the lens of both pension trustee and scheme sponsor. I now better appreciate how vital the pensions manager role is in constantly balancing logical trustee decisions with the practicalities of company operations.

• The people side – when I joined 20-20 Trustees (now Vidett) two years ago, I was suddenly exposed to the importance of the people side of our work. The concept is simple – if you enjoy the company of the people you work with and find you share values, goals and principles, you’ll end up thriving. You feel motivated, encouraged and supported to be your absolute best.

Someone commented how it was clear Rachelle and I got on really well as people let alone colleagues, which I think completely embodies this concept. We share values, strong work ethics and complementary personalities. To me Rachelle’s an inspirational leader, and quite frankly, I genuinely just really enjoy her company. Not only is Rachelle technically brilliant, but her calm nature, thoughtfulness, and genuine kindness even in the most stressful of situations, are just some of her admirable qualities, which I now find I consciously try to improve within myself. To me when you start to self-reflect, it’s the true sign you’re working for and with the right person.

To conclude

This secondment has been the perfect example of how effortless and enjoyable work can be when you’re with the right people. The way Rachelle and I can discuss new ideas, overcome challenging situations, share jokes and end each day on a high, with a genuine sense of accomplishment is to me what this is all about.

I’m proud to have seen such a change within myself over the last ten months, both professionally and personally, and I directly credit this to the experiences I’ve had on secondment. I’m so very grateful to the entire team at MCBC for making this experience an absolutely incredible one – as this is truly a time in my life I’ll never forget. So, if you’re considering employing a pensions professional, please think about the benefits of a secondment. The Vidett Outsourced Pensions Management team (which I’m also now a member of), carefully select the right people for each role, and will work with you to ensure you find the perfect match.

If you would like to discuss any of the topics above, or have any other questions, then please contact Fizza Qasim or one of our Trustee Executive team, who will be happy to help.